Injuries caused by medical negligence often occur because the medical professional responsible for treating the person is inexperienced or does not take into consideration the long-term effects that the injury could have on the victim. One of the types of injuries caused by medical negligence is traumatic brain injury, which can pose significant health, safety, and financial effects to the victim and their family.

In this article, you’ll learn about the different types of traumatic brain injury and what you can do if it is brought about by medical malpractice.

What Is Traumatic Brain Injury?

According to a trusted source, the leading cause of TBI is falls, which accounted for 48% of TBI-related emergency room cases. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes brain damage, in which an external factor like a blow to the head, violent jolt, penetration of a foreign object or a sudden, or shaking cause it.

Malpractice can cause TBI brought about by different factors and reasons. In medical malpractice cases, the most common cause of TBI includes surgery-related TBI. One good example is a forcep delivery, wherein a baby is forced to come out from the narrow pelvis of the mother using surgical tools or forceps.

Baker and Gilchrist explains the importance of seeking the help of an experienced malpractice lawyer if you believe you’re a victim of TBI-related malpractice.

There are many types of TBI that can also be caused by malpractice, such as the following:

  • Mild TBI: This type of traumatic brain injury can cause some temporary problems with brain functioning. Common symptoms and signs of traumatic brain injury are dizziness, difficulty breathing, seizures and numbness, weakness, disorientation, and memory loss.
  • Severe TBI: More severe TBI can cause long term issues, or even permanent damage to the brain, such as severe bruising, blood clotting, damaged tissue, and even death.
  • Mixed Brain Injury: The next main type of brain injuries is called a mixed brain injury or a focal neurologic deficit. This is when there is a brain injury to a major part of the brain but not to any of the smaller parts of the brain. This condition usually occurs as a result of a penetrating head trauma. Some examples of the most common areas that can have a traumatic event include the frontal lobes, temporal lobe, and hippocampus. A doctor who performs surgery might cause damage to any of these areas, causing mixed brain injury.
  • Diffuse Axonal Injury: The last type is called a diffuse axonal injury. This is when the brain is hit by a flying object, but not cut off completely. Sometimes, a small piece of the skull gets caught in the brain and starts to damage the brain. This type of brain injury is often seen in sports accidents, but is also possible in car accidents. A common sign of this type of brain damage is weakness in the extremities or movement problems.

There are also types of brain injuries that can occur in many ways, without being directly caused by an impact with another body part or object. This type of brain trauma can come from a blow to the skull, a broken bone, or a brain tumor causing significant effects in thinking, memory, and consciousness. Although these brain injuries may not affect a person’s ability to think or do things on their own, they can still be devastating.

How Is TBI Diagnosed?

When dealing with TBI, you must be aware of all of the symptoms and signs and symptoms. There are various tests that are used to diagnose and classify brain injuries, but there are no sure-fire methods to determine if a person has had a TBI because every individual is different.

In order to determine whether you have suffered a TBI, you must receive medical treatment and undergo a series of diagnostic tests at a neurologist. These tests can be done in a cognitive and behavioral assessment.

During this procedure, your doctor will examine and review the brain’s behavior and functions. It will also be able to test your mental abilities, memory, verbal skills, language processing, thinking, and motor skills. After this test is completed, a physical exam will be performed in order to confirm if the patient has suffered a TBI.

What Is the Treatment For TBI?

Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for a brain injury. However, there are treatments that can help you recover and learn to live with your condition. As you move forward with recovery, you must remember that you are not alone. You have your family and friends, and also your medical malpractice lawyer to help you file a claim to ensure you will be fairly compensated.

You can watch this video to learn more about claims process involving medical malpractice cases.

What are the Effects of TBI?

Many people who have suffered from brain injuries are often forced to take long term care or even rely on their family in order to pay their bills. Traumatic brain injury can lead to temporary or permanent paralysis. This can be very difficult to do as most insurance companies do not cover the expenses related to long term care.

Long term care is not only costly, but it is also a long process that can often leave victims without the ability to work. If this is the case with you or someone that you know, it is important to find a qualified medical professional who knows all about brain injuries in order to help you and your family understand the legal issues that are involved.

Conclusion

You have just learned the different TBI types associated with a medical malpractice case. Traumatic brain injury can be caused by an inexperienced doctor who failed to make a prudent decision about a medical condition. Slips, falls, and surgery-related TBIs may occur because of failure to implement proper standard operating procedure in treating a patient.