Jones Injury Attorneys | March 9, 2026 | Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injuries occur when objects or forces damage brain tissue, resulting in physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms. Brain injuries vary in severity depending on the type of injury involved. Different accidents can also cause different types of traumatic brain injuries. Moreover, different accidents will tend to produce different types of traumatic brain injuries.
Brain injuries generally fall into the following five types:
1. Blunt Force Injuries
The brain is surrounded by membranes called meninges and cushioned by cerebrospinal fluid. Blunt force to the head can overcome the protection of these structures, causing the brain to shift. For example, a blunt force injury can occur when a victim hits their head during a slip and fall accident.
A powerful blow can cause the brain to strike the inside of the skull, resulting in a cerebral contusion, subdural hematoma, or another serious injury.
A cerebral contusion is a bruise on the brain’s surface. A subdural hematoma occurs when a blood vessel inside the brain tears. As blood fills the skull, the pressure restricts blood flow to the brain. Both of these injuries often produce permanent brain damage, coma, or death.
2. Penetrating Injuries
A foreign object can pierce the skull and enter the brain. The object can tear brain tissue, damage nerve pathways, and cause bleeding.
Objects can also carry bacteria and other pathogens into the brain. An infection can further destroy the brain cells. An unchecked infection can even lead to sepsis and death.
3. Pressure Injuries
A sudden force or movement affecting the brain can cause a mild traumatic brain injury called a concussion. Concussions can occur when a pressure wave from an explosion compresses the brain.
However, a more common cause of concussions is rapid acceleration or deceleration. When the head moves, the brain’s motion lags slightly because of the fluid and membranes surrounding it.
Concussions from Whiplash
When the head snaps back and forth quickly, the brain can move inside the skull and become injured. For example, during a car accident, the head may whip forward and backward, creating pressure on the brain that damages brain cells.
A concussion can cause symptoms such as:
- Headache
- Dizziness, nausea, or vomiting
- Blurry vision and a ringing in the ears
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Amnesia
- Unconsciousness
Concussions are almost always survivable. However, these symptoms could last anywhere from several days to a few months.
4. Shear Injuries
Shear forces result from a tearing motion inside the brain. For example, a violent whipping movement can stretch and tear brain tissue. For example, a violent whipping movement can tear apart the brain tissues.
Neurons have long fibers called axons. A diffuse axonal injury (DAI) occurs when shear forces tear apart the axons, causing permanent damage throughout the brain. A coma is a common outcome of a DAI.
5. Anoxic/Hypoxic Injuries
The brain demands an enormous amount of the body’s resources for its size. Although the brain makes up only a small portion of the body’s weight, it uses about 20% of the body’s oxygen.
An anoxic injury happens when the brain receives no oxygen. For example, drowning will cause an anoxic brain injury. A hypoxic injury occurs when the brain receives insufficient oxygen. An anesthesia error resulting from medical malpractice may cause a hypoxic injury.
The severity of the injury depends on the time of oxygen deprivation. Permanent brain damage occurs within a few minutes of losing oxygen. Death occurs a few minutes later.
Contact the Albuquerque Brain Injury Lawyers at Jones Injury Attorneys for Help Today
The type of brain injury determines an injury’s symptoms and prognosis. This outcome, in turn, determines the impact of the injury on the victim’s health, quality of life, and finances. Getting prompt medical treatment for any brain injury is critical.
The Albuquerque brain injury attorneys at Jones Injury Attorneys understand how devastating a traumatic brain injury can be for victims and their families. Our team can help you pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses caused by the accident. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your legal rights.
We proudly take cases in all of New Mexico.
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