A simple bump on the head may have the potential for serious injury to a Colorado resident, especially if the person is over 60 years of age. A subdural hematoma is defined as the occurrence of blood pooling on the brain’s surface. The pool may continue to enlarge and begin to press on the brain which causes damage.
The dura mater is the brain’s protective membrane, and in it, there is a network of veins that connects it to the brain’s surface. As a person ages, their brain shrinks while the veins continue to hold onto both the brain and dura mater causing them to stretch. Even a forceful head jostle can cause the veins to tear and bleed. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people every year, not just football players or war veterans, sustain potentially serious brain injuries.
This was the experience of one doctor who pulled out his back after standing up in the attic and hit his head on the eaves. He began noticing symptoms, including muscle weakness and slowness, shuffling, dropping things and people telling him he seemed different. His neurologist ordered an MRI of his spine and brain and found a large, lake-like shape of pooling blood pressing on his brain. He was given emergency surgery.
If a person has sustained a traumatic brain injury due to the negligence of another, then an experienced personal injury attorney could possibly help. The attorney might be able to evaluate and assemble a civil claim on behalf of the injured person or someone who has lost a loved one. They could represent the plaintiff in a civil trial and aid them in receiving the accident compensation they may be due, such as for medical expenses, long-term care, therapy and rehabilitation.
Source: NPR, “How A Simple Bump Can Cause An Insidious Brain Injury”, Daniel Zwerdling, Jan. 7, 2016