Different types of traumatic brain injuries require different kinds of care:
Concussions are injuries that occur when the brain is damaged but the skull is not, as in whiplash car accident injuries when the brain is shaken inside the head.
Skull fractures involve a break in the cranial bone, which can happen during slip and fall accidents when a person’s head hits the ground after falling.
Penetrating injuries happen when the skull is pieced by an object that also damages the underlying brain, as can occur during a violent assault.
Contusions consist of bruising or bleeding of the brain tissue, and are often associated with a direct impact to the head.
Diffuse axonal injuries occur when brain structures tear by rotational force, and are most common in car accidents due to the high speeds and momentum involved.
Data evaluated by Harvard Medical School shows that clinical decisions made in the first few weeks after a traumatic brain injury have a long-lasting effect on a patient’s recovery prospects. A delay in treatment, as can happen with arrest and jail injuries while a person is in police custody, could mean the difference between recovering to enjoy an independent life or requiring at-home or residential care.