What’s The Difference Between A TBI And An ABI?
Sudden extreme motion or other force usually causes a Traumatic Brain Injury. Medical conditions, like strokes and birth complications, usually cause Acquired Brain Injuries. Unlike TBIs, ABIs, which are usually related to hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain), often occur slowly over time. Over five million Americans live with a TBI or ABI. The effects of these injuries include severe headaches, extreme tinnitus (ringing in the ears), personality changes, and other symptoms which make it almost impossible to function at school, work, home, or anywhere else.
Brain injuries, unlike many other personal injuries, are permanent. Doctors and therapists can often manage the symptom, but they cannot “cure” these injuries. Furthermore, brain injuries are normally degenerative. The aforementioned symptoms get worse and often cause dementia-like effects or even suicide. Only a Sugar Land brain injury attorney can obtain the compensation these victims need and deserve to pay medical bills and make their futures a little brighter.
TBIs and Negligence
Car wrecks are the leading cause of TBIs. They usually feature both blunt force injuries and motion-related injuries.
Airbags absorb some of the force when a car crash victim’s head hits the dashboard or steering column. But no airbag can possibly absorb all the force. Furthermore, back seat passengers’ heads are unprotected when they slam into front passenger seats or rear dashboards.
Frequently, brain injuries happen before the victim’s head strikes a surface. The brain isn’t much bigger than a clenched fist. So, when a victim’s head flies forward, the brain violently and repeatedly slams against the insides of the skull. We feel this effect at a very mild level when we pace, and the brain taps against the inside of the skull. Usually, pacing stimulates brain activity. Just imagine what extreme motion does to the brain.
Falls cause almost as many brain injuries as car wrecks. These incidents feature both extreme motion and trauma impacts.
Most drivers have a duty of reasonable care to avoid accidents. Most property owners have a duty of care to keep invited guests reasonably safe. If a breach of care causes a brain injury or other injury, a Missouri City personal injury lawyer can obtain compensation in court.
Common driver breaches of duty include aggressive driving, like speeding, and impaired driving, like drowsy driving. Property owners breach their duty of care when they know, or should know about, a fall or other injury hazard and don’t promptly remove that hazard.
ABIs and Negligence
Strokes reduce blood flow and therefore the flow of oxygen to the brain. Difficult deliveries have roughly the same effect. If a baby lodges in a mother’s birth canal, the umbilical cord wraps around the baby’s head and disrupts oxygen flow.
In both situations, if the victim initially survives, many healthcare teams think the worst is over and they do not properly monitor brain activity, especially in later years. So, a serious brain injury develops, and doctors don’t know it.
Doctors have considerable medical experience and training. Usually, their patients have neither of these things. Since patients depend entirely on doctors for most healthcare matters, doctors have a fiduciary duty to keep patients safe. They must disregard all other priorities, including making money and achieving work/life balance, and only do what’s best for their patients. That includes closely monitoring the brain activity of at-risk ABI patients.
Compensation is usually higher in medical negligence cases. Additional punitive damages are usually available in these matters.
Connect With a Savvy Fort Bend County Attorney
Injury victims are entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Missouri City, contact the Henrietta Ezeoke Law Firm. We routinely handle matters throughout the Lone Star State.
Source:
biausa.org/public-affairs/public-awareness/brain-injury-awareness
