While severe brain injuries can be devastating at any age, our Nashville personal injury attorneys explain some of the unique challenges parents face when these injuries happen to children.
Brain injuries can occur due to any type of bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or due to a lack of oxygen, such as in non-fatal drownings. In addition to being one of the most common types of personal injuries, they are also among the most debilitating. Our Nashville personal injury attorneys explain some of the devastating impacts and how these injuries can be particularly harmful to children.
Impacts of Severe Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can occur due to disruptions in oxygen supply to the brain or as a result of any violent blow or jolt to the head. The Mayo Clinic advises that this can cause disruptions in neurotransmitters in the brain, resulting in potentially permanent, long-term disabilities. Common impacts that may occur as a result include:
- Physical impairments, such as difficulty walking, maintaining balance, or coordinating movements.
- Cognitive impairments, such as loss of memory, difficulty communicating or understanding what is being said, and general disruptions in thought processes.
- Emotional impairments, including increased anxiety, depression, and problems maintaining emotional equilibrium, such as flying into fits of rage.
These can have major impacts on the lives of victims, regardless of their age. For adults, brain injuries may mean loss of employment, the need for ongoing medical care and rehabilitation, and increased burdens on family members. For children, it could cause them to do poorly in school, be unable to get a job, and be dependent on their parents for the rest of their lives.
How Brain Injuries Differ in Children
In children, the brain continues developing throughout their formative years. For this reason, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) warns that brain injuries they suffer often differ from those experienced as adults. While immediate symptoms are not always as obvious, long-term impacts have the potential to be more severe:
- Rather than a one-time event, as it is with older victims, brain injuries in children are considered a chronic condition. New symptoms and levels of impairment may become more obvious the older they get.
- As certain brain functions are not yet formed, there is less chance of being able to recover them.
- The younger a victim is, the greater the odds of additional bumps or blows to the head. Once a brain injury happens, additional injuries have the potential to be more severe and potentially life-threatening.
In addition, adult brain injury victims may have long-term disability insurance and other benefits in place that can help offset the financial losses they suffer. Children do not and may never have these benefits.
Contact Our Nashville Personal Injury Attorneys Today
BednarzLaw helps injured brain injury victims and their families get the compensation they need to cover future costs and expenses. To discuss your rights in filing a claim, call (615) 256-0100 or contact our Nashville personal injury attorneys online today and request a consultation.