In 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported to Congress that over 1.5 million Americans suffer from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year. 15 years later, the numbers have remained just as harrowing: The CDC reported again in 2014 that there are still over 2.87 million TBI-related emergency department visits each year, and over 830,000 of them occur among children.
Because there are so many different types of brain injuries, however, it can be difficult for victims to get the information and care they truly need after an accident. Whether you’ve suffered from toxic chemical exposure or a blow to the head, there’s a lot of medical jargon around brain injuries – and without the right resources, you may not be able to pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible for your brain injury.
In this blog post, we’ll review the primary differences between an acquired and traumatic brain injury.
ABI vs. TBI: Classifying Common Brain Injuries
Excluding hereditary brain injuries and congenital defects, almost all injuries to the brain will be classified as an “acquired brain injury” or ABI, meaning that the injury has occurred after the person was born. From there, acquired brain injuries can be divided into two primary categories: Traumatic and non-traumatic.
As the name implies, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused when the brain suffers some kind of external trauma, usually by a blow to the head. These can be even further divided between “closed” and “open” TBIs, depending on whether the skull is penetrated by an object. Non-traumatic brain injuries, by contrast, are typically caused by an “internal insult,” which causes a dangerous reduction in blood flow to the brain (also known as brain ischemia).
Non-traumatic brain injuries are typically caused by:
- Stroke or aneurysm
- Poisoning/toxic chemical exposure
- Brain hemorrhage
- Choking, drowning, or suffocating
- Viruses and diseases
- Brain tumors
Traumatic brain injuries can occur after the following accidents:
- Struck in the head by an object
- Car accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Sports
- Surgical errors
- Violent assaults
- Explosion blasts
- Gunshots
How Do I Seek Compensation for an ABI Claim?
Due to their violent nature, traumatic brain injuries (TBI) tend to be more obvious to the outside world. However, all acquired brain injuries can cause permanent, irrevocable damage to your brain and require ongoing medical treatment – and non-traumatic brain injuries can be caused by someone else’s negligence, too. For example, if you were exposed to dangerous chemicals and suffered a non-traumatic brain injury, you could potentially file a lawsuit against the parties who failed to warn you.
At Lessem, Newstat & Tooson, LLP, our brain injury attorneys are ready to help you seek compensation on an ABI claim. No matter what type of brain injury you’ve sustained, we have the experience and the skill to help you pinpoint the responsible party and show the toll your injuries have taken. By investigating your claim fully and applying the right injury terms, we’ll help you seek the financial recovery you’ll need to cover a brain injury.
For more information, call us at (800) 462-7160 today.
