Doctor looking at brain scans

Traumatic accidents like car wrecks can lead to a wide range of serious brain injuries, which can have life-altering effects for the people who suffer them. If you have sustained a brain injury in an accident that was someone else’s fault, you could be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and other injury-related losses. The legal team at Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer wants to help you demand this compensation.

Our firm focuses exclusively on representing injury victims, which has allowed us to develop the experience, skill, and knowledge needed to help you through even the most complex claim. Reach out to us today for a free consultation with a brain injury lawyer in Phoenix.

What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) refers to physical damage to the brain that occurs due to a violent blow or jolt to the head. This force causes the brain tissue to tear, shear, bruise, bleed, or swell. A TBI usually results in a temporary or indefinite change in brain function and possible long-term physical and cognitive impairments.

What Causes Traumatic Brain Injuries?

At Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer, we represent clients who have suffered traumatic brain injuries in accidents such as the following:

Brain Damage Level According to Severity

Brain injuries fall into one of three levels based on their severity. The severity of a TBI can influence an injury victim’s short-term symptoms and the possible long-term complications they may suffer in the future. The three levels of brain damage are:

  • Mild brain injuries– Mild brain damage symptoms range from headaches and dizziness to confusion and disorientation. A mild brain injury can also cause a loss of consciousness for up to a few minutes. Most mild TBIs will heal on their own with rest and typically do not result in long-term impairment.
  • Moderate brain injuries– Moderate TBIs can cause a loss of consciousness that lasts for a few hours, with a noticeable cognitive and physical impairment for several weeks following the injury. A moderate brain injury can also cause long-term physical, cognitive, and emotional difficulties that may require therapy and rehabilitation.
  • Severe brain injuries– A severe brain injury usually results in obvious physical damage to brain tissues and can be life-threatening. In most cases, a victim of a severe TBI will be left with permanent physical disability and cognitive impairments. They may also be left with visible scarring or disfigurement if the TBI involved an open head injury or skull fracture.

Types of Brain Injuries You Can Suffer After an Accident

Some of the most frequently occurring brain injuries suffered by victims of accidents in Phoenix include the following:

  • Concussions — A common and relatively minor type of brain injury, concussions are caused by a blow to the head or a sudden shaking or whipping movement to the brain. They usually result in a temporary change in brain function.
  • Brain contusions — An impact to the head or shearing forces on the brain can lead to bruising of brain tissue caused by ruptures of small blood vessels. A serious contusion can place damaging pressure on the brain.
  • Penetrating brain injuries — When physical damage to the brain is caused by an object penetrating through the skull and into the cranial cavity, it’s considered a penetrating brain injury.
  • Closed head injuries — A closed head injury refers to any brain injury where the skull is not fractured or penetrated by another object.
  • Diffuse axonal brain injuries — An injury involving the shearing of brain nerve cells due to twisting forces put on the body, head, and brain is called a diffuse axonal brain injury.
  • Subdural hematomas — Blood clots in the brain that can end up blocking blood flow and causing a stroke, heart attack, or pulmonary embolism are subdural hematomas.
  • Hypoxic and anoxic injuries — The death of brain cells due to reduced blood or oxygen flow to the brain is referred to as a hypoxic injury. An anoxic injury is a complete cutoff of blood or oxygen flow.
  • Second impact syndrome — This is where a secondary brain injury suffered before a prior brain injury has healed results in exponentially worse symptoms and prognosis.

Consequences of a TBI

While a mild TBI may not have any long-term consequences once the injury heals, more serious injuries can result in various life-altering complications, such as the following:

  • Cognitive impairments — Attention deficits, memory problems, difficulty with problem-solving and executive functioning, and issues with following directions are common cognitive impairments from brain injuries.
  • Communication and language difficulties — Difficulties in communicating may include problems with speaking or understanding speech, reading, writing, vocabulary, and working with numbers.
  • Social difficulties — Brain injuries may cause social difficulties, including having problems understanding social cues and making or keeping friends.
  • Physical disabilities — After a TBI, it’s possible to suffer from paralysis or weakness, balance and coordination issues, decreased physical endurance, tremors, muscle spasticity, and difficulty swallowing.
  • Sensory impairments — These impairments may include changes to vision, hearing, taste, or smell and decreased or heightened sensations.
  • Impaired quality of life — A brain injury may lead to an inability to perform self-care, difficulty sleeping, changes in eating habits, and persistent pain or other symptoms.
  • Emotional and personality changes — Those suffering from TBIs often experience anxiety, depression, irritability, loss of motivation, apathy or decreased empathy, increased aggression and irritability, impaired judgment, and increased risk-taking.