Chatsworth Brain Trauma Attorneys
Brain Injury FAQ
This page will address some of the most commonly asked questions about brain injuries -- in particular, how they apply to personal injury law.
1) What is the difference between a closed head and open head injury?
A closed head injury involves trauma to the brain as a result of the application of an outside force. This trauma does not break the skull or lead to the penetration of a foreign object into the brain. An open head injury also involves application of sudden force to the head but this force DOES result in penetration of the skull and/or the insertion of a foreign object to the brain tissue.
2) What's the difference between a coup and a countercoup?
A coup is the primary blow. For instance, a driver's head striking the side window in an accident is a coup. The countercoup is the ricochet effect of the application of the primary force. The brain is gelatinous, and when sudden and significant force is applied to the head, the brain can actually slosh backwards and forwards. In our example, the countercoup would be at the opposite end of the brain from where the head made contact with the window.
3) What are common symptoms of traumatic brain injuries?
Here is a partial list:
- Unconsciousness/loopiness
- Problems breathing
- Pupil dilation
- Behavioral changes
- Trouble seeing or hearing or understanding speech
- Leaking cerebrospinal fluid
- Vomiting and/or nausea and/or dizziness
- Severe headache
- Spasms and convulsions
4) What tests are used to detect traumatic brain injury?
Tests include evoked potentials (such as the BAER and VEP tests), CAT scan, radio/magnetic imaging (MRI) and the electroencephalogram (EEG).
5) What are the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries?
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Accidents at work
- Sports injuries
- Slip and fall accidents
- Injuries resulting from chronic conditions like hypertension
- Inaccurate administration of medications such as blood thinner meds
6) What is the prognosis for someone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury?
The answer depends on many factors, including:
- The duration between the injury and the time professional emergency care is administered.
- The nature and quality of that care.
- The victim's health prior to the accident.
- Whether or not other injuries or medical complications interfere with treatment.
- The angle and force of the blow that caused the TBI.
- Resilience of the patient.
- The quality of diagnostic tools and rehabilitation.
- The area of the brain injured.
- Secondary, tertiary complications of the initial injury.
7) What can you do if someone else was responsible (or partially responsible) for the brain injury?
To build a legal case for TBI compensation, you need to consult an experienced brain injury attorney in San Fernando Valley who has handled many similar matters successfully before. Look to the Northridge, California based personal injury firm, The Mandell Law Firm. Contact us for a free consultation now at 818-886-6600.