What Are Brain Injuries Caused By?

Brain injuries can occur for many different reasons. Whether there was an accident resulting in a blow to the head or a condition within the body, brain injuries can be dangerous and sometimes lead to life-altering complications.

Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Slip and fall accidents are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), accounting for nearly half the TBI-related emergency room visits each year. If a person slips, trips, or falls and their head hits another object or the hard ground, the sharp blow to their head can cause a brain injury.

Car accidents, regardless of their severity, can cause a wide range of brain injuries. Some of the less severe car accidents can result in concussions or brain contusions when the person experiences whiplash or their head is hit up against an object, such as the steering wheel. More severe car accidents can result in penetrating brain injuries if the skull is split due to a strong impact.

Violence and assaults are responsible for roughly 9% of traumatic brain injuries. These brain injuries are again dependent on the situation. If the person sustained a minor blow to the head, they may suffer from a concussion or brain contusion. However, in other cases, the victim may suffer from a penetrating brain injury.

Causes of Non-Traumatic Brain Injuries

Strokes are the leading cause of non-traumatic brain injuries. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, preventing the brain from receiving oxygen. Without the proper oxygen levels, brain cells will begin to die. This type of brain injury is known as an anoxic brain injury.

Those who have cancerous tumors are at an increased risk of sustaining a brain injury. Tumors, wherever they are found in the body, can travel to the brain if left untreated. Once in the brain, tumors can grow, causing pressure inside the skull which can result in a brain injury.

Different types of infections, such as meningitis or encephalitis, have been known to cause brain injuries. The bacteria from these infections can cause an upper respiratory tract infection which can then travel through the bloodstream to the brain, resulting in possible brain damage.

Understanding the common causes of brain injuries is the first step toward preventing them. If you or a loved one has suffered from a brain injury due to another’s negligence, contact us today. Rob Levine’s team of personal injury attorneys will help you obtain the compensation you deserve.