A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most severe injuries that someone could sustain in an accident. The damage often lasts for years, if not a lifetime, and can upend someone’s entire way of life. There are several different types of traumatic brain injuries in Manchester, which a TBI lawyer could explain.
How Do Doctors Distinguish Between Types of TBI?
Doctors commonly diagnose brain injuries via CT scans, MRIs, or intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. Sometimes they will conduct neuropsychological testing to gauge functionality from a brain injury. The treatment may differ depending on the type of injury so it is important to see a doctor who can diagnose the injury correctly and early.
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Primary and Secondary Brain Injuries
A primary traumatic brain injury happens immediately from the trauma. This includes brain bleeds, damage to blood vessels, and axonal shearing. Secondary traumatic brain injuries are more indirect. When a person recovers from the trauma, there could be swelling that reduces the flow of blood or oxygen to the brain. There could also be further pressure applied to the brain.
Medical professionals also may distinguish brain injuries by how much blood flow is cut off. A complete blockage of oxygen to the brain is known as an anoxic brain injury, while only partial flow of blood or oxygen is known as a hypoxic brain injury.
Anoxic Brain Injuries
Anoxic brain injuries are commonly caused when a baby becomes trapped in the birth canal or the umbilical cord is wrapped around their neck, depriving them of oxygen. Often with these kinds of injuries, especially to a baby, it may be necessary to investigate whether it was caused by medical negligence or whether it was natural causes.
While anoxic TBIs commonly occur at birth, they also can happen when somebody is deprived of oxygen by choking or from drug overdoses.
The brain can only survive four minutes without oxygen, meaning it can sustain permanent damage if air flow does not return. If oxygen is blocked for more than two minutes, brain damage is likely inevitable but damage can occur even within 30 seconds.
Hypoxic Brain Injuries
Hypoxic brain injuries, where oxygen flow to the brain is only partially blocked, commonly occur when flying in an unpressurized plane or in deep water dives. If someone received hypoxic brain damage from one of these activities, they should immediately contact an attorney who could help determine if the plane was properly pressurized or if the diving company properly maintained their equipment. These injuries also may result from asthma attacks or drug overdoses.
What Treatments Are Available for Traumatic Brain Injuries?
Those who have suffered an anoxic or hypoxic brain injury may require various therapies. An injured party may need speech therapy if the speech part of the brain has been affected, or occupational therapy to relearn how to do basic tasks, such as walking. For some, counseling or group therapy may be helpful. Unfortunately, most cases cannot be solved with surgery or medicine.
In Manchester, treatments for different types of TBIs can be expensive and in some situations an individual will need to be lifelong care. This means that the medical bills can quickly mount. A skilled lawyer could help someone pursue damages for their current medical expenses as well as the ones they expect to incur in the future.
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Contact a Manchester Lawyer to Discuss the Various Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
If you or a loved one has suffered a TBI, a local attorney is available to help you initiate a claim. You have enough to worry about without also carrying the burden of seeking compensation. Call today to see if a local attorney could help you recover damages for different types of traumatic brain injuries in Manchester.
