California Head Injury Lawyer

Head injury is a trauma to the head that may or may not include injury to the brain.

Head injuries may be closed or open. A closed head injury is one in which the skull is not broken. A penetrating head injury occurs when an object pierces the skull. Brain injuries may occur over a wide area, or focal, located in a small, specific area. A head injury may cause a skull fracture, which may or may not be associated with injury to the brain.

Common causes of head injury are traffic accidents, home and occupational accidents, falls, and assaults. Bicycle accidents are also a common cause of head injury-related death and disability, especially among children. Head injuries can result in attention, emotional and memory loss problems. Severe head injuries can lead to a coma or death.

Common symptoms of head injury:

• loss of consciousness
• confusion
• drowsiness
• personality change
• seizures
• nausea and vomiting
• headache

Specific Problems after Head Injury Include:

• Brain Injury: or the disruption of the normal functioning of a brain, caused by a blow, jolt or penetration to the head.
  
  
• Concussion: an injury to the head causing the brain to strike the skull, which may result in brain malfunctions such as memory loss.
  
  
• Cerebral Contusion: a bruise to the brain caused by a direct impact to the head, resulting in attention, emotional and memory problems.
  
  
• Coup Contrecoup Injury: a contusion sustained on one side of the brain, and on the direct opposite side of the brain.
  
  
• Diffuse Axonal Injury: a common brain injury, resulting in unconsciousness or persistent vegetative state. This injury is usually caused by head trauma from rotational forces such as a car accident.
  
  
• Hypoxic Brain Injury: this injury occurs when the brain receives some, but not enough oxygen, caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain because of a critical reduction in blood flow or blood pressure. Common causes of this injury are strangling, suffocation or choking, head trauma, carbon monoxide poisoning.
  
  
• Locked In Syndrome: damage to specific portions of the lower brain and brainstem with no damage to the upper brain, and results in a condition where only the eyes are able to move. Common causes of this injury are traumatic brain injury from traffic accidents, falls and assaults.
  
  
• Recurrent Traumatic Brain Injury: this type of injury is sustained while another brain injury one is not done healing, which can result in muscle spasms, increased muscle tone, rapidly changing emotions, hallucinations, and difficulty thinking and learning. Common causes of this type of brain injury are traffic and fall accidents.
  
  
• Skull Fracture: a break in one or more of the bones in the skull caused by a head injury. Isolated skull fractures are not very serious injuries, but usually the presence of a skull fracture indicates that significant enough impact occurred to cause brain trauma, which is quite serious.

Los Angeles head injury lawyers (1-800-ALAWPRO)

For further information on related topics see:

• BRAIN INJURY