The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines traumatic brain injury as damage caused by a strong external force, such as a blow to the head. This differentiates it from acquired brain injury, which comes from internal causes such as stroke or infection. In the United States and worldwide, TBI is a leading cause of death for people under age 45.

Common symptoms

TBI victims typically show the following symptoms:

• short-term loss of consciousness (post-traumatic amnesia or PTA)
• memory loss for the period immediately before or after the event
• a change in mental state, disorientation, confusion, or lightheadedness
• loss of function in one or more areas of the body due to decreased brain function
• loss of balance or coordination

Moderate or severe TBI may cause additional symptoms, such as:

• PTA lasting more than 24 hours
• a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) level of 8 or less
• loss of consciousness lasting more than 30 minutes
• dilation of one or both pupils
• impaired speech and muscle weakness

 Causes of injury

Most cases of TBI are the result of accidents. This can be a strike to the head by a heavy object, or the head striking a hard surface such as the floor. In the United States, falls are the leading cause of TBI, accounting for 28% of cases. This is followed by motor vehicle accidents (20%), head strikes (19%), violence (11%), and bicycle accidents (3%).

Although medical causes are excluded from the definition, TBI can also be caused by non-external forces. The most common is whiplash, wherein the brain undergoes rapid acceleration and deceleration without any external stimulus. Motor bicycle accidents, particularly when the vehicle is hit from the rear, are the leading cause of whiplash-induced TBI.

Diagnosing TBI

TBI is usually diagnosed through routine neurological exams, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scans, and electroencephalograms. However, since TBI does not always manifest as a medical emergency, some patients do not undergo these tests until a later stage. For legal purposes, the symptoms preceding the test, as well as the particulars of the accident, are taken into account to establish the existence and severity of TBI.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

For more information: Law Offices of Elan Wurtzell, P.C. Serving clients in Plainview, New York