The blanket term “brain injury” applies to any injury to the brain sustained from a blow to the head, penetrating injuries, or actions resulting in the brain impacting against the skull. These types of injuries are referred to as “traumatic brain injury”. This is not the only type of brain injury referred to under the blanket term, however. Brain injury can also be incurred through a lack of blood or oxygen flow to the brain such as after a near drowning accident or other obstruction of the airways. In these cases, the injury is referred to as an “acquired brain injury”. Acquired brain injuries occur on the cellular level and cause brain damage without a blow or impact of the actual brain. This type of injury may also be sustained from a stroke, heart attack, shock or even an extended high fever.

In the case of traumatic brain injuries, the patient usually has been involved in a fall, automobile accident, or was the victim of an assault. Shaken Baby Syndrome is a type of traumatic brain injury in which no outside impact is needed to cause damage. The act of shaking a baby can cause the brain to crash into the skull internally with catastrophic results. Concussions like these are often a result in sports and may not be the result of a direct assault.

Acquired brain injury may appear less serious at first; however, the ramifications may be more debilitating depending on the nature of the injury. With any brain injury, both traumatic and acquired, the severity can vary. In mild cases, the effects can be temporary and a full recovery can be reached in a relatively short period of time. In moderate cases, the patient may still have a full recovery but the process is likely to be longer and some symptoms such as slurred speech and motor dysfunction may never completely diminish.

Severe cases can completely change the life of the patient or even end their life. These types of injuries result in coma or vegetative state as well as brain death. If someone in your family sustains a severe brain injury that results in completely debilitating problems, it is extremely important that you consult with a brain injury attorney immediately. This type of issue can stretch beyond negligence and include battles over living wills, organ donation, and ultimately the decision to continue or discontinue life-support.

Find legal information and lawyers that specialize in Brain Injury by state: