According to the Brain Injury Association of California, more than 1.7 million people suffer head injuries in the United States every year. Head injuries can cause long-term and even permanent damage. Even a mild brain injury, for example, can take months of medical care and rehabilitation to ensure complete recovery.
Many head injuries arise due to acts of negligence. Under California law, victims can pursue legal action if they’ve sustained injuries due to another party’s negligence or reckless behavior. An experienced Orange County head injury lawyer can help victims seek compensation for the damages they’ve incurred.
Common Causes of Head Injuries in Orange County
Below are some of the leading causes of head injuries:
- Falls: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of every five falls results in a head injury, and they are also the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Falls can occur at work or as a result of slipping or tripping.
- Vehicular accidents: Motor vehicle accidents cause approximately one-third of all head injuries.
- Assaults: Acts of violence involving weapons like knives, guns, or even baseball bats can result in serious head injuries. Child abuse can also cause traumatic brain injury. For example, Shaken Baby Syndrome is caused by adults shaking an infant violently.
- Sports Injuries: Concussions and other types of head injuries are a common occurrence in contact sports.
- Medical Negligence: When doctors and other healthcare professionals are negligent, their patients can suffer serious head and brain injuries. For instance, a child can suffer from irreversible brain damage when their oxygen supply is cut off during labor.
- Explosions: Blasts from explosions can also cause significant damage to the head or brain.
Types of Head Injuries
Some of the common types of head injuries are the following:
- Penetrating head injury: This is an injury caused by impact from sharp objects such as knives or bullets, which can push skin, hair, and bone fragments into the skull.
- Closed head injury: This takes place when the person’s head hits or collides with an outside force such as a rock or a wall. Unlike a penetrating head injury, the skull isn’t displaced or fractured. This type of injury causes the brain to swell. However, since the brain has no place to expand, brain tissues may compress and cause complications.
- Concussion: A lot of people think that concussions are a mild form of head injury. However, a concussion is still a trauma injury that can lead to long-term and even permanent damage.
- Whiplash: This happens when there’s a sudden change in force and motion — the impact of which can cause the brain to get jostled in the skull.
- Hemorrhage: This refers to uncontrolled bleeding in the space around the brain or within the brain tissue itself.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI): TBI happens when a person suffers a bump, jolt, or blow to the head. TBI can range in severity from mild to serious. According to the CDC, an average of 50,000 people die every year from TBI.
Traumatic Brain Injury
A TBI impairs the victim’s physical functioning or cognitive ability. They’re usually caused by an external physical force like hitting one’s head on a hard surface or getting struck in the head. They’re not degenerative, hereditary, or caused by alcohol or drugs, diseases, or birth trauma.
Here are some of the common symptoms of TBI:
- Problems with moving
- Headaches or dizziness
- Vision problems
- Altered mental state, such as feeling confused or disoriented
- Loss of consciousness
- Memory loss or short-term amnesia
- Lack of focus or trouble organizing thoughts
- Issues with regulating emotions
- Depression, anger, and anxiety
- Changes in personality
- Problems trusting their senses
- Loss of sleep
Most people never fully recover from a TBI. They can experience changes in how they live their daily lives, leading to permanent lifestyle adjustments, expensive hospital and medical bills, and long-term rehabilitation or health assistance. In these cases it’s wise for people to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to get a full and fair traumatic brain injury settlement from the negligent party.
Related Page: Spine Injury
Contact Us Today
If you or your loved one has suffered a head injury due to the negligence or recklessness of another party, you may be entitled to compensation for the damages you’ve suffered. An experienced Orange County head injury attorney can review your case, help you understand your rights, and fight aggressively for your interests.
Our team at Barrios & Machado has extensive experience in handling complex lawsuits stemming from head injuries. We can help you negotiate and secure a favorable settlement or judgment to pay for your medical and hospital bills. Call us now at (714) 515-9696 to schedule a case evaluation or contact us online.
