Every year 1.5 million Americans experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) according to the Brain Injury Association of America. It is estimated that 50,000 of these injuries are fatal. Life altering impairments can result from these injuries, affecting an individual’s professional, social and family life. It is estimated that 5.3 million Americans are living with conditions that are a result of TBI, such as neurological impairment. Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is the cause of many of these conditions.
Intracranial Pressure Defined
The amount of pressure applied by the cranium on brain tissue, blood flowing in the brain and the cerebrospinal fluid is known as intracranial pressure. Brain trauma is a leading cause of increased intracranial pressure, especially injuries that result in hematoma and cerebral edema. Brain tissues may be killed when brain structures shift. This tissue death may be localized or diffuse, adding cerebrospinal fluid to the brain, increasing intracranial pressure. An intracranial pressure of 25mmHg or higher is usually fatal in adults. Children have a greater tolerance for increased longer lasting pressures.
ICP Symptoms, Causes and Prognosis
Some symptoms of increased intracranial pressure are headaches, nausea, vomiting, distorted levels of consciousness, visual impairment as well as erratic and unusual breathing patterns. The symptoms of concussion may be the same in some cases. Any person displaying any of these symptoms should be taken for proper emergency medical treatment immediately.
Head trauma, such as a skull fracture or diffuse axonal injury is severe in most cases. The entire central nervous system may suffer irreversible damage and with more severe cases, death can occur.
Aside from head injury, the most likely cause of increased intracranial pressure, there are other causes such as stroke, brain tumor, subdural hematoma, hypertensive brain hemorrhage, meningitis, encephalitis, ruptured aneurysm, intraventricular hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage and status epilepticus.
Different people are affected in many different ways by traumatic brain injury, depending on how severe the injury and the elapsed time before the person receives proper diagnosis and medical treatment. The time frame of recovery for severe TBI can be very long, involving years of rehabilitation. There are treatments that have proved to be helpful but in many cases complete recovery is not a possibility.
The Cost of a Severe TBI
Taking into consideration short and long term medical costs, physical and occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, special equipment requirements and lost income, the cost of a brain injury can be astronomical over a lifetime. These costs can equate into the millions of dollars. There is no monetary compensation that is satisfactory for an individual and their family who face a life of debilitation.
If You or a Loved One Suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury
If the negligence of another caused you or someone you love to suffer a traumatic brain injury, it is critical that you seek the counsel of an experienced brain injury attorney immediately. Brian injury cases are complex and require special skill to litigate, that only qualified brain injury lawyer will have. Many attorneys are too quick to settle these cases for far less than their true value. A brain injury lawyer will know the true value of the case from his or her knowledge of the different types of injuries and the long-term prognosis. The attorney will have the resources required for providing professional medical experts and to take the case through to the end to reach the best possible outcome. You may be entitled to damages for a lifetime of medical bills, rehabilitation, loss of income, pain and suffering and more.
Vititoe Law Group has successfully represented countless victims of traumatic brain injury. Our attorneys know what your case is truly worth and will not settle for less. Contact Vititoe Law Group right away for a free, no obligation, evaluation of your case. Do not settle for any lawyer. You deserve the best.
