Traumatic Brain Injury Information from our Pennsylvania Brain Injury Attorneys
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by an outside force, such as a direct blow to the head or excessive shaking, that causes the brain to move within the skull or breaks the skull and damages the brain. This type of injury often results from a car accident, but may also be caused by sports injuries, physical violence, or other types of accidents. Because the brain has already suffered injury, medical professionals need to take extreme care when treating traumatic brain injury patients to ensure that no further damage to the brain is caused.
When further brain damage does occur as a result of negligent treatment of a TBI, our Pennsylvania-based brain injury attorneys can help you file a claim. The lawyers at Goldberg, Persky & White can review your case and advise you on the appropriate course of legal action.
Signs and Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury
Medical professionals often look for the following symptoms to determine if a TBI has occurred:
- Impaired coordination
- Cognitive difficulty
- Blurry or double vision
- Dilated pupils
- Vomiting
- Respiratory trouble
- Slowed pulse
- Loss of motor ability
- Loss of consciousness or coma
The long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries can include impairment of physical, psychological, and cognitive skills, making everyday tasks difficult. The effects of a traumatic brain injury can be devastating on their own, however, they can be made worse if you receive inadequate care following TBI.
Medical Malpractice in the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injuries
There are many ways in which medical professionals can make a traumatic brain injury worse, starting with failure to diagnose or misdiagnosis of your condition. Additionally, TBI can be aggravated by negligent care administered during treatment.
Wrongful Diagnosis
Doctors must consider many factors in determining correct treatment for a traumatic brain injury, including the severity and progression of symptoms, the location of any bleeding, and any injury to other parts of the body. If he or she misdiagnoses the severity of a head injury, you may sustain further injury by missing out on critical care. Even worse, medical professionals may miss signs that you have sustained a head injury at all and the injury could go untreated.
Negligent Care
Once a traumatic brain injury is diagnosed, it is important that symptoms be kept under observation to ensure that the brain is protected from further damage. Bleeding within the brain and increased pressure within the skull can cause permanent brain damage if not treated in a timely manner.
Some patients may not be able to breathe properly on their own and a breathing tube may be necessary to ensure that the brain receives adequate oxygen to prevent further injury. Some brain injuries cause seizures and medication may be necessary to prevent seizures from occurring in the future. If an object penetrates the brain or the skull is cracked during the injury, surgery may be required to remove any foreign material or to stop bleeding.
Failure to adequately monitor symptoms and missing the warning signs that treatment is needed may result in further, permanent brain damage or death.
Our Injury Lawyers Can Help
Our injury lawyers know that traumatic brain injuries can be devastating and life-changing for both victims and their families. When these injuries are worsened by misdiagnosis or negligent treatment, the long-term results can become even more devastating. Our Pennsylvania-based brain injury attorneys and medical malpractice lawyers are dedicated to protecting the financial and emotional stability of our clients and pursuing justice for victims of medical malpractice.
Our injury attorneys have the knowledge, experience, and resources to thoroughly investigate the details of your case and determine who was at fault for the mistreatment that worsened your brain injury or the brain injury of a loved one. We often work out of our main office, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, however, our brain injury attorneys also have offices in Michigan and West Virginia, and have worked extensively with clients from Ohio, New York, and all over the country.
Contact Our Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Office to Consult Our Brain Injury Lawyers
If you believe that you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice following the treatment of a traumatic brain injury, contact our Pennsylvania office. Our brain injury lawyers and medical malpractice attorneys will speak with you about the treatment of your injuries and review your case to determine if you have been the victim of medical negligence.