According to the NHS, around 700,000 people go to a hospital A&E department every year with a head injury. Whilst most of these cases will be classed as minor, about 10% of them are either moderate or severe head injuries, including brain injuries. There are many different types of brain injuries, ranging from mild concussion to very serious medical traumas.
Brain injuries can be the result of many different causes including road accidents, workplace incidents and accidents at home or in a public place or through a violent attack or assault. Some brain injuries are also, unfortunately, caused by medical error.
Brain injury symptoms and complications
There are a wide range of brain injury symptoms depending on the seriousness of the injury. A brain injury can present itself as a fit or seizure, speech difficulty or sleepiness. Brain injury sufferers can also experience double vision or blurriness and hearing problems.
Severe brain injuries can lead to very serious complications including a bleed to the brain, blood clots and fluid build-up putting pressure on the brain. Temporary or permanent brain damage can sometimes occur and brain injuries can also cause physical, cognitive and behavioural and emotional problems. Extreme complications can include an infection risk after a skull fracture, a temporary or long-term coma or in very rare cases, a vegetative state. Trauma to the brain can be life changing and no matter how it was caused, some sufferers will need serious emotional, medical and financial support. If the accident is thought to have been somebody else’s fault, sufferers can consider claiming for an acquired brain injury to try to lessen the impact on their lives.
Claiming compensation to cover costs and ease pain
Brain injury claims can play a huge role in easing the pain and suffering victims often go through. Claims can cover any money victims have lost through legal bills, private medical costs and loss of earnings. The claim can also help to pay for private treatment and rehabilitation costs to ensure that excellent care is available as soon as possible after the injury. Recovery can be a long haul, so compensation can help.
Reducing the risk of brain injuries
Brain and head injuries are not easy to predict and prevent. However, care can be taken to reduce the risk. According to the NHS, head injuries are more common in men and children and the most common causes are road traffic accidents and falls. With this in mind, it is worth considering some measures that can be taken to reduce the risk, such as wearing safety helmets for cycling, reducing hazards that may increase the risk of falls and childproofing the home environment. Care should also be taken by using the correct safety equipment at work, when playing sport and doing DIY.
