A Definition of Brain Injury

One statutory definition of "brain injury" is: any injury to the brain regardless of age at onset, whether mechanical or infectious in origin, including brain trauma, brain damage and traumatic head injury, the results of which are expected to continue indefinitely which constitutes a substantial handicap to the individual, and which directly results in any one or more of the following.

1. Attention impairment
2. Cognition impairment
3. Language impairment
4. Memory impairment
5. Conduct disorder
6. Motor disorder
7. Any other neurological dysfunction

"Brain injury" also includes any injury to the brain that is vascular in origin and is received by a person prior to his or her attaining the age of 22 years. Brain injury does not include alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease, or the infirmities of aging.

Injury to the brain may also occur as the result of near drowning, heart attack, stroke and infections. This type of injury would usually result due to the lack of oxygen or blood supply to the brain, and, although it is traumatic, is not categorized as a "brain injury" according to the definition above. This can be referred to as an "anoxic injury."

Understanding Subtle Brain Injury

The concussions that disable, are almost always more symptomatic at 24 hours, than at the 2-4 hour time frame when injured persons are evaluated in the emergency room. Brain injury symptoms escalate over the first 24 hours, because brain injury involves a cascade of events. It is critical that if you are still symptomatic the day after your injury, go back to the same Emergency Room, don’t wait for a doctors appointment. It is critical that the Emergency Room personnel see that the symptoms still persist or have gotten worse.

Contact the Brain Injury Law Group: 1-800-992-9447

This site is brought to you by the advocates of the Brain Injury Law Group, a community of plaintiff's trial lawyers across the United States united by a common interest in serving the rights of persons with traumatic brain injuries and a common commitment to fully understanding the anatomic, medical and psychological aspects of TBI.