Types of Brain Injury and Severity

Brain injuries often result in devastating temporary or permanent disabilities for victims. However, many people do not realize that there are various types of brain injuries that can affect victims. While any brain injury has the ability to negatively impact a victim, we want to review the various types of brain injuries and their severity. It is important to highlight that no two brain injury cases are exactly alike, and you should always speak to a trusted medical professional as soon as you suspect you or a loved one has sustained a brain injury.

Concussions

This is the most common type of brain injury that a person can sustain. While this is often considered a mild traumatic brain injury, the reality is that concussions can also lead to severe and long-lasting impacts on victims. Concussions are caused by shaking, sudden impact to the head, or sudden changes in the movement of the body (whiplash injury). Concussions can cause headaches, memory issues, disorientation, problems with concentration, etc. These injuries are especially serious if more than one concussion is sustained over a short period of time or if a second concussion occurs before the first concussion heals.

Brain Contusions

This type of injury refers to a bruise on the brain tissue, similar to a bruise a person can get on their skin. However, unlike other bruises, this type of injury is more severe. On the skin, any blood that leaks under the surface can diffuse out to the rest of the body. However, brain contusions can lead to a buildup of pressure due to blood loss under the skull. Brain contusions can be caused by any impact on the head. This could include car accidents, sports-related incidents, falls, and violence.

Penetrating Brain Injuries

Penetrating brain injuries occur when some object pierces through the skull and causes various objects to come into contact with the brain. This can include the object itself, pieces of the skull, hair, and skin. The force of the impact and contact with the brain can lead to serious injuries over all or part of the brain. Some of the most common causes of penetrating brain injuries include:

• Slip and fall incidents that lead to a crack in the skull
• Vehicle crashes in which an object penetrates or breaks the skull
• Gunshot wounds
• Construction accidents and tool mishaps

Anoxic Brain Injuries

Anoxic brain injuries are caused when the brain does not receive enough oxygen and brain cells begin to die. Our brain cells began to die after four to five minutes without proper oxygenation. There are various ways the anoxic brain injuries can occur. This can include a lack of blood flow that prevents oxygenated blood from getting to the brain (traumatic injuries that cause significant bleeding), chemicals or poisons that inhibit oxygen transfer inside the body, suffocation, and more.

Brain Injuries Can Lead to Severe Disabilities

Any type of brain injury can lead to a victim suffering from temporary or permanent disabilities. These injuries can completely alter a person’s quality of life and lead to tremendous expenses for them and their families. If another person is responsible for causing a brain injury, they should be held accountable for their actions. In many cases, brain injury victims are able to recover compensation through insurance settlements or personal injury lawsuits filed against the negligent party.