Brain Injury Lawyer Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Brain injuries can be divided into two major categories: traumatic brain injuries and acquired brain injuries. Brain injury can be mild, moderate or severe, open or closed.

I. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Traumatic brain injury can occur when something strikes the head with force. When the force is strong, it can cause the brain to move in the skull causing internal damage to the brain. It can also occur if the skull breaks and the break itself injures the brain.

Often brain injuries happen to people who are victims of violent crimes, accidents, crashes and falls. In addition, many brain injuries occur when people play sports and engage in recreational activities, such as skiing, skating, rollerblading, mountain hiking and rock climbing. Any event that causes the head to be struck hard enough can cause traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury can also occur from rapid movement back and forth, shaking the brain so hard in the skull that it becomes severely damaged. This type of brain injury is very common in car accidents and pedestrian, bike and motorcycle accidents. If you have suffered a severe blow to the head, or have been in a car accident where your head was violently shaken, you need to go to the emergency room or otherwise seek professional medical help as soon as possible. Severe brain injuries can worsen and, in severe cases, could become fatal if not treated immediately.

An accident victim or a person who suffered a blow to the head may exhibit the following symptoms associated with TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury):

• Lethargy
• Loss of vision, or change in vision, either improved or reduced
• Slow pulse
• Severe dizziness or loss of balance
• Headache
• Confusion
• Spinal fluid coming out of the ears or nose, looking like thin, watery liquid
• Loss of consciousness
• Suspected concussion - not all concussions cause loss of consciousness
• Dilated eyes
• Slow breathing
• Vomiting
• Numbness or tingling sensations in any parts of the body

Different Types of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

TBI can be divided into three main types of injuries:

1) Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI) – refers to extensive lesions in white matter tracts. DAI is a major cause of unconsciousness and persistent vegetative state following a head trauma. DAI is more common with the rapid back and forth movement of the head and usually happens because the skull is moving faster than the brain, causing certain structures in the brain to tear. Diffuse axonal injury can be temporary or permanent. It can cause coma or even death.

2) Concussion - A concussion can be caused by violent action toward the head, by severe blows, or a whiplash effect. Concussion causes blood vessels to stretch, which may result in a bad headache, altered levels of alertness, or unconsciousness.

3) Contusion or cerebral contusion – refers to a bruise of the brain tissue. It may be associated with multiple microhemorrhages and small blood vessel leaks into brain tissue. Contusion occurs in about 30% of severe head injuries. Contusion can cause a decline in mental function in the long term. In some grave situations, contusion may result in brain herniation, a condition in which parts of the brain are squeezed past parts of the skull. Mild cerebral contusions may heal on their own, but severe contusions may require surgery to correct.

II. Acquired Brain Injury

An acquired brain injury occurs any time after birth on a cellular level. It can affect the entire brain, rather than a limited area like a traumatic brain injury. An acquired brain injury can occur for any of the following reasons: air obstruction, chocking, throat swelling, near drowning, electrical shock, trauma to the head, severe blood loss from open wounds, heart attack, stroke, infectious diseases, Meningitis, AIDS, brain tumors, toxic exposure, illegal drug use, overdose of drugs, alcohol abuse. An acquired brain injury is internal, therefore, it may be impossible to see its symptoms, which may include:

• Impairment of function, motor skills or memory;
• Long lengths of time spent in a still, 'vegetative' state;
• Sudden or severe behavior changes or problems - depression, restlessness, anxiety and psychosis.

Different Types of Acquired Brain Injury

1) Anoxic Brain Injury occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen. When oxygen levels are significantly low for four minutes or longer, brain cells begin to die and after five minutes permanent anoxic brain injury can occur. There are three types of anoxia:

a) Anoxic - no oxygen is getting through;

b) Anemic - severely limited amount of oxygen is getting through; and

c) Toxic - something is blocking the oxygen in the blood from being used in the brain.

2) Hypoxic Brain Injury (also called cerebral hypoxia or hypoxic-anoxic injury (HAI) occurs when the brain does get oxygen, but doesn't seem to get enough oxygen. It could happen because of lack of blood flow or blood pressure is weak. The greater the loss of oxygen, the more wide-spread and serious the injury will be.

If you or a loved one suffered a brain injury, compensation may be available. The Lassen Law Firm, Pennsylvania brain injury attorneys, is a firm with a proven record of success in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) cases. Any brain injury is complex and can have a devastating impact on a person and his or her family. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, you may have a legal right to recover damages from the responsible party.

The Lassen Law Firm is proud to focus its law practice on representing survivors of brain injury and their family members throughout Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.

You are entitled to a compassionate Pennsylvania brain injury lawyer who understands the confusion and distress that you may be facing. We will spend the time to listen to you, evaluate your case fully and help you recover compensation. You will not be charged any fees in advance, as we work on a contingency basis. Please call the Lassen Law Firm now to see how we can help.

The Lassen Law Firm only deducts a 29% contingency fee, not the standard 45% like other firms. We serve ALL of Pennsylvania. We can sign you up over the phone and start working on your case today.

Stop Searching. Start Calling. 215-510-6755

Authored by: Christian Lassen