A blow or object penetration to your head could prompt your brain to jostle around inside your skull cavity, thus causing a traumatic brain injury or TBI for short. A mild TBI could have symptoms like headaches that dissipate after a few days. However, severe brain injuries can have major life-long complications or even result in death. These are five of the more common ways that you could sustain a traumatic brain injury:
- Slips, Trips and Falls
Young children or older adults frequently suffer TBIs from falls down playground equipment, stairs or in the bathroom. It is also common to have a head injury after slipping on a wet floor or tripping in a cluttered passageway in a public establishment. A personal injury law firm Hillsborough County might deal with many events such as these.
- Full-Contact and Other Sports Injuries
Adults and children who play contact or extreme sports like football, hockey or snowboarding are often at a higher risk for head injuries and TBIs. Impact-rated helmets and coaches trained to diagnose a potential brain injury can help people who want to enjoy these activities stay safe and injury-free.
- Automobile, Motorcycle and Bicycle Collisions
Vehicle accidents are considered a frequent cause of TBIs. Even an airbag can’t always prevent head trauma if it is struck hard enough. Riders who prefer motorcycles, bicycles and scooters may be more likely to sustain severe head injuries in a crash because there is less framework to protect them.
- Physical Violence
Nearly any type of physical violence can directly involve a head injury. It could also result in a fall or stumble and a head strike against the ground or wall. Shaken infants are frequent victims of brain injuries, often because blood vessels are less developed and more susceptible to breaking.
- Police Action, Combat and Explosions
Police and other first responders to violent situations can be at risk for a penetrating gunshot wound to the head or an assault that results in a TBI. Military personnel in active combat zones may have an even higher likelihood of sustaining head trauma. Similarly, being close to an explosion often causes brain injuries, even though the exact way it happens isn’t clear.
If you or a loved one has been involved in any of these incidents and you believe there is a chance of a head injury, it is critical to seek medical attention immediately. Sometimes the symptoms don’t show up right away, but time is crucial when it comes to saving brain function.
