Brain Injuries
Suffering a brain injury is cause for fear and stress in your life. The brain acts at the control system for your entire body, and any lack of function or control can have serious repercussions on your physical and mental health.
At Stroud, Flechas & Dalton, we understand what you are going through and what to help. With experience and compassion, our experienced personal injury lawyers will fight for the justice you deserve.
Mississippi Brain Injury Attorney
According to the CDC, traumatic brain injuries are a major cause of death and disability across the nation. Between the years 2006 and 2014, the number of deaths from traumatic brain injury, hospitalizations from traumatic brain injury, and ER visits due to traumatic brain injury increased by 53 percent. As many as 50,000 people will die from a brain injury each and every year, while hundreds of thousands more must live with the long-term effects of a brain injury.
When an individual survives a traumatic brain injury, he or she may face effects which last for days, weeks, months, years, or even a lifetime. The issues affecting those with a traumatic brain injury often affect their loved ones as well. A traumatic brain injury is the result of a disruption of the normal function of the brain through a jolt, a blow, or a bump to the head. The severity of a brain injury can range from mild to severe, with mild brain injuries normally referred to as concussions.
Those who suffer a brain injury may also have accompanying anxiety, fear, and stress. The brain is the control system for the entire body; any lack of function or control results in serious repercussions to physical and mental health. At Stroud, Flechas & Dalton, we understand the challenges associated with a brain injury. We have compassion for your injury, as well as a high level of experience to fight for the justice you deserve. If you or a loved one have suffered a brain injury as the result of the intentional conduct of another or sheer negligence, we can help. Stroud, Flechas & Dalton takes TBI cases very seriously and will work with you to ensure you are fairly compensated for your injury.
What are the Primary Causes of Brain Injury?
The CDC reports that falls are the primary cause of brain injury, accounting for nearly half of all brain injuries seen in ERs. About half of all TBI-related falls requiring an ER visit are for children between the ages of 0 and 17, while four out of five TBI-related ER visits among older adults were the result of a fall. The second most common cause of brain injury is being struck against or by an object. Falls and motor vehicle crashes are the first and second leading causes of all TBI-related hospitalizations among those of all ages. Depending on the age group, slip and falls are also a primary cause of TBI. Intentional self-harm is a major cause of brain injury-related deaths in the United States.
Do Brain Injuries Cause the Brain to Age Faster?
According to brainline.org, when a person who has had a brain injury undergoes a brain scan, that scan will show significant alterations in the structure of the brain, making the brain seem similar to those of much older people. Brain injuries can also trigger secondary responses related to inflammation, which can, in turn, contribute to the development of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and a higher risk of seizures.
What are the Differences Between an Open and a Closed Brain Injury?
When the brain is jolted violently within the skull, brain swelling may occur. This is known as a closed brain injury. A closed brain injury can occur when a child or adult is violently shaken, or when a person is exposed to a chemical or solvent, lead poisoning, or carbon monoxide poisoning. Hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen to the brain, is also considered a closed brain injury. When the brain is exposed to violent contact with a hard object, it can also be severely damaged. An open wound on the head from a gunshot wound, being struck with an object, an automobile accident, or a sports accident is known as an open brain injury.
How Does a Brain Injury Alter Brain Functions?
Each part of the human brain has a specific function; those parts include the cerebellum, the parietal lobe, the occipital lobe, the brain stem, and the frontal lobe. Changes in brain function will depend on which part of the brain is injured. Some of those changes may include:
- An altered ability to understand spoken language;
- Significant alterations in motor skills;
- Alterations in reasoning skills, thinking skills and memory;
- A lessened ability to solve problems;
- Alterations in communication skills, leading to frustration as the brain-injured person struggles to be understood;
- Lack of inhibitions;
- An inability to plan or anticipate;
- Lessening of visual perceptions;
- Excessive levels of depression, irritability, sadness, and anger;
- Altered spatial perceptions;
- Alterations in touch, taste, and smell;
- Hesitations in the ability to speak, read, react and think;
- Increased sensitivity to normal sounds and/or lights, and
- Confusion, or becoming lost in a previously familiar area.
What Are the Symptoms of a Brain Injury?
Anyone who suspects a brain injury, even if there was no loss of consciousness, should watch for the following symptoms—and seek medical attention if they occur.
- Vertigo;
- Severe or constant headache;
- Nausea;
- Dizziness;
- Memory loss, particularly when related to events immediately prior to or after the accident;
- Bruising on the head;
- Ringing in the ears;
- Loss of consciousness, and
- Any alterations in normal mental status.
Brain Injuries Can Financially Devastate Families
According to brainandspinalcord.org, The lifetime cost of caring for a survivor of a severe traumatic brain injury is between $600,000 and $1,875,000. Northwestern Now found that the lifetime costs of treating a patient with a moderate to severe brain injury ranged from $85,000 to $3 million. Further, for the average adult with a brain injury, the unemployment rate two years after the initial diagnosis is 50 percent—compared with the national average of 5.1 percent. Receiving appropriate care and support can help minimize the cycle of unemployment, homelessness, and dependence on state and federal programs among those with brain injuries.
How Stroud, Flechas & Dalton Can Help Those With Traumatic Brain Injuries
If you have suffered a brain injury in the state of Mississippi, you are already aware that the treatment is expensive, placing extreme financial burdens on patients and their loved ones. You may be unable to return to work for a period of time—or forever. It can be difficult to calculate the damages for a brain injury, making it all the more important that you have an experienced Mississippi brain injury lawyer from Stroud, Flechas & Dalton by your side. When your quality of life, your financial stability, and your future are at stake, we understand the serious nature of your situation and will work hard on your behalf for the compensation you deserve. If you are in Southaven, DeSoto County, or Memphis, Tennessee, and you have suffered a brain injury, contact Stroud, Flechas & Dalton today.
For more information on local brain injury laws, visit our DeSoto County, Southaven, and Memphis, Tennessee pages.