Common Terms Associated with TBI
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) may seem relatively straightforward – after all, it is an injury to the brain caused by trauma. However, a TBI is a highly complex injury that has many different types, degrees of severity, causes, and effects on victims. No two brain injuries are exactly alike and identifying the location of the injury on the brain, as well as the nature and severity of the injury are essential to ensuring a victim receives the proper medical treatment.
If you have a TBI, you will hear doctors using highly technical language to refer to the specifics of your injury. If you later file a legal claim against the person who caused your TBI, that terminology will likely be used again in your case. The following are some common terms regarding traumatic brain injury that you may hear.
Acquired brain injury – A person will be diagnosed with an acquired brain injury when some type of outside force causes their injury. This differentiation is important because not all brain injuries occur because of a bump to the head or another trauma. For example, some babies are born with damage to their brain tissue due to an unpreventable birth defect. Others may sustain an acquired brain injury if the doctor misuses forceps or a vacuum during delivery.
Closed head injury – A closed head injury occurs when something collides with your head but does not break through the surface of the skull. This can still result in serious injury to the brain, however, as the brain will still hit the inside of the skull, often causing contusions and other damage. This is common in falls or motor vehicle accidents.
Open/penetrating head injury – On the other hand, an open or penetrating injury happens when an object goes through the skin and the skull and directly damages the brain. This is common in explosions, gunshot wounds, or when the head makes contact with anything sharp. This type of injury can be especially serious if the object remains lodged inside of the brain.
Diffuse Axonal injury – This type of brain injury does not require actual traumatic contact with another object, but occurs when a sudden rotational force causes the brain to shake violently. The axons in the brain can be torn or otherwise damaged when such a force occurs. This injury is common in car accident cases due to the impact of the crash or in cases involving shaken babies or individuals being too close to a blast.
Secondary injury – While the brain injury itself can cause significant damage and effects, doctors will also be concerned about secondary injuries, which are the complications that can arise from a TBI. These can include:
- Excessive intracranial pressure
- Brain hemorrhaging
- Swelling of the brain
- Infection caused by penetrating objects
- Excess fluid in the skull
Contact a Tampa Bay Brain Injury Attorney to Discuss Your Options Today
Your options following a TBI will depend on a number of factors, including how your injury occurred, the severity of your injury, and how your injury has affected your life. At Dolman Law Group, we have the knowledge and ability to handle a wide range of brain injury cases involving concussions to severe TBI. We understand the technical medical information related to TBIs and how this type of injury can affect a victim’s life.
If you have sustained any type of traumatic brain injury in or around the Tampa Bay or Clearwater area, please call our experienced brain injury lawyers at 727-452-6900 for a free consultation.
Dolman Law Group
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33765
727-451-6900
https://www.dolmanlaw.com/legal-services/brain-injury-attorneys/
