Effects and Causes of Brain Injuries

Brain injuries are some of the most common and most serious of all injuries that bring people to the courts. While it is quite obvious that these are serious injuries, less obvious are the causes and effects of brain injuries. With something as complicated as the human brain, there are many ways to cause damage and there are many effects that can result from those causes.

Common causes of brain injuries
Brain injuries are caused by a wide range of different things depending upon the circumstances surrounding the injury and the age of the victim. Some of the most common causes include the following, among others:

• Birth-related brain injuries
• Airway obstruction
• Close experiences with drowning
• Extended forced choking
• Vehicle accidents
• Falls
• Sports injuries
• Physical violence
• Electrical shock
• Heart attack
• Disease

These brain injuries are all very different in nature. The most common brain injuries result from heart conditions, diseases, and vehicle accidents. Each year in the United States, more than 100,000 people are injured in vehicle accidents. Many of those individuals suffer brain injuries of varying seriousness. These injuries are the result of direct, blunt force trauma to the brain. These injuries differ significantly from injuries causes by a lack of oxygen to the brain.

Those injuries causes by a lack of air and oxygen are often called "acquired" brain injuries. When a person is choked or they nearly drown, the brain's supply of oxygen is cut off and brain damage occurs. Depending upon the amount of time that a person goes without oxygen, the injury will vary in seriousness. Electrical shock can also be counted among these injuries, though these are less common in nature.

Sports injuries get the most attention and focus in the media, but they tend to be less common and less serious than other brain injuries. Because most injuries suffered in sports are indirect and there is often a protective barrier (helmet, padding) in play, these injuries are less likely to be life-altering in most circumstances.

Effects of brain injuries
When it comes to brain injury effects, there is a wide range that must be considered. Some brain injuries result in full loss of motor function. The most serious brain injuries can cause paralysis in the extremities. Likewise, brain injuries can cause blindness and prolonged memory loss. Brain injuries can cause mental conditions like depression in some individuals, as well. Prolonged headaches are often a symptom of a less serious brain injury, and this is something that people are always on the lookout for when considering brain health.

Contact an experienced brain injury attorney for further information.

Goldberg & Osborne, a personal injury law firm, has provided this article for informational purposes only, written by an independent author, and has not reviewed or edited this article and is not responsible for its content or accuracy.