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Traumatic Brain Injuries
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A traumatic brain injury occurs when there is an impact to the head, hard enough to cause the brain to move inside the skull, or the impact causes the skull to break, hurting the brain. A traumatic brain injury is always caused by an outside force.
The following are some of the many possible symptoms of a traumatic brain injury:
- Spinal fluid coming out of the ears
- Loss of consciousness
- Dilated or unequal pupil size
- Change of vision
- Dizziness
- Balance problems
- Respiratory failure
- Coma or semi-comatose state
- Paralysis
- Slow pulse
- Slow breathing grate
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Headache
- Confusion
- Ringing in the ears
- Difficulty with thinking skills, memory problems, a slow thought process
- Inappropriate emotional response
- Difficulty speaking, slurred speech
- Body numbness or tingling
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
Types of Traumatic Brain Injury
1. Diffuse Axonal Injury
A diffuse axonal injury occurs when there is extensive tearing of nerve tissue throughout the brain. Additional injury can result if the tearing causes brain chemicals to be released. Nerve tissue is torn when there is a strong shaking of the head. This sometimes is the result of a car accident or shaken baby syndrome.
The tearing of the nerve tissue effects the brain's regular communication and chemical processes which can result in temporary or permanent widespread brain damage, coma or death. The damage depends on the extent of tearing of brain tissue.
2. Concussion
A Concussion is the most common type of traumatic brain injury; it is the result of trauma the brain receives from an impact or sudden movement or momentum change. Blood vessels in the brain can stretch and cranial nerves may be damaged.
Direct blows to the head, gunshot wounds, violent shaking of the head, or a whiplash injury can cause a concussion. Frequently a person experiences a brief loss of consciousness, but not in some cases. Sometimes there is just a moment of feeling "dazed." A concussion may be difficult to diagnose; however, in some cases skull fracture, brain bleeding, or swelling may be present.
3. Contusion
A contusion is the bruising and bleeding of the brain. This is also the result of a direct impact to the head.
4. Second Impact Syndrome ("Recurrent Traumatic Brain Injury")
Second impact syndrome, also known as recurrent traumatic brain injury, is the result of a second traumatic brain injury before the symptoms of the first injury have healed. The second injury is more likely to cause brain swelling and widespread damage. It may occur the same day the initial injury or weeks after. The long term effects of recurrent brain injury can be muscle spasms, increased muscle tone, rapidly changing emotions, hallucinations, and difficulty thinking and learning.
5. Penetrating Injury
A penetrating injury is the result of a bullet, knife or other sharp object entering the head and forcing hair, skin, bone and fragments of the object into the brain. Objects traveling at a low rate of speed through the skull and brain can ricochet within the skull, which widens the area of damage. Firearms are the single largest cause of death from traumatic brain injury.
6. Shaken Baby Syndrome
Shaken baby syndrome is a violent criminal act that consists of an adult aggressively shaking a baby or young child, resulting in a whiplash motion that injures the brain. In many cases, blood vessels between the brain and skull rupture and bleed. Brain cells are damaged because the accumulation of blood causes the brain tissue to compress while the injury causes the brain to swell.
If you would like additional information on traumatic brain injuries or would like a referral to a Chicago brain injury lawyer or a head trauma lawyer anywhere in Illinois, please contact us.
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