Common Traumatic Brain Injuries Causes

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is more common than most people realize. The current number of people living with disabilities from TBI exceeds 5.3 million. Some suffer mild complications, such as difficulty with concentration. Others are unable to function independently and require full-time care.

Life changes in an instant after a traumatic brain injury. At the Brain Injury Law Center, we understand that you're likely going through a tough time, and we're here to help you understand what happened and what steps you can take next. Many of our clients tell us they feel lost and overwhelmed, but you don't have to face this alone. We're here to listen, answer your questions, and guide you through the legal process.

At our firm, brain injuries aren’t just one of the cases we take; they’re the only cases we take. For nearly 50 years, our team has focused solely on helping brain injury survivors and their families. Reach out today online or by calling (757) 244-7000 for a free conversation with a team that truly understands what you're going through and knows how to help.

“When the doctors explained that I had some slight but significant brain damage, my wife called the Brain Injury Law Center. Not only did Stephen Smith pick up the phone, but the number we called went directly to his cell phone. From that moment on, we knew we had called the right guy. His professionalism and order-of-procedure ended up making a difference in court and ultimately making a difference in my quality of life moving forward. Stephen and the Brain Injury Law Center were the only lawyers educated and sophisticated enough to try my case. I have no idea where I’d be today without them.”

- Tommy B. | Client

Many people assume these brain injuries happen only when a person suffers a direct blow to the head and loses consciousness. This misunderstanding may stem from the fact that most brain injuries result from events that often involve damage caused by blunt force to the head.

However, even when no direct blow strikes the head, a car accident or other sudden deceleration can jar the brain. An injury may occur even without loss of consciousness. The soft tissue of the brain suffers damage anytime it contacts the inner wall of the skull, whether that is from external impact or sudden deceleration.

Every year, an estimated 2.8 million people in the U.S. suffer a new brain injury, according to the Brain Injury Association of America. These injuries can happen in many ways, often during everyday activities that no one expects to turn dangerous. 

Some of the most common causes of a TBI are:

• Falls: The leading cause of TBI, especially among children and older adults. This includes falls at home, on stairs, at work, or in public spaces. Almost 50% of TBI-related hospital stays result from falls.
• Motor vehicle crashes: Motor vehicle accidents are the third leading cause of traumatic brain injuries and can involve cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, or pedestrians.
• Firearm-Related Suicides: In the United States, firearm-related suicides account for more TBI-related deaths than any other cause.
• Physical Assaults: This includes physical fights, gunshot wounds, and cases of child abuse such as Shaken Baby Syndrome. However, the true number is likely much higher. Research shows that over 75% of domestic violence survivors suffer single or repeated traumatic brain injuries, most of which go unreported.
  Brain injuries caused by acts of violence, such as being hit, shaken, or otherwise harmed by another person.
• Sports-Related Injuries: Among children ages 17 and younger, contact sports like football, basketball, and soccer account for about 45% of emergency department visits related to sports- and recreation-related TBIs and concussions.

Even when a traumatic brain injury seems mild at first, it can lead to serious and lasting damage. One of the biggest dangers is that the symptoms may not be obvious right away, which can lead people to return to high-risk activities too soon. A second injury, even a small one, can cause permanent damage or even be fatal.

A traumatic brain injury can happen even if your head never strikes another object. Many people assume that a brain injury requires a visible blow to the head, but that is not how every TBI occurs.

Your brain is suspended inside your skull by cerebrospinal fluid, which cushions it during normal movement. However, that protection has limits. When your body experiences a sudden stop, violent jolt, or rapid change in direction, such as during a rear-end collision, a fall, a sports collision, or another high-force event, the brain can move and twist inside the skull. 

Those acceleration, deceleration, and rotational forces can stretch and damage brain cells, disrupting normal brain function even without direct head impact.

Not all brain injuries are the same. The type of trauma someone experiences often depends on what causes a traumatic brain injury in the first place. Some brain injuries involve a direct hit to the head, while others result from a sudden stop, lack of oxygen, or even infections.

In general, brain injuries fall into two main categories: penetrating and non-penetrating.

Penetrating brain injuries, sometimes called “open head injuries,” happen when an object breaks through the skull and damages brain tissue. This might be caused by a bullet, a sharp object, or a piece of bone. These injuries usually affect a specific area of the brain.

Non-penetrating brain injuries, also known as “closed head injuries” or blunt trauma, occur when a force causes the brain to move inside the skull without breaking it. This kind of injury can happen in various ways, specifically in many of the situations listed in the previous section.

Each type of incident is likely to result in a different type of brain injury. Patients may suffer from open head injuries, deceleration trauma, hypoxia or anoxia (oxygen loss), tumors, infections, or stroke.

Open Head Injuries‍

An open head injury happens when a portion of the skull is penetrated. In some cases, a closed head injury will be treated by purposefully removing a portion of the skull to make room for swelling. 

If the brain swells within the skull cavity and has no room to expand, serious permanent damage, even death, can result. Only a direct impact can fracture the strong bones of the skull. All other types of head injuries are called “closed head injuries.”

Deceleration Trauma‍

Deceleration can often cause brain injury without any direct impact to the skull. When the soft tissue of the brain is forced against the hard inner surface of the skull, broad sections of the brain experience injury. In most instances, the brain collides several times with the skull surface, caught in the motion of the protective fluids that surround it. 

Brain tissues become alternately stretched and compressed. In some cases, nerve connections can be stretched so far that they break, a condition known as axonal shearing. When this shearing happens to many areas of the brain, the effects can be deadly.

Hypoxia and Anoxia‍

Hypoxia refers to a lack of oxygen. In the brain, hypoxia prevents cells from getting the oxygen they need, leading to brain damage. Any event that reduces blood flow or the level of oxygen in the blood can cause permanent brain injury. 

Anoxia is the term used when there is a total lack of oxygen to brain cells. Depending on a patient’s age and medical condition, anoxia can kill within seconds or minutes. Infants can suffer severe brain damage if they lose oxygen for even a few seconds. Anoxia can come from: 

• Childbirth complications
• Chemical exposure
• Drug overdose
• External injuries

The human body can bounce back from a lot. Bones heal, muscles rebuild, and even after illness or injury, we often find ways to adapt. But when the brain, the very center of thought, movement, memory, and personality, is injured, the impact can change everything.

No matter how the injury happens, a traumatic brain injury is never something to take lightly. Call (757) 244-7000 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation.

Tumors, infections, and strokes are natural causes of brain damage. However, these causes sometimes come from human sources, including defective drugs, environmental pollution, and medical malpractice.

Tumors‍

Cancerous tumors can grow in the brain, invading the space occupied by healthy cells and cutting off their blood supply. Some drugs or types of pollution can cause brain tumors or brain cancers. A doctor may accidentally damage the brain if they make a mistake when treating a brain tumor.

Infections‍

Infections in the brain and surrounding membranes can be deadly. Although some naturally occurring diseases lead to infections like meningitis, they can also come from inadequate sterilization during surgical procedures.

Stroke‍

Any time that blood stops flowing in the brain, a stroke occurs. The most common culprit is a blood clot, but other causes exist as well. Cells die in areas that lack blood. Strokes are often accompanied by bleeding in the brain when a tear in an artery or vein occurs. 

Strokes may also happen as a result of certain medications or when a healthcare provider fails to recognize warning signs or diagnose a condition early enough.

"The Brain Injury Law Center is the only law firm in the United States dedicated exclusively to representing brain injury victims, survivors, and their families. I have dedicated both my personal and professional life to helping brain injury survivors and their families and other victims of catastrophic events."

- Attorney Stephen M. Smith | Founder of the Brain Injury Law Center

A traumatic brain injury can happen to anyone, but some people face a much higher risk than others. 

Groups at the greatest risk include:

• Older adults, especially those age 75 and older. This age group has the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths, accounting for approximately 32% of TBI-related hospitalizations and 28% of TBI-related deaths, largely because falls become more common and more dangerous with age.
• Men. Males are nearly twice as likely to be hospitalized for a traumatic brain injury and approximately three times more likely to die from one than females.
• Children under age 5 remain especially vulnerable to brain injuries caused by falls, motor vehicle crashes, and abuse.
• Teenagers and young adults. Motor vehicle collisions, contact sports, and recreational activities continue to be leading causes of TBI in this age group.
• People working in high-risk occupations, including construction, transportation, manufacturing, agriculture, and other physically demanding jobs where falls or being struck by objects are more likely.
• Military service members, veterans, and first responders, who may experience TBIs from blasts, training exercises, vehicle crashes, or other high-impact events.
• Survivors of intimate partner violence, who may suffer repeated blows to the head or violent shaking that can result in undiagnosed traumatic brain injuries.
• According to the CDC, American Indian and Alaska Native children and adults experience higher rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths than other racial and ethnic groups

Recent CDC data also highlights the scope of these injuries nationwide:

• In 2023, 68,663 people died from TBI-related injuries, which is an average of more than 190 deaths every day.
• More than 586 people are hospitalized each day because of a traumatic brain injury.
• These numbers do not include the many concussions and other TBIs treated in emergency departments, urgent care centers, primary care offices, or injuries that are never diagnosed.

Understanding who is most at risk helps raise awareness, but the reality is that a traumatic brain injury can affect anyone. If you or someone you love suffered a TBI because of a car crash, fall, workplace accident, or another preventable event, the Brain Injury Law Center is here to help. 

For nearly 50 years, our firm has focused exclusively on representing brain injury survivors and their families. Call us today at (757) 244-7000 or contact us online for a free consultation to learn about your legal options.

Not every traumatic brain injury can be prevented. Many happen because another person failed to act responsibly, such as a distracted driver causing a crash, a property owner ignoring dangerous conditions, or an employer failing to maintain a safe workplace. However, there are practical steps that may help reduce the risk of a serious brain injury in everyday life:

• Wear your seatbelt every time you travel in a vehicle, and make sure children are properly secured in age-appropriate car seats or booster seats.
• Use a properly fitted helmet when riding a bicycle, motorcycle, ATV, e-scooter, or skateboard, and when participating in sports where head injuries are a known risk.
• Help reduce fall hazards by keeping walkways clear, securing loose rugs, installing handrails where needed, and using non-slip mats in bathrooms and other slippery areas.
• Older adults can lower their fall risk by staying physically active, having their vision checked regularly, reviewing medications with their healthcare provider, and using mobility aids when recommended.
• Employers should provide appropriate safety equipment, training, and fall protection in workplaces where head injuries are a known hazard.
• Athletes should follow concussion protocols and never return to play until they have been evaluated and medically cleared after a suspected head injury.

Someone may be legally responsible for a traumatic brain injury when their careless, reckless, or unsafe actions cause an accident that harms another person. In legal terms, this is known as negligence.

However, not every injury automatically creates legal responsibility. To hold another person or business accountable, certain elements of negligence must be proven:

1. Duty of Care: The person or company had a responsibility to act in a reasonably safe manner. For example, drivers must follow traffic laws and pay attention to the road. Property owners must address known hazards, such as broken stairs, poor lighting, or slippery floors. 
2. Breach of Duty: The responsible party failed to meet that obligation. This could include a driver texting behind the wheel, a store failing to clean up a spill, a property owner ignoring a dangerous condition, or an employer allowing unsafe work practices to continue.
3. Causation: The unsafe action or failure to act must have directly caused the accident that led to the brain injury. For example, a driver who causes a collision that forces your head to violently move back and forth may be responsible for the resulting TBI.
4. Damages: The injury must result in real losses, such as medical treatment, rehabilitation costs, lost income, changes in your ability to work, or difficulties with memory, concentration, mood, or daily activities.

A traumatic brain injury can create challenges that completely change your way of life. When another person’s negligence causes a TBI, financial recovery may be available to help address both the immediate costs and the long-term impact of the injury. Depending on the circumstances of your case, this may include:

• Past and Future Medical Care: This accounts for hospital stays, neurological evaluations, follow-up appointments, medications, diagnostic testing, surgeries, and future medical care needed to manage ongoing symptoms or complications.
• Rehabilitation and Cognitive Therapy: Many brain injury survivors need months or years of rehabilitation. This may include physical therapy to address balance and movement problems, occupational therapy to relearn daily skills, speech-language therapy for communication challenges, and cognitive therapy to improve memory, focus, and problem-solving abilities.
• Lost Income and Reduced Future Earning Ability: Recovery may account for wages lost during treatment as well as the long-term impact of reduced earning potential when a TBI changes someone's professional future.
• Long-Term Care and Daily Assistance: Some people with moderate or severe TBIs need ongoing help with everyday activities, including transportation, medication management, household tasks, or personal care. Financial recovery may include costs for in-home assistance, specialized equipment, home modifications, or other services needed to maintain independence.
• Pain, Emotional Changes, and Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Survivors may experience headaches, fatigue, mood changes, anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, or personality changes.

Factors that may affect how much you are able to recover include: 

• The type and severity of the TBI
• The symptoms and limitations caused by the injury
• The cost of ongoing care
• The impact on work and independence

Understanding what causes a TBI is important, but understanding what comes next could decide your future. 

A TBI attorney can help by:

• Investigating the causes of traumatic brain injury. Your legal team can collect evidence such as medical records, witness statements, surveillance footage, vehicle data, and expert analysis to show how another person's actions led to your injury.
• Building proof of an invisible injury. Unlike a broken bone, a brain injury may not be visible on the outside. A lawyer can work with medical professionals to document symptoms that may not appear on standard imaging.
• Identifying the full impact of your TBI. The effects of a brain injury may continue for years, and we ensure you are fully compensated.
• Handling insurance companies and legal deadlines. Insurance adjusters may question the severity of a TBI, argue that symptoms are unrelated, or push for a quick settlement before the full impact of the injury is known. Your lawyer will fight these unfair tactics.
• Preparing your case for settlement or trial. Many TBI claims are resolved through negotiation, but a strong case requires preparation from the beginning. Your attorney can build a strong case designed to show the true consequences of your injury if the case needs to go before a judge or jury.