Traumatic Brain Injury — Head Injury Emergencies

Serving West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Lake Worth and the Port St. Lucie area

Any time a head injury occurs, there is the potential for serious brain damage, even if the person suffering the injury doesnt lose consciousness.

Thats especially true for traumatic brain injury, or TBI, which results from damage to the brains tissue from an external blow or penetration of the skull.

TBI differs from acquired brain injury (ABI), which is not caused by an external force and is a common result of strokes and near-drowning accidents.

Common causes of TBI are automobile accidents, falls, accidents at home or on the job, violent assaults, sports injuries, bicycle accidents and medical malpractice. Common injuries like concussion, whiplash and Shaken Baby Syndrome are all considered forms of TBI.

Types of Traumatic Brain Injury Emergencies

There are, in general, two types of TBI emergencies: open head injuries and closed head injuries.

Open Head TBI

An open head injury means the skull has been penetrated. Meaning, an object has hit the head and entered the brain.

Examples of causes of open head injuries are going through a windshield in a car accident or a gunshot wound to the head.

After an open head injury, the brain is very susceptible to infection.

Closed Head TBI

A closed head injury means the skull has not been fractured but has received a hard blow.

A closed head TBI can occur at the location where the head was struck or at the opposite side of the skull, due to the fact that the brain can move within the skull and can smash against the opposite interior of the skull at the time of impact.

Closed head injuries may not show immediate symptoms. Sometimes swelling in the brain results hours after the accident.

Recognizing a Serious Head Injury

Learning to spot a TBI at the time of an accident can make a huge difference in the victims long-term health.

First, look for any of these signs, which require immediate medical attention:

  • Spinal cord injury
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Confusion
  • Drowsiness
  • Shallow breathing
  • Seizure
  • Swelling
  • Scalp wound
  • Fluid or blood draining from the nose, mouth or ears
  • Severe headache
  • Initial improvement of symptoms, then worsening
  • Agitation or unusual behavior
  • Lack of coordination
  • Slurred speech
  • Vomiting
  • Pupil changes
  • Inability to hear, see, taste, or smell
  • Loss of memory
  • Uneven pupil dilation

Get medical help immediately if the person exhibits any of those symptoms.

If you believe that you or a member of your family has suffered a traumatic brain injury, its important to not only get medical help immediately, but legal help, as well. Please contact West Palm Beach, Florida, attorney Craig Goldenfarb, P.A. today for an immediate consultation.

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Your understanding of the information on this web page about personal injury law does not constitute a formal legal relationship with the lawyers at Craig Goldenfarb, P.A. Please do not assume this content to be formal legal advise. If you would like to know if you have a valid personal injury claim, please contact a West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer today for a complimentary consultation serving West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County and Port St. Lucie, Florida.
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