Should You Seek Medical Attention after You Sustain a Head Injury?
For the most part, you can determine if you are well enough to endure inconveniences like a summer cold, a minor cut on the leg, or even a small bump on the head. However, what steps should you take if your head injury is much more severe? After all, what might appear to be a simple bruise on the scalp can hide a more dangerous condition, like internal bleeding or a skull fracture. Obviously, if you or a loved one has sustained an injury of this nature, you must seek medical attention immediately.
In the event that an accident results in a severe head injury, you must exercise extreme caution but must also try not to panic (with as much courage as you can muster). With the help of a lawyer experienced in personal injury cases of this nature, you can develop a viable case in court and receive justice if the injury stemmed from negligence or wrongdoing.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the injuries in question.
Notes about Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI)
Ultimately, a head injury takes place when a person suffers a severe blow to the head or suffers from a condition that negatively affects the brain.
According to the Brain Injury Association of America, medical professionals define head trauma as an acquired brain injury (ABI), a condition that takes place after birth and directly influences the neural activity of the brain. On that note, ABIs fall into one of two categories:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI): A change in the function of the brain triggered by an outside force.
- Non-traumatic brain injury: A change in the function of the brain triggered an internal force.
Also, keep in mind that traumatic brain injuries are generally classified as penetrating (open) or non-penetrating (closed).
What Are the Risks Associated with Traumatic Brain Injuries?
As stated before, traumatic brain injuries occur when a person sustains a severe blow to the head, resulting in the disruption of normal brain function and pathology. As with any severe case of this nature, the risk of death is exceptionally high among patients whose injuries are left untreated and unsupervised. Victims can suffer from mild symptoms (brief bouts of unconsciousness, temporary amnesia, etc.) to full-blown emergency situations (coma, long-term amnesia, etc.).
How Common Are Traumatic Brain Injuries?
According to data provided by the Delaware Coalition for Injury Prevention, roughly 1.7 million U.S. citizens suffer from TBIs each year. Even more unsettling, out of these victims:
- 52,000 succumb to their injuries and die.
- 275,000 are sent to a hospital or medical center.
- 356 million victims (roughly 80%) are successfully treated.
Diagnosis of a TBI can involve a variety of tests ranging from speech and language assessments to CT (computed tomography) scans and MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging).
Locating a Personal Injury Lawyer in Syracuse
If you or loved one have sustained a traumatic brain injury of varying degrees, you will no doubt feel terrified, potentially very angry, and concerned about what steps you can take next. With each passing moment it is left untreated, this condition can become more detrimental and far more dangerous.
We at Gattuso & Ciotoli have more than 50 years of combined legal experience and deliver some of the most high-quality legal services to victims of traumatic brain injuries in the vicinity of Syracuse, New York. We value your perspective on your case and your goals for the future and ready to help you receive the justice you deserve. For more information on our four practice areas or your legal matter, contact us at (315) 314-8000 today.