Maryland Attorneys Understand the Many Possible Causes of Brain Injuries

Without proper diagnosis, injured victims face increased risks

In action movies, characters are routinely knocked unconscious, usually by a blow to the head. Several moments later, these characters wake up, blink their eyes, and resume their lives, suffering no further long-term injury to anything other than their pride. Make no mistake about it, however, in the real world, when a person loses consciousness for any period of time following a blow to the head, that person has suffered a brain trauma significant enough to require immediate medical attention. This injury could cause health issues that can persist for a lifetime.

At Karp, Wigodsky, Norwind, Kudel & Gold, P.A., our knowledgeable Maryland brain injury attorneys have helped many clients recover from traumatic brain injuries, some of whom, unaware that they had been injured, failed to seek an immediate medical exam. Because of this, it is our goal to help each potential client understand how these injuries occur and why they need to be treated as quickly as possible. We fight for maximum compensation for victims of brain injuries in Maryland, Northern Virginia and throughout Washington D.C.

What are the leading causes of brain injuries?

Accident statistics indicate that each of the most common types of brain injury accidents occur with varying frequency among individual age groups.

• Falls account for about 35% of all traumatic brain injuries, including over half of all such injuries suffered by children age 14 and younger and adults age 65 and older.
• Motor vehicle accidents cause about 17% of all traumatic brain injuries—but are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury deaths.
• Being struck in the head by an object, or striking the head against a hard surface (usually referred to as “unintentional blunt trauma”) was blamed in about 16% of all traumatic brain injuries, and accounted for roughly 25% of brain injuries in children.
• Assault causes about 10% of all brain injuries; assault by firearm is included in this category. Although roughly 75% of these assaults happened to people between the ages 15 to 44, assault was the leading cause of brain injury deaths to children aged 4 and younger.

Brain injuries not caused by an external impact of force are called acquired brain injuries, and can be caused by health conditions or disease, medical malpractice including childbirth injuries, exposure to hazardous chemicals or emissions, and drowning accidents.

How is the brain injured?

The brain can be injured in several ways:

• In an open head injury, the skull is fractured and possibly penetrated. The resulting damage to the brain is caused by the debris that actually enters the brain.
• In a closed head injury, the brain can sustain a bruise or contusion at the point where the skull was struck. However, the brain can also sustain damage when the head is not actually struck, but instead jerked violently, causing brain tissue to stretch and compress within the skull, moving first in one direction before suddenly stopping and accelerating in another direction, damaging an even wider area of the brain by impacting opposing sides.
• Brain injuries not caused by an external impact are called acquired brain injuries, and are caused by an interruption or complete blockage of oxygen flowing into the brain. This can be caused by accidents such as drowning or toxic exposure, or as the result of a medical condition or disease. However, it can occur as the result of medical malpractice, such as improper administration or monitoring of anesthesia during surgery, or mishandling the delivery of a child during birth.

Because of the brain’s function at the center of the human nervous system, the results of damage to the brain can be wide-ranging and debilitating. Long-term problems ranging from paralysis to memory loss and emotional disorders may be exhibited.

Don’t hesitate—our experienced Maryland brain injury attorneys can begin helping you today

Whether you have sustained a brain injury as the result of an accident or through medical negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. To find out more about your rights, contact the law firm of Karp, Wigodsky, Norwind, Kudel & Gold, P.A. at (800) 229-7026 or contact us online and set up a free initial consultation with one of our skilled Maryland brain injury attorneys. We have five offices in the Maryland/Washington D.C. metropolitan area to serve you and speak Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, and Korean.