South Carolina Brain Injury Attorneys

WHAT IS A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY?

Traumatic brain injuries affect millions of Americans. Most of these injuries are caused as a result of an auto accident. The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines a traumatic brain injury or TBI as a condition, which is caused by a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain.

About 1.4 million people in the United States sustain a brain injury each year and out of those, about 50,000 die; 235,000 are hospitalized and about 1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department. Children between the ages 0 to 14 years old are often victims. In this age group, there are close to 3,000 deaths, 37,000 hospitalizations and 435,000 visits to the emergency room that are brain-injury related.

Motor vehicle crashes cause about one-fourth of all traumatic brain injuries and result in the greatest number of brain-injury related hospitalizations, according to the CDC. Also, the rate of auto accident-related brain injuries is reportedly the highest among adolescents – those between ages 15 and 19.

The symptoms of a traumatic brain injury could include any of the following:

• Dizziness, lightheadedness or headaches
• Confusion and exhaustion
• Double or blurred vision
• Memory loss – short-term and/or long-term
• Mood swings
• Trouble maintaining focus or concentration
• Nausea or vomiting
• Lack of coordination
• Slurred speech

CLOSED BRAIN INJURIES

A closed brain injury, where the skull is not broken or penetrated is the most common type of brain injury that results from auto accidents. It is more complicated than other types of brain injuries because it is more difficult to diagnose and the symptoms are not obvious right away. A person with a closed brain injury may suffer just a mild headache or a brief loss of consciousness and may even leave the hospital with a clean bill of health. But the above symptoms may develop even weeks after the accident.

Brain injuries can be expensive to treat because patients may never fully recover from an injury. Those with serious debilitating injuries may need 24/7 care, which obviously become costly over the patient’s lifetime. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of an auto accident, call our experienced South Carolina brain injury attorneys at the Louthian Law Firm. We will do everything possible to hold the negligent parties responsible. Call us today for a free appointment.