Traumatic Brain Injury

The experienced California brain injury attorneys at Van Blois & Associates understand that proper testing and evaluation of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is critical to obtaining maximum recoverable damages on your behalf.  In each case that we take on, we work to make sure that the injured victim receives the proper testing and evaluation he or she deserves. 

Testing

Testing for a TBI is particularly crucial, as the timing of the tests can greatly affect the results and your recovery; over-testing and premature testing can produce misleading diagnoses, potentially limiting the recovery to which you are entitled.  Tests typically include:

• Glasgow Coma Scale: This 15-point test evaluates how severe the injury is by testing the person's ability to follow directions, blink, speak, or move parts of the body.
• CT scan: A CT scan creates a cross-sectional image of the brain and can be helpful for determining the existence and severity of any skull fractures, bruises to the brain, bleeding, blood clots, and brain tissue swelling.
• Functional MRI: This is a new type of neuro-imaging that measures the change in blood flow related to brain activity.
• Intracranial pressure monitor: This measures the swelling inside the brain, which can lead to additional damage. 
• PET scan: This assesses the brain's metabolic function.
• SPECT scan: The SPECT scan evaluates blood flow and/or spreading in the brain.
• MR Spectroscopy: This kind of magnetic resonance measures the metabolites in the brain.
• Electroencephalogram (EEG): an EEG tests the electrical activity in the brain and can be used to identify seizures and other abnormal activity.

Neuropsychological Evaluation

A neuropsychological evaluation is an important component of testing for TBIs.  The specialist will typically perform a number of standard tests to determine cognitive function, including state of consciousness, memory, and attention span.  It is crucial that these tests be performed accurately using medically-accepted methods and procedures. 

As experienced TBI lawyers, the attorneys at Van Blois & Associates understand the importance of testing that is performed correctly at the proper time, and that is scientifically and medically valid.  This knowledge ensures that you or your loved one receives proper testing so that the injury is accurately - and defensibly - evaluated and diagnosed.

Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries

TBIs are typically categorized as open or closed, and either type can result in serious and permanent injuries.      

Open Injuries

Open injuries are typically more serious and occur when a force or sharp object actually fractures the skull.  Open brain injuries include but are not limited to:

• Linear skull fractures: These are the most common open injuries and consist of a crack in the skull. 
• Depressed skull fractures: These are less common but usually more serious.  With a depressed fracture, the broken skull fragments are pushed towards the brain and can depress or puncture brain tissue and cause serious, permanent damage.
• Basilar skull fracture: These occur at the base of the head where it meets the neck and can damage the nerves and blood vessels that pass through the opening at the base of the skull. 

Other open injuries include Battle's Sign (occurring near the ear), Raccoon Eyes (occurring near the eyes), Diastatic (occurring in newborn babies and infants whose skull plates are not fully fused), and Cribiform (occurring near the nose).  These open injuries can cause varying severities of brain damage. 

Closed Injuries

Closed injuries occur when the skull is hit by some outside force but does not fracture or displace.  Even if the skull has not been broken, serious TBI can result from a closed injury, especially if the brain swells and damages surrounding nerves or the brain tissue itself.  The most common types of closed injuries include:

• Concussions: These are the most frequent brain injuries, and generally cause temporary damage. 
• Contusions: Contusions, or bruised brain tissue, are often mild but can be serious if the contusion leads to hemorrhages.  If the brain tissue absorbs blood, permanent neurological damage can result
• Diffuse Axonal Injury (DIA): This is one of the most serious, and most common, types of TBI, occurring when the head is rapidly accelerated or decelerated.  In a severe DIA, the brain swells so much that it causes permanent nerve damage.  Studies show that as many as 90% of serious DIAs result in permanent comas or vegetative states. 
• Intracranial Hematoma: This occurs when a blood vessel ruptures inside the brain or between the brain and skull and the blood compresses the brain tissue.  A more serious intracranial hematoma may require surgery to remove and can cause permanent damage.

Seek Experienced TBI Legal Counsel

If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, securing proper testing and evaluation is crucial to obtaining the best medical care and the maximum recovery to which you are entitled.  To schedule a consultation to discuss your case with our team of attorneys, contact Van Blois & Associates today or call us at 888-327-4453.