What is an Anoxic Brain Injury? North Carolina Brain Injury Attorneys | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

When most people think about brain injuries, they think about head trauma caused by car accidents, sports injuries, or falls. But a number of serious brain injuries aren’t caused by blunt force trauma, they are caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. These injuries, called anoxic brain injuries, can have permanent and serious consequences and can lead to life-long disabilities.

There are a number of causes of anoxic brain injuries, including:

•    Drowning and water accidents
•    Anesthesiology mistakes and medical errors
•    Choking and suffocation
•    Carbon monoxide poisoning
•    Respiratory problems
•    Electrical shock accidents
•    Heart attack or stroke
•    Brain tumor

The symptoms of an anoxic brain injury are much like the symptoms of other forms of head injuries. At worst, anoxic brain injuries can lead to a coma, a vegetative state, or death. Less serious forms of anoxic brain injuries can still cause lifelong disabilities, such as cognitive issues, learning delays, paralysis, personality changes, sensory problems, and memory loss. The severity of an anoxic brain injury depends on how long the brain was deprived of oxygen as well as what caused the injury initially. Most people who suffer from anoxic brain injury face a long rehabilitation and recovery.

If you or a loved one has suffered a debilitating anoxic brain injury, you should talk to a personal injury attorney with a history of representing anoxic brain injury victims. While not all anoxic brain injuries are preventable, some are the result of medical negligence or gross negligence – and you could deserve compensation for medical bills, future medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.