Most people in Wilmington probably understand that a sudden blow to the head can cause severe damage to a person. What many people don’t realize is that the majority of instances of traumatic brain injury are caused by falls and car accidents. These types of accidents are often caused by the negligence or recklessness of another person.
Usually less than 3.5 pounds, the human brain is composed of extremely delicate tissue and floats in a pool of fluid that lies within the skull. Due to the soft quality of the brain’s tissue, it can be stretched and compressed. Circumstances surrounding an accident, such as the sudden speeding and slowing of a car crash, can cause the brain to move rapidly and violently inside the skull and cause brain injury to the person.
The severity of a traumatic brain injury is based on how much the tissue has been damaged. Brain scans can aid in determining the severity of TBI, as well as other measured factors such as the length of loss of consciousness, the profoundness of a coma and the degree of memory loss. When it comes to the most severe forms of TBI, car accidents surpass falls as the most common cause. Thus, following a car accident, it can be extremely important for accident victims to get proper medical help right away.
The recovery after a TBI can be both lengthy and costly. The medical bills can be enormous and seemingly never-ending due to the huge costs of rehabilitation. A skilled accident compensation attorney can offer much-needed legal help to an individual or family affected by brain tissue damage caused by another’s negligence.
Source: Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, “Understanding TBI,” accessed Aug. 29, 2016
