Understanding and Diagnosing Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
By Lou Cutrone
Traumatic brain injury, also know as TBI, can be as devastating as it is hard to diagnose. Every year, traumatic brain injuries result in serious and permanent disability to a great many personal injury accident victims. A TBI results from trauma as opposed to a disease process, such as a tumor. It can be caused by a blow or jolt to the head or a penetration that interferes with the normal functioning of the brain. The severity of this injury ranges from mild, such as a short change in mental orientation to severe, marked by a prolonged or indefinite period of memory loss, confusion, disorientation, mood swings and agitation, lethargy, diminished eye-hand coordination, loss of appetite and libido and even unconsciousness. TBIs are often misdiagnosed as a concussion. This is because a TBI diagnosis is difficult to make. More often than not, a TBI will not show up on an x-ray or even a CT scan. CT scans are better at revealing brain bleeds and tumors. But a TBI often has different characteristics. For many TBI victims, there is a tearing of brain tissue that disrupts the neural pathways that form the basis of our memory and cognition. These tears often do not appear on CT scans and x-rays. Even an MRI may not show this tissue damage. Nevertheless, the damage is there and the best indicator of a TBI is often the patient’s clinical picture, that is, his or her before and after accident cognitive functioning.
A good metaphor for explaining a TBI is looking at what happens when you cut through a gelatinous substance such as Jell-O. If you put a thin cut in a cube of Jell-O with a sharp blade and release it, with a little coaxing the Jell-O will reform to its original shape and the slice you made is difficult if not impossible to see. Try to pick up or move the Jell-O and the slice you made becomes quite obvious as the Jell-O is no longer whole and falls apart. In essence, the Jell-O is cut in half. If there were neural pathways running through this Jell-O, they too would be severed.
If you think of the human brain as having a consistency similar to Jell-O, you can understand how the same effect might apply. During a violent, traumatic injury, the brain is pushed forward and backward and/or from side to side. With this violent motion, the brain can be torn, very similar to the Jell-O example above. The brain can also be damaged by the absorption of energy during a violent accident. For example, if you strike a mirror with a hammer, it will shatter in many directions from the original point of impact. If you drop an ice cube on the floor, tiny cracks will appear throughout the cube. Energy from a traumatic injury is likewise transferred to the brain causing “cracks” or tears. When this happens, the neural pathways that establish our memory and cognitive functioning are severed. All of this happens on a microscopic level and that’s why traditional medical imaging such as CT Scans and MRIs are not necessarily the best way to detect or otherwise diagnose a TBI.
Another type of imaging test known as a PET scan may be better suited to diagnosing a TBI. A PET scan measures cognitive functioning and can therefore help to determine if cognitive functioning has been compromised following a traumatic injury to the head. A PET scan along with pre and post accident anecdotal clinical evidence is generally a good start toward diagnosing or ruling out a TBI.
TBI victims are a very special category of personal injury clients. Their needs for future long term medical and ancillary care are often very pervasive. A life care plan is a good way to establish just what these needs are and how much they will cost over the client’s lifetime.
Southern California Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers
The team of southern California traumatic brain injury lawyers at Cutrone & Associates knows that such trauma can be sustained as result of many different types of accidents. Car accidents frequently produce traumatic brain injury, be it from the head striking some portion of the vehicle or as a result of a whiplash injury in which the front and back of the brain is bruised when the head is violently thrown back and forth. Slip or trip and fall accidents involving head and neck trauma are another common cause of injury to the brain. In some instances, exposure to toxic chemicals or other hazardous materials cause injury to the brain over time. Finally, if the brain is deprived of oxygen, as can happen to a baby during a complicated delivery, serious traumatic brain injury can result.
Traumatic brain injuries make for complex and often costly legal cases. Expert medical testimony is almost always required in court and this is not only expensive, but finding the right expert who can intelligently articulate the medical issues to a jury is often hard to find. The Los Angeles traumatic brain injury lawyers at Cutrone & Associates have handled numerous brain injury cases, from mild to severe, and are skilled at advocating for the rights of their TBI clients. They have the resources necessary to handle your California traumatic brain injury case, and routinely work with a group of top medical experts in the fields of neurology, psychology, physiatry, occupational and physical therapy, speech therapy and life care planning to ensure the best possible outcome of such cases.
If you or a loved one has sustained a traumatic brain injury as a result of an accident, the lawyers at Cutrone & Associates would be honored to join your support team. Let these skilled and caring professionals help ensure that you and your family get the compensation you require to see you through the difficult weeks, months and years that lie ahead. Please know that our sincere thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as you navigate these difficult decisions and obstacles.
Put our expertise in this unique area of injury law to work for you or your loved one. We are a professional, experienced and committed legal team and we genuinely care. We are standing by to help you and your family, please call us today.
