HOUSTON TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY LAWYERS

Physical trauma to the brain damages the brain’s structure, preventing it from functioning in the proper way. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that if a loved recently suffered a cranial injury in an accident, physicians may have diagnosed one of these common types of brain damage:

 

• Contusion--A contusion, or a bruise on the brain, typically occurs following a direct impact to the head. The swelling (brain herniation) that accompanies a contusion is dangerous. Such injuries may require surgical interventions in order to release pressure and maintain oxygen flow to the brain.

​

• Concussion--A concussion is a mild TBI that may cause a person to suffer a few seconds or minutes of unconsciousness, or cause them to be dazed, confused and disoriented while maintaining consciousness. A concussion can lead to headaches, balance issues, and dizziness, along with personality changes, depression, anxiety, and other emotional issues. Suffering one concussion makes the victim more vulnerable to subsequent concussions. Repeated concussions can cause dementia, or a degenerative disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

​

• Diffuse Axonal Injury (DIA)--A DIA is a serious, extensive brain injury that usually results from a sudden, severe shaking of, rotation of, or jolt to the head. Inertia causes the brain to lags behind the sudden motion of the head, causing an impact with the skull and leading to extensive brain damage. A diffuse axonal injury occurs in roughly half of all severe head traumas; it is one of the most common types of injuries suffered during high-speed car accidents. 

​

• Coup-contrecoup Brain Injury--A coup-contrecoup brain injury occurs when both hemispheres of the brain sustain damage, often causing cerebral contusions and traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding on the surface of the brain). Coup-contrecoup injuries often result from a ‘doubled’ impact caused by the force of the initial trauma--after the brain collides with one side of the skull, the redirected momentum forces it into the other. This causes an additional contusion on the opposite side of the brain. Coup-contrecoup injuries are a severe type of TBI, often leading to impairments in memory, coordination, swallowing, balance, muscular abilities, and sensation.

​

• Penetration Brain Injury--A penetration brain injury is caused by the entry of a foreign object into the brain tissue. The damaging may be caused by an object that penetrates through the skull, but it may also be the result of bone fragments embedded after a skull-shattering impact. The shearing and rupture of nerves and tissue in the brain can lead to permanent impairment or loss of life. Penetration brain injuries are an incredibly severe form of TBI. Typically, brain surgery is required to remove the objects embedded in the brain tissue and repair the skull. The damage may be permanent and cause significant disability.

​

While some can recover from a TBI and return to their normal lives, for others critical neurological functions remain permanently impaired. These individuals may require ongoing care and treatment, as well as assistance with basic tasks. Many individuals that sustain a TBI suffer from traumatic brain injury symptoms years later.