What are the 4 types of traumatic brain injuries?

When you hear the term, “traumatic brain injury, (TBI)” your mind may instantly think of a concussion. While a concussion is one type of traumatic brain injury, there are actually many different injuries that can fall into this category.

According to The Mayo Clinic, a brain injury can include any injury that affects either the brain, skull, or scalp. The symptoms of these injuries can vary greatly, as well as the appropriate treatments. The information included in this article will outline the different types of brain injuries as well as the different severities. Understanding these differences can be very helpful to you if you are dealing with doctors, attorneys, or insurance companies in a personal accident case.

If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident in Tampa that has resulted in a traumatic brain injury, contact an experienced brain injury attorney who can listen to the specifics of your case and provide you with personalized assistance to proceed with your claim. Dealing with these life-changing injuries can be difficult enough, so hiring an experienced attorney helps ensure that you have someone in your corner while going through this ordeal.

What Are the Different Types of TBIs?

Generally speaking, there are four different categories into which traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, are grouped.

1. Concussions

One type of TBI is a concussion, which generally occurs when there is an impact, shaking, or a sudden change of movement to the head or neck. These injuries are typically considered minor, although a visit to the doctor is still necessary.

Concussions often don’t show up on scans such as CAT scans or MRIs, so a doctor will typically perform a neuropsychological exam in order to diagnose this injury. A concussion can cause symptoms such as a short loss of consciousness, confusion, disorientation, and brief memory loss.

Though one concussion is considered a mild injury, there is an increased danger of more permanent injury if another concussion is suffered before the first one has had a chance to heal. So if you’ve suffered a concussion, it is important to do everything in your power to treat it adequately and also ensure that another does not occur.

2. Contusions

Contusions are another word for bruises. Just as your skin can be bruised, your brain can, as well. However, brain contusions are typically much more serious than bruises located elsewhere on the body. Bruises are caused when an impact causes blood vessels to burst, which is what causes the discoloration on your skin. When a brain has an impact and gets bruised, the blood vessels still burst, which can cause many issues that typically lead to swelling, which can cause serious symptoms.

A contusion can happen from any sudden impact on the head. If you slip on a wet floor and hit your head, that can cause a contusion. If you’ve been in a car accident and hit your head on the steering wheel, that can cause a contusion, as well. Sports injuries are another instance when brain contusions can be likely to occur.

Brain contusions can cause two different injuries, called coup or countercoup injuries. These occur because the contusion can be located at the place of impact, or on the other side of the head where the impact caused the brain to hit the opposite side of the skull. A person could suffer from one or both of these types of injuries.

Contusions can cause a wide range of symptoms and can be categorized, from mild to severe injuries. These symptoms can range from slight disorientation and memory loss to more serious issues such as brain swelling, which could cause more serious issues.

3. Anoxic Brain Injuries

Anoxic brain injuries occur when the brain does not get enough oxygen to function properly. These injuries can occur within 4 or 5 minutes of the brain not receiving enough oxygen. When there is inadequate oxygenation for a long enough period of time, brain cells begin to die, which can cause serious and lasting effects.

These types of injuries usually occur when there is a lack of blood flow to the brain, which usually occurs during a health-related event, such a stroke, blood clot, or heart attack. However, these types of injuries can still occur even if the brain is receiving enough blood, if the blood does not have enough oxygen in it, such as what happens during carbon monoxide poisoning, drowning, suffocation, or any other injury that prevents the lungs from receiving enough oxygen.

4. Penetrating Brain Injuries

These brain injuries occur when some foreign object is able to make contact with the brain. This object could be hair, bits of skull fragments, or another foreign object.

When contact with the brain occurs, severe damage can occur. These types of injuries can occur during slip and fall accidents, car accidents, as a result of a gunshot injury, or even a severe sports injury. Penetrating brain injuries are much more likely to be classified as severe, as opposed to other injuries like concussions or contusions.

What Are the Different Severities of TBIs?

There are three different severities that brain injuries are classified as: mild, moderate, and severe:

• Mild injuries generally only have symptoms that are temporary and generally don’t impact the victim long-term.
• Moderate brain injuries typically cause loss of consciousness and have symptoms that may last for a few weeks or months. These moderate issues may need medical intervention, such as physical therapy, to help treat the complications.
• The most serious brain injuries are those that are classified as severe. Severe brain injuries are life-threatening and will generally cause life-long impacts. Those who suffer from a severe brain injury are unlikely to be able to return to their life as they knew it before the injury occurred.

Contact an Experienced Brain Injury Attorney in Tampa

If you or a loved one have been in an accident that has caused a traumatic brain injury, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer who can fight to get you the best chance of receiving the maximum compensation allowed in your case. Whether your injury was a result of a sports injury, car accident, or a slip-and-fall accident, an attorney from Darrigo & Diaz will be on your side to help you navigate your life after the accident and handle all liability claims.

At Darrigo & Diaz, we have over 20 years of working with clients in the Tampa area. Call us at (813) 774-3341 or contact us online to schedule your complimentary consultation. During this no-obligation meeting, one of our experienced attorneys will meet with you to hear the specifics of your case and will provide you with individualized advice about we could move forward together. We are happy to meet with you either virtually or in person. Contact us today!