Orange County Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney

traumatic brain injury

A traumatic brain injury (see this link from the Mayfield Clinic for more information) is that which is caused by blunt force or penetration by an object to the head. It is commonly abbreviated TBI. In the case of, say, a car accident the brain can move back and forth within the skull causing injuries such as torn nerve fibers, bleeding and/or bruising. This can lead to confusion, loss of memory and cognitive function and impaired vision and balance among other things. In addition the brain may swell after the initial injury causing further problems.

Traumatic brain injuries are very serious and can cause a host of problems for injured people ranging from decreased cognition function or movement. An injury like TBI can affect not only the person who has suffered it but their family as well. Indeed, because of the seriousness of the injury this is often a life-altering event.

In Orange County, the Tustin staff off Kyle Scott Law have experience in dealing with the legal complexities of brain injuries and the devastation they can cause both physically to the injured person and to their lifestyle. TBI may mean hospital bills or paying for someone to look after the accident victim should they be unable to care for themselves. If you have sustained this type of injury or the injury victim is your loved one, then, please call an experienced Orange County brain injury lawyer such as Kyle Scott who can assist in securing the maximum amount of compensation you or your loved one may be entitled to under the law. Mr. Scott will evaluate the case at no cost and should the case require a brain injury lawsuit, Mr. Scott will bring his experience as an Orange County trial attorney to get the most money from the Insurance Company for you.

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury

For persons suffering from a TBI, symptoms may include losing consciousness or confusion. They may suffer memory loss or fatigue. Headaches may occur, as may problems seeing. TBI injury victims may have trouble concentrating or sleeping. They may feel dizzy, lose balance, become irritable or feel depressed. In addition they may experience seizures or vomiting.

Classification of Traumatic Brain Injuries

TBIs are sometimes classified by severity as well as what caused the injury:

Mild: a person is awake with eyes open. The person can be confused or disoriented, may suffer memory loss or a headache, and may be unconscious briefly.

Moderate: the person is lethargic and eyes open in the case of stimulation. There may be a loss of consciousness from minutes to hours. There may be some swelling of the brain, bleeding which causes sleepiness, but the person is still able to be aroused.

Severe: the person is unconscious and the eyes do not open despite stimulation. There is a loss of consciousness which lasts greater than six hours.

Different Types of Brain Injuries

Concussions are any head injury that results in altered consciousness, there may be brief unconsciousness, but there does not have to be. The more concussions that someone has in their life then the cumulative effect is more significant. Contusion (or bruise) is caused be something impacting the head. These can be so-called “coup” or “contrecoup” injuries depending on which part of the brain relative to the point of impact is affected. The brain directly under the impact “coup” or the side opposite the impact “contrecoup” is affected. Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) refers to a shearing and stretching of the nerve cells in the brain at the cellular level. It happens when the brain moves back and forth rapidly inside the skull, tearing and damaging the nerve axons. Axonal injury like this disrupts the brain’s information transmission and an affect a person’s wakefulness. Traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (tSAH) refers to bleeding into the space surrounding the brain. Traumatic SAH is when small arteries tear during the initial injury. When blood spreads over the brains’s surface it can cause many deleterious effects. Hematoma is the term for a blood clot which forms after a blood vessel ruptures. The escaping blood can thicken and clot. These may be small or large and larger ones can cause compression of the brain. Symptoms can vary. Surgery may be necessary to remove the larger blood clots.

What factors contribute to traumatic brain injuries?

TBIs can occur when the head (and brain) suffer a violent movement however, some common causes include slips and falls, auto accidents or motorcycle crashes, motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians, sports injuries, and of course an assault or battery upon a person.

Treatment and Support of Survivors of Brain Injury in Orange County
Besides getting legal help from an experienced brain injury attorney, brain injury survivors and their families will need help in many areas from care to support groups to transportation and more. The Brain Injury Association of California has a wealth of information and resources (including specific to Orange County) on their website.

If you or your loved one has endured the trauma of TBI, we urge you to call us for a free consultation to discuss your case. Kyle Scott has the experience to help navigate the often complicated legal process that a brain injury creates for the injured person and their family. If you or your loved one are suffering through this trying experience in Orange County it makes sense to speak with a seasoned Orange County brain injury lawyer. Kyle Scott and Kyle Scott Law have the experience and knowledge based upon more than 28 years in successfully recovering the most money for persons that have suffered traumatic brain injuries. Let Kyle Scott Law put that experience and knowledge to work for you and your family.