Brain Injury

In our country every year, over a million people will suffer from a brain injury. According to the Center for Disease Control, that number is closer to 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries. Out of this million, over 200,000 will end up in the hospital and around 90,000 will be left with a brain disability due to their injury. Sadly, 50,000 people will die.

Traumatic brain injuries can occur alone or in conjunction with other injuries. The causes are wide and varied but all are devastating. Medical costs from a traumatic brain injury cost upwards of $76 billion dollars in the United States in 2000.

Statistics show that the major causes of traumatic brain injury are falls in the home and motor vehicle accidents. In California, studies have shown as many as 30,000 people a year fall victim to a brain injury traumatic enough to require hospitalization. The staggering majority of people who fall victim to this type of injury are men. Another startling statistic is that this 30,000 Californians with brain injuries accounts for a 10% of the national number.

Brain injuries can be obvious or subtle at first and then eventually lead to catastrophic results. It is very important to be aware of what the symptoms of a brain injury are when watching over someone who has suffered a blow to the head. You or a loved one may have suffered a brain injury if you are experiencing any of the following: seizures, loss of balance, blurred vision, nausea, dizziness, memory problems, fatigue, insomnia, concentration problems, attention problems, anxiety, depression and irritability.

There are two types of brain injuries:

• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Acquired Brain Injury

A traumatic brain injury happens when an external force hits the head with enough force to cause the brain to move inside the skull and often causes the skull to breakdown and directly damage the brain. Many injuries that may result from traumatic head or brain trauma include:

• Car, truck or motorcycle accidents
• Physical violence
• Bicycle accidents
• Sporting accidents
• Any strong blow to the skull

Common symptoms of brain injuries include a loss of consciousness, visibly dilated pupils, marked vision deficiency, vertigo, fluid coming out of the nose and/or ears, respiratory failure, an obvious coma or semi-comatose state, paralysis or partial paralysis, vomiting, lethargy, headache and confusion. Brain injuries are particularly serious and necessitate immediate medical attention as all injuries to the head are potentially life threatening.

Brain injuries can be caused when your skull hits something hard enough to damage the brain inside. Brain injuries can also happen when something extreme happens to your body that makes it shut down. If your brain does not receive enough oxygen over a period of time, it will become damaged. In my experience, I have seen brain injury cases caused from car accidents, motorcycle accidents, boating accidents, falls, medical malpractice cases, and other similar situations.

In some serious brain injury situations, the brain may begin to swell. Swelling of the brain is a life-threatening situation that needs immediate medical attention. If swelling of the brain occurs, methods will be used to stop and reduce the swelling, including intracranial monitors and various drugs.

Acquired brain injury initiates at the cellular level within the brain. Damage from acquired brain injury can affect cells through the whole brain. Traumatic Brain Injuries affect only a specific part of the brain.

There are two types of Acquired Brain Injuries:

Anoxic Brain Injury (where the brain doesn't receive any oxygen)

Hypoxic Brain Injury (the brain does not receive enough oxygen).

• Severe airway obstruction
• Near-drowning accidents
• Choking or strangulation
• Accidents involving electrical shock
• Severe distress to the head and/or neck
• Vascular Disruption
• Heart attack and/or stroke
• Infectious diseases
• Brain tumors
• Metabolic disorders
• Meningitis
• Exposure to specific toxic agents
• Heavy Drug Use

In California, the law imposes a statute of limitations, which sets a maximum amount of time that legal proceedings can occur after the date the incident. Each year at our Law Office, people call me to ask me for help that have legitimate cases, only to find their statute of limitations has run out. It is one of the most difficult things for me to tell them I can’t help because they waited too long.

Cases occur each year with large settlements to reimburse the hefty medical bills and huge loss of wages that occur with brain injury. Recently in Parents of Sheriod Merritt v. Emory University, the parent of gunshot victim Sheriod Merritt were awarded 17 million from the DeKalb County, Georgia court for the brain damages and death sustained during surgery when the patient was deprived oxygen.

If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, you will need a Sacramento brain injury lawyer with experience. Call Moseley Collins at (916) 444-4444 for a free consultation.

Moseley Collins is a personal injury attorney serving those badly hurt throughout California. There is absolutely NO FEE to discuss your case and there is absolutely no fee unless we win and get you the money you are entitled to. We are on your side and know what to do to get you compensation and justice.

Moseley Collins
980 9th St, 16th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 444-4444
https://www.moseleycollins.com/