A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as an alteration in brain function or other evidence of brain pathology caused by an external force. An acquired brain injury (ABI) is an injury to the brain which is not hereditary, congenital, degenerative or induced by birth trauma.
An acquired brain injury alters how the brain performs tasks and can be described as mild, moderate or severe. The primary causes of acquired brain injury are trauma (accidents that cause closed or open injuries), stroke (blocked artery, aneurysm), anoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain), infection (encephalitis, meningitis), tumor, and surgical procedures.
Many of our clients who have sustained severe whiplash in a car accident also sustain a concussion due to the rapid acceleration / deceleration forces. As a result, the blood vessels in their brains stretch and cranial nerves are damaged. A person may or may not experience a brief loss of consciousness due to concussion. The injured may remain conscious, but act or state that they feel “dazed” and unable to remember what happened. Most concussions happens at a microscopic scale, and may or may not show up on a diagnostic imaging tests such as CAT scans. As a result, a concussion causing ABI is sometimes defined by exclusion, and is considered a complex neuro-behavioral syndrome with many signs and symptoms including mood changes and cognitive impairment.
Our team at SLSPC has over 20 years experience managing claims for acquired brain injury due to accident or medical malpractice. Call 416-644-3999 or sspadafora@slspc.ca for a free and confidential consultation.