Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Oklahoma City

The human brain is protected by a cushioning layer of fluid and a bony outer skull. Still, the delicate bundles of nerve cells in the brain are vulnerable to permanent damage when the head suffers substantial blunt-force trauma, a strong jarring motion, or an open wound, such as a skull fracture or puncture.

When your brain injury was caused by someone else’s careless or reckless action, it’s even more devastating. While a brain injury lawyer in Oklahoma City cannot erase the injury, a lawyer from Dan Davis Law can help you learn about your legal right to compensation.

What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Brain injuries sometimes occur metabolically, due to illness or medical conditions such as strokes or aneurysms. Some brain injuries, such as those from birth injuries or near-drownings, result from the lack of oxygen to the brain, or hypoxia, which is known as an acquired brain injury.

But when a brain injury directly results from mechanical forces or outside trauma rather than a medical condition, it’s a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Medical professionals typically categorize traumatic brain injuries as open or closed injuries depending on whether the injury penetrates the skull.

Traumatic brain injuries range in severity from mild injuries, like concussions, with temporary consequences, to serious, life-altering injuries with permanent impairment. In the worst cases, catastrophic TBIs can cause coma, persistent vegetative state, or death.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Oklahoma City?

The human brain has over 100 billion neurons responsible for bodily function and information processing. When the brain bumps or twists against the inside of the skull, it can cause injuries such as bleeding, bruising, and swelling that damage brain tissue and destroy cells. The most common causes of Oklahoma City brain injuries include the following:

The impacts of a traumatic brain injury on the injured individual depend on the severity and location of the injury. For instance, concussions commonly result from contact sports injuries and cause mild, temporary symptoms. However, it’s important to note that suffering multiple concussions can cause a cumulative effect with Alzheimer ’s-like symptoms in the injury victim’s later years.

The elderly are particularly vulnerable to serious traumatic brain injuries due to mild shrinkage of the brain’s overall size during aging. This leaves more space for the brain to move within the skull during an impact, increasing the likelihood of injury and often causing more severe injuries, even from a common slip-and-fall accident. Brain injuries from falls are a leading cause of accidental death for elderly Americans.

What Types of Brain Injuries Result From These Common Causes?

The delicate cells that make up the brain are sensitive to pressure from inflammation caused by bleeding and bruising. The most common types of traumatic brain injuries in Oklahoma City include the following:

  • Concussions: Result from a bump or blow that causes temporary chemical changes inside a portion of the brain
  • Hematomas: Pooling of blood inside the brain or between the protective outer lining of the brain and the skull, which causes temporary or long-term changes in the function of that portion of the brain, depending on the size and severity of the hematoma
  • Contusions: Bruising inside the brain
  • Coup-Contrecoup injury: Injury to one side of the brain and a second injury to the opposite side, caused by a strong blow that shakes the brain back and forth, striking the inside of the skull on both sides
  • Puncture injuries: Lacerations, severing of the nerves, and bleeding caused by bullets or a sharp object
  • Diffuse axonal injuries: Often a severe, permanent injury caused by the brain twisting inside the skull, breaking nerves and tiny blood vessels, and resulting in injuries throughout the brain

According to the CDC, nearly 70,000 fatal brain injuries occurred in the U.S. in a single recent year.

What Are the Signs of a Traumatic Brain Injury?

It’s crucial to seek medical attention after any significant head injury. Prompt action can reduce internal swelling and pressure to lower the risk of permanent harm. Common signs of brain injuries include:

  • Loss of consciousness
  • Confusion, or altered mental state
  • Headache that increases in severity
  • Vision changes
  • Slurred speech
  • Problems with movement, balance, and coordination
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Tingling in the extremities
  • Problems with memory and concentration

It’s crucial to undergo a neurological exam after a head injury, especially if you experience a loss of consciousness or any of the above symptoms of a traumatic brain injury in Oklahoma City.

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Understanding Liability For Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Oklahoma City

When someone else’s actions cause your injury, and you experience financial losses as well as physical harm, you have the right to seek compensation from the individual, organization, or property owner responsible for your injury and losses. Proving liability requires evidence demonstrating the following:

  • The at-fault party owed a duty of reasonable care to the injury victim, such as a driver’s duty to obey traffic laws
  • They violated this duty through negligence
  • The breach of duty directly caused the brain injury
  • The injury victim suffered damages from the injury

Damages in Oklahoma City brain injury claims vary depending on the severity of the injury, ranging from a single emergency room bill and a few days of lost wages for a mild concussion to lifelong disability or wrongful death. A brain injury attorney from Dan Davis Law is ready to hear the details of your case, carefully calculate your damages, and assertively negotiate to obtain the largest possible settlement.

Most brain injury claims are resolved through a settlement with the insurance company, but about 4% require litigation. If your traumatic brain injury claim goes to court, an experienced Oklahoma City brain injury lawyer from Dan Davis Law will ensure a well-executed legal strategy to seek the maximum compensation available to you. Contact a brain injury attorney in Oklahoma City today at (405) 930-4210 to schedule a free consultation.