The symptoms of concussions or mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI’s) more often fall into the difficult area of subtle but life-altering mental impairment. TBI’s are caused by a bump or blow to the head that disrupts the way the brain normally works, or an accident stemming from medical procedures and or medications.
TBI could have a harsh effect upon quality of life, involving the inability to work, the inability to interact socially as well as in the family, and a loss of regular body skills. Severe brain damage might mean a patient needs to spend a lifetime dependent upon nursing care.
Brain injuries can happen every day, in multiple scenarios. The most common causes of brain injuries in Florida are:
Slip & Fall Accidents:
Slip and falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries for children and older adults. Among all age groups, motor vehicle crashes and traffic-related incidents result in the largest percentage of TBI-related deaths (31.8%). People aged 65 years old and older have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and death.
Prenatal Care Inadequacy:
An obstetrician is required to provide responsible care to the mother to ensure safe health for the baby and the mother. A lack of appropriate tests, bad decisions during delivery, and an overall under the standard of care, can end with brain damage. It can cause numerous birth defects, mental retardation, and other injuries.
Medication Mistakes:
Medications can help heal a patient, but if given the wrong one, or given the wrong dosage, it can have disastrous effects to the human body, especially the brain. The physician prescribing the medication needs to be aware of the patient’s medical history or any allergies.
Misdiagnosis:
There has been many cases of sports players such as, hockey and American football, where they have suffered a concussion and the doctors failed to recognize long-term effects of repeated head trauma. If a doctor fails to see a potential risk, it can cause grave brain injuries in the long-run.
Complications during surgery:
Performing an operation on the brain is a very delicate surgery. Any mistakes done while performing on a brain can end with infections, or other complications that can leave permanent damage to the brain.
Improper administering of anesthesia:
Giving too much, too little, injecting in the wrong vein, or muscle can result in many injuries.
Giving extreme sedation can lead to brain injuries and even death. It is the duty of the anesthesiologist to find out about the patients’ medical records, or any medication that the patient is currently using that can affect the anesthesia’s effect.
What Should You Do?
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, we know you have a lot of questions and you need answers. Our Florida brain injury attorneys are here to assist you and get you the information you need. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with our experienced attorneys.
