Whether at birth or later in life, sustaining a serious brain injury can be a devastating experience. The causes vary, as does the severity of the symptoms. Determining the cause, and understanding what damages result from a brain injury is important in filing an injury lawsuit. Two of the causes of brain injury are trauma — physical damage to the head and brain — and hypoxia — when the brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen. Both of these can occur during birth or adulthood depending on the situation. If the injury is caused by negligence, you should be able to hold the liable party accountable for their actions.
Brain Injuries Caused by Trauma
When a brain injury is caused by trauma, there was some force of impact that caused the damage. The factors that can cause this trauma vary. They can include a car crash or trucking collision, explosion on a worksite, tripping and falling, or even damage caused during a medical error. It is important to make sure you know what caused the damage, especially if it was your loved one who was harmed, and they need help pursuing legal action. There are some cases in which sports injuries or an act of violence can cause a brain injury, resulting in long-term damage. At birth, improper use of forceps or vacuum extraction can also cause a serious brain injury.
Some of the symptoms you may notice from a traumatic brain injury include:
- Cognitive and mental problems
- Mood swings
- Loss of consciousness
- Dizziness
- Memory loss
- Nausea
- Sensory problems
- Weakness or loss of feeling in extremities
It is important to know that brain injuries vary in severity from mild, to moderate, to severe. Each have different symptoms that can impact the head and body in different ways. In severe cases, a brain injury can cause internal bleeding and result in death.
Brain Injuries Caused by Hypoxia
Hypoxia is caused by the loss of oxygen to the brain, such as when a baby has the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck, or when a person is drowning or suffocating. The brain needs an adequate supply of oxygen in order to function properly or it risks being damaged. Some of the potential causes include asthma, hypotension, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, birth injuries, and more. In situations where a worker may be holding their breath for an extended period of time, hypoxia may be a risk. This can result in mild symptoms including decision-making difficulties, problems with paying attention, loss of bodily function, or short-term memory loss.
In more severe situations, the injured party risks experiencing seizures or a coma, and possibly losing all brain functionality. Even worse, hypoxia can result in death if the brain doesn’t get the proper oxygen as soon as possible. If someone is experiencing hypoxia, immediate treatment to restore oxygen to the brain is of the utmost importance in order to avoid future problems or death.
At The Law Office of Snyder & Snyder, P.A., we understand how difficult this time can be for the victim of a brain injury and his or her family. When these serious injuries are caused because someone’s negligent — preventable — actions, it’s even more devastating. Our Baltimore brain injury lawyers work with clients to help them hold the negligent party accountable for their actions. We make it a priority to give our clients the tools they need to seek compensation for the damages they have sustained.
These types of events should never happen and you should never have to worry about yourself or a loved one sustaining a brain injury. Call us today to discuss your potential lawsuit with our team.
Related Stories: