Brain injuries are any type of injury to the brain that affects the person emotionally, physically, or behaviorally. Brain injuries may be caused by a number of different reasons, but most often these types of injuries are the result of violence or accidents. Depending on the cause of the injury, a brain injury is known to be either non-traumatic or traumatic. Brain injuries that are caused by trauma are different than the injuries that occur because of an underlying medical condition. Any type of brain injury is difficult to deal with, but a traumatic brain injury, especially when it’s the result of someone else’s negligence, can change your life forever. Here are the most common causes of brain injuries.
Automobile Accidents
One of the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries is an automobile accident. Although your skull is meant to protect your brain, it may potentially cause a brain injury. If you hit your head or something strikes your head during the accident, it may cause your brain to move around and strike the sides of your skull, causing injury. Even if the airbag implodes, the force of a severe automobile crash can rattle your entire body, including your brain.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Falls account for about half of the brain injuries in the United States. Although a slip and fall are often associated with silly lawsuits seen on television, the truth is slipping and falling can lead to serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries. Falling from a height may be especially serious because the force of the impact is increased from the height. Slipping and falling can cause you to strike your head against the floor or hard object. Children and the elderly have a significantly higher risk of a brain injury resulting from a slip and fall accident.
Sports and Other Activities
Brain injuries are a significant concern for those who play contact sports, such as football, especially if the players aren’t wearing a helmet. A strike to the head from sports equipment such as hockey pucks, baseballs, or ball bats can also cause traumatic brain injuries. Even swimmers diving into the shallow end of a pool are at risk of hitting their head on the bottom of the pool, which may lead to a brain injury.
Physical Violence or Severe Shaking
Physical violence such as hitting someone on the head with a blunt object or stabbing or shooting someone also poses a significant risk of the victim suffering from a brain injury. Severe shaking is often an intentional cause of traumatic brain injury. Although this type of brain injury can affect a person of any age, babies, toddlers, and young children are highly susceptible to a traumatic brain injury from shaking.
Brain Injury from a Penetrated Object
A penetrating brain injury happens when a foreign object is forcefully penetrated through the skull and enters the brain. A penetrating brain injury can happen by accident, such as something falling on top of the head or it may be intentional, such as being stabbed or shot by someone in the head.
If you or your loved one has sustained a brain injury, whether it was accidental or intentional, you may be able to hold the person responsible for your injuries. A brain injury often requires long—long treatment, specialized care and may even be fatal. If you feel as though your brain injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, not only is it important to seek medical care immediately after the injury has occurred, but it is also important that you talk with an attorney that is experienced in this type of injuries; an attorney that is built to handle your brain injury case.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
