Every year there are hundreds of thousands of accidents that result in head injuries. While most head injuries are mild to moderate in severity, some can be serious, causing traumatic and irreversible injuries to the brain. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can cause temporary or permanent damage that may significantly diminish the quality of life of the injured. People who sustain brain injuries deserve compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and reduced capacity to perform routine tasks after the accident.
Head injuries occur when the brain is struck with a sudden physical force, such as when one's head hits the dashboard or the windshield in a car accident. Traumatic brain injury occurs when the brain bounces against the inside of the skull during such an impact. The greater the force, the more likely it is that serious damage will occur. Tearing, bruising, and bleeding of the brain can cause permanent brain damage that affects every aspect of the victim's life.
In most cases, TBI is caused by blunt force trauma to the head by some sort of object. These types of injuries are called "closed head injuries" because the skull has not been fractured. Closed head injuries can also occur when the head undergoes a severe forward or backward shaking motion, such as when whiplash occurs in a car accident. In either case, closed head injuries can present unique challenges at trial due to the fact that there are usually no external symptoms that would indicate the severity of the damages.
Another way in which TBI can be caused is a "penetrating head injury," in which a wound is caused by an object that penetrates the skull, but does not exit, thereby becoming lodged in the person's brain. Examples of this particular type of brain injury include gunshot wounds and stab wounds. Gunshot wounds can cause damage not only to the tract in which the bullet entered the brain, but also to surrounding areas depending on a multitude of factors, including the speed and caliber of the bullet. A stab wound, on the other hand, is caused by objects such as glass, nails, and even metal. The damage inflicted in these types of wounds is more localized to the tract in which the object entered the skull, and typically occurs in the skull's thin bones.
Whether an injury sustained is a closed or penetrating head trauma, it is imperative that you seek medical attention immediately. Additionally, it is equally important that you or your family talk to an attorney as soon as possible. In cases involving Traumatic Brain Injury, it is essential that measures be taken promptly to preserve evidence, prove the nature and extent of your injuries, and to enable expert medical witnesses to evaluate and support the cause of your injuries.
If you or a loved one has suffered what you believe may be a Traumatic Brain Injury, please call Kerckhoff Law, APC toll-free at (866) 606-3059 or click here to fill out our confidential intake form.
A. Jason Kerckhoff is a San Diego personal injury lawyer and the President of Kerckhoff Law, APC, a San Diego personal injury law firm dedicated to representing people who have been seriously injured or killed, and the families of loved ones who have suffered death caused by the negligence of another.
A. Jason Kerckhoff has been successfully obtaining excellent results for his clients for over twenty-five years. He has the highest rating in Martindale-Hubbell, which is the preeminent company that rates attorneys not only for their abilities, but for their ethics. These ratings are obtained by peers in the San Diego community, and a small percentage of lawyers are privileged to have achieved this rating.
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