Thanks to doctors with the Brain Injury Research Institute, located right here in Wheeling, brain injuries are getting much more attention after those doctors discovered CTE in the brain of deceased former Pittsburgh Steeler, Mike Webster. As a result, brain injuries are being more thoroughly researched, brain injury treatment is improving, and there is better prevention now that brain injury causes and their impacts are better understood.
Unlike non-traumatic brain injuries caused by things such as stroke or seizure, traumatic brain injuries are generally caused by a blow or jolt to the head. Brain injuries can be mild and disrupt the regular function of the brain for a very short time. Mild concussions would fall into this category and generally people recover fully and quickly in these cases. On the other end, severe brain injuries can cause long-term brain function disruptions or even death. It is reported that traumatic brain injuries contribute to 30% of all injury related deaths.
COMMON CAUSES OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES
Our Wheeling traumatic brain injury attorneys at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman see many causes of brain injuries in our practice and the most common causes that we see are listed below:
- Car accidents – We frequently see traumatic brain injuries after our clients have been involved in car accidents.
- Falls – Traumatic brain injuries can result from falls at places of businesses, other people’s homes, and at work due to poor maintenance or unsafe conditions.
- Falling objects – Non-secured objects that fall on people causing brain injuries can occur in a number of ways including items falling from improperly stocked shelves at big box stores, items falling from above that were improperly affixed to walls or ceilings, or children pulling televisions or other items down on top of their heads.
- Bicycle accidents – Even when bicyclists are wearing helmets they can sustain brain injuries from accidents due to being hit by a motor vehicle or crashing as a result of poorly maintained roads and trails.
- Pedestrian accidents – Brain injuries frequently occur when pedestrians are hit by motor vehicles or struck by falling debris from construction sites or buildings.
- Sports – Sports are a common cause of concussions due to typical injuries sustained as a result of participating in the sport, but other times brain injuries are caused by not using appropriate protective equipment such as helmets and masks or when play is too rough for the sport such as tackling in flag football.
- Assault – Assaults causing strikes and blows to the head or severe shaking (shaken baby syndrome) can result in traumatic brain injury and death.
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- Medical malpractice – Medical malpractice can cause brain injury from birth trauma or a failure to appropriately treat or diagnosis brain injuries that result in worsening conditions or other complications. Medical malpractice can also cause non-traumatic brain injury often in cases involving oxygen deprivation during childbirth or when a patient is under anesthesia.
If you or a loved one has sustained a brain injury due to someone else’s fault, contact a Wheeling brain injury attorney at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman to schedule a consultation. Our brain injury experts want to see that you are fairly compensated by any at-fault parties and their insurance companies.