National Brain Injury Awareness Month | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

In an effort to help bring people’s awareness to the dangers and long-term effects of brain injuries, the month of March has been designated as National Brain Injury Awareness Month. While there has been a lot in the media regarding brain trauma because of sports injuries, many people may not realize just how common brain injuries are in car accidents.

At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we have represented clients who were occupants in a vehicle involved in a crash and suffered a brain injury when their head was banged on the vehicle’s dashboard or window. We have represented clients who suffered a brain injury when they were ejected from the vehicle they were in upon impact. We have also represented clients who sustained brain injuries in pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, and motorcycle accidents.

If you or a loved one has sustained a brain injury in an accident, contact our office to find out what legal options you may have to obtain financial compensation from the party responsible for your injury and losses.

What Are the Different Types of Brain Injury Trauma?

There are different types of head injuries a victim can suffer. There are also potential complications – as well as treatments – which depend on how the victim was injured, where the injury is, and how severe is the injury. For those victims who suffer a brain injury in a car accident, the following are the most common:

  • Anoxic Brain Injury: This type of injury occurs when the brain does not receive adequate oxygen in order to function properly. This causes brain cells to die.
  • Concussions: A concussion occurs when there is a hard impact to the head or sudden shaking which causes the brain to bounce around and hit the walls of the skull, causing bruising.
  • Contusion of the Brain: The tissue of the brain can become bruised if there is a leaking or breaking of blood vessels. If the injury is severe, this can cause the brain to swell and prevent enough oxygenation.
  • Penetrating Brain Injury: This type of injury happens when an object penetrates through the skull and enters the brain.
  • Traumatic Brain Injury: This is also referred to as a TBI. TBIs occur when there is a sudden injury to the brain, often as a result of a blow to the head or some kind of jolt, that causes temporary or permanent brain damage.

What Are the Long-Term Impacts of Brain Injuries?

Even a minor brain injury can have an impact on a victim’s life. Depending on the type and severity of the injury, both emotional and physical well-being can be affected. Some of the long-term effects that brain injury victims deal with include:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Issues with vision
  • Migraines
  • Seizures
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Sensitivity to noise

Many brain injury victims face long and difficult recovery and rehabilitation. This often interferes with the victim’s ability to work and even once they are deemed fully recovered, there may be long-lasting or permanent damage that leaves then unable to go back to their prior profession. If the brain injury is severe, the victim may be left in a permanent coma or die from the injury.

In addition to the permanent damage a victim may have to deal with, multiple studies have shown that victims with past brain injuries may be at increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological conditions.

Contact a North Carolina Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you or a loved one has suffered a head injury due to the negligence of another person, you may be entitled to financial compensation for the pain and losses that were a result of that injury. Our North Carolina brain injury attorneys have successfully represented many accident victims and their families and would be happy to meet and discuss how our firm may be able to help. We also provide a free traumatic brain injury guide that provides important information about Virginia’s brain injury law and other legal questions regarding pursuing an injury claim.

 

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