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What Are The Most Common Brain Injuries In California?

California Brain Injuries

 You can get many types of injuries in an accident in California. But a brain injury is a severe injury that can affect the rest of your life or even be fatal. Common brain injuries in California are outlined below. If you or a loved one have a brain injury after an accident, contact our Oakland personal injury attorneys at Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C., for assistance.

Concussion

A concussion is the most common brain injury after a variety of accidents. A concussion is brain trauma that happens because of a sudden momentum change, impact, or change in direction or movement. Many concussions cause a loss of consciousness. However, you may have less severe symptoms, such as difficulty maintaining balance or confusion. If you watch NFL football this has been a big concern in the league with player safety.

Always seek immediate medical attention if you suspect you or a loved one has a concussion. The concussion could get worse, and even a brain bleed is possible.

Contusion

A brain contusion is a bruise on the brain. This can happen when you have a severe blow to the head. Brain contusions are common in auto accidents and trip and fall cases. While many brain contusions will heal independently, they can also cause serious medical issues. For example, a minor contusion could lead to bleeding on the brain or blood clots.

Coup-Contrecoup

Coup-contrecoup is a brain injury that causes trauma to both sides of the brain. For example, in a car accident, the brain can be thrown forward into the front of the skull, then rebounds and hits the back of the skull. Many violent car accidents cause serious coup-contrecoup brain injuries, which can lead to brain damage on both sides of the brain.

Acquired Brain Injury

This brain injury is not caused by a jolt or blow to the head. Instead, it is due to another problem in your body, such as a lack of oxygen, which is called an anoxic brain injury. A brain injury from a lack of oxygen can happen in a medical malpractice case, a fire case from smoke inhalation, near drowning, and other accidents when the brain is deprived of required oxygen or nutrients. There can be severe health consequences if the brain does not receive enough oxygen for a few minutes.

Diffuse Axonal

A diffuse axonal injury happens when the brain structure is torn because of head rotation in an accident. This is a severe kind of concussion; you could have serious headaches, seizures, difficulty walking or speaking, and even memory loss. In the most serious diffuse axonal injuries, severe brain injury can lead to coma or death.

Penetration

This severe brain injury happens when an object penetrates the skull and brain. This is a relatively easy brain injury to identify because of the apparent external injuries. For example, in a car accident, a penetration injury could occur when your head hits something in the vehicle or a flying object penetrates the skull.

Contact Our Oakland Personal Injury Attorneys Today

If you or a loved one suffered a brain injury in a recent accident, you could be saddled with piles of medical bills and other financial difficulties. The attorneys at Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C., may be able to obtain compensation for you in a personal injury lawsuit. Contact our Oakland personal injury lawyers for a complimentary consultation at  (415) 835-6777.

How To Prevent Head Injuries In Sports

Children and adults play sports for fun, relaxation, and exercise. But sometimes that fun can turn into tragedy when someone suffers a serious head injury on the field. While there is an understood risk of injury while playing sports, the team, league, coach, or school district must ensure the correct safety procedures are followed.

If you want to avoid head injuries in sports, the tips below will help. But if someone suffers a head injury while playing a sport, the Oakland personal injury attorneys at Bracamontes & Vlasak can help.

Concussion Protocols In Place In California

Most states today have concussion protocols to protect children and teens from head injuries during athletic events. For example, in California, public, private, and charter school students must have limited full-contact practices. Young players also must be removed from the activity if there is a concussion risk.

The school also should follow ‘return to play’ rules to ensure the athlete does not go back and play too fast. For example, a child diagnosed with a concussion cannot return to the sport without getting a medical clearance.

Tips For Avoiding Concussions

First, every student-athlete should wear the appropriate safety gear and helmet when engaging in most sports, such as football and baseball. Proper safety gear should also be worn for biking, rollerblading, skateboarding, skiing, and snowboarding.

Second, headgear is the most important thing to avoid concussions and head injuries. Make sure you always wear an approved helmet during sports that require them. You also should not take excessive risks just because you have on a helmet.

Coaches should teach athletes the correct techniques and skills to avoid head injuries. For instance, in football, it is imperative not to lead with your head when tackling. Keep your head up and lead the tackle with your shoulder, not your head or face.

 When Can You Go Back In The Game After A Head Injury?

The basic answer is when the doctor says you can play again. Concussions are problematic. You could feel like usual, but your behavior, thinking, and balance could be out of whack. Only your physician can tell if you can return to the field. Your doctor should provide you with a written order that you can go back to sports after your head injury is healed. 

You should see your doctor regularly after suffering a head injury in sports. The doctor will see if you still have symptoms and when or if you recover all of your concentration and memory. They also will watch that you do not have symptoms when sprinting, jogging, or doing sit-ups and push-ups.

Call Our Oakland Personal Injury Lawyer Now

If you or a loved one suffered head injuries playing a sport, you could have a pile of unpaid medical bills and significant stress and uncertainty in your life. However, in some cases, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover damages. For example, if the school allowed your child to go back to the field too soon after a concussion, you could have a case. The Oakland personal injury attorneys at Bracamontes & Vlasak are ready to help, so contact our Bay Area attorneys today.

Child’s traumatic brain injury might have been avoided by CPR

California residents may have empathy with a child in another state who is fighting for his life in a hospital after he was hit by a car. He apparently suffered a traumatic brain injury because none of the bystanders at the accident tried to do CPR after he was struck. A spokesperson for the Red Cross says CPR is actually easy to do and can even be done without breathing into a victim’s mouth when people feel uncomfortable doing so. (more…)

Rear-end accidents often cause traumatic brain injury

It is not uncommon for many victims of car accidents in California and elsewhere to refuse medical care — especially when there is no evidence of blood or broken bones. However, the impact of a car accident can cause a brain injury that might not be immediately evident. A school teacher in another state recently described why she would never again take a seemingly minor crash lightly. (more…)

Father with brain injury advocates against underage drinking

A husband and wife couple in another state is advocating against underage drinking. The husband was a police officer until a 19-year-old decided to get behind the wheel of a car while he was drunk and smashed into the officer’s patrol car. The tragic accident occurred in October 2010. The accident killed one officer and caused traumatic brain injury to the other officer, and it forever changed the lives of several families. (more…)

After brain injury, 18-year-old has to wear medical helmet

One of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States, including in California, is traumatic brain injury. Despite calls for motorcyclists, bicycle riders and sports participants to wear helmets to protect their heads, catastrophic head injuries — and deaths — of people who prefer not to wear helmets continue to be reported. A June incident in another state left a high school graduate with a severe brain injury after he went long boarding without wearing a helmet. (more…)

Not only sports people are at risk of suffering brain injury

California readers will likely know that brain injuries are prevalent among sports people; however, anybody can be a victim of such injuries. Pro cyclist Ian Crane suffered a severe brain injury while he participated in the USA Pro Challenge in August of last year. He was riding behind a crew vehicle that was associated with the race when the car unexpectedly stopped. Ian collided with the rear of the vehicle and was sent flying into its rear window. (more…)

Understanding the severity of a brain injury can be difficult

Brain injuries can result from various causes, including blunt force trauma, whiplashes, falls and assault. Being exposed to toxic substances or deprived of oxygen can also lead to traumatic brain injury. Unfortunately, in some cases, even the most advanced medical techniques cannot reverse the damage, and some California families may spend years hoping for miracles to improve the conditions of injured loved ones. (more…)

Loss of consciousness and traumatic brain injury affects memory

The findings of a recent study show that decreased verbal memory can be the result of loss of consciousness (LOC) at the time of suffering a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Many veterans in the U.S.A. — including some in California — who served in other war-torn countries suffer various consequences. This study determined that those with mild traumatic brain injury can also be diagnosed and treated. (more…)

The consequences of a brain injury can be life-changing

Brain injuries are commonly caused by accidental head injuries, such as is often suffered in car accidents. The number of brain injuries in California and other states are rising, and according to the American Academy of Neurology, approximately 1.5 million people in the U.S. were living with a brain injury by the end of December of last year. Although many brain injuries result from sports activities, a large percentage result from vehicle accidents — including motorcycles, ATVs and bicycle accidents. (more…)

Distracted driving can cause a life-altering brain injury

The number of distracted driving accidents on California roads, along with their devastating consequences, are causing rising concern. Although it is unlawful to text or talk on a handheld mobile device while driving, many car accidents caused by texting drivers occur on a regular basis. A victim of such an accident, who suffered a traumatic brain injury and lost both her parents, recently described how the accident had changed her life. (more…)

New California law may reduce concussions and brain injury

Brain injuries occur in a number of different sports, including football, ice hockey, boxing, soccer and snowboarding. Repeated concussions pose potentially dangerous long-term effects, and more than 4,500 former professional football players took legal action against the NFL last year, claiming it failed to inform players of the dangers of repeated brain injury from head bumps and concussion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that almost four million students at high schools nationwide suffer injuries to their heads annually. (more…)

Bus crash kills one – causes severe head injuries to many others

A chartered bus crashed just south of the California Oregon border killing one person and causing severe head injuries to many others. Earlier that same day, the driver of the bus, Jose Victor Garcilazo, had crashed into a Denny’s restaurant. While no one was injured during the earlier crash, it is unknown why Mr. Garcilazo continued driving. The California Highway Patrol have not stated whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the deadly crash. (more…)

Seeking recovery after brain injury may prove to be complicated

California residents who have a loved one who is suffering the consequences of brain damage may be overwhelmed by the complexities of gathering the necessary information to pursue recovery of damages. When a brain injury is caused by the negligence of another party, the medical expenses could be astronomical, and in many cases ongoing for many years. While insurance companies may be quick in offering settlements, victims may be wise to retain the services of an experienced personal injury attorney to ensure full and fair compensation. (more…)

Study suggests marijuana may help prevent death from TBI

When people play sports, such as football and baseball, they typically wear helmets to protect them from brain injuries. However, there are some instances where California residents do not wear a helmet to protect themselves from injury. One such instance is when individuals are within an enclosed motor vehicle on a roadway. While a car offers a certain level of protection, it cannot always protect against a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. (more…)