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Post-Traumatic Headaches after Brain Injury

Prevalence The overall incidence of TBI in the United States is a shocking 1.8 million cases per year, of which 30 to 90 percent, per retrospective studies, will have a post-traumatic headache (PTHA) component.  Fully 2 percent of the entire U.S. population is disabled secondary to headaches.  In addition, nearly 45 percent of head and neck injuries are accompanied by chronic headaches at six months, and at 1 year, headache pain is present in 20 percent of such individuals and is considered chronic.  It is no wonder PTHA is considered the most universally shared symptom of traumatic brain injury.  A

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Damage to the Blood-Brain Barrier

What is the blood-brain barrier? Ever wondered why when you get sick, bacteria and viruses don’t invade your brain? They can certainly find their way to other organs and different parts of your body, but why not the brain? The answer is the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is an extra layer of cellular insulation surrounding the capillaries in your brain. How important is this extra layer of blood vessel protection? In a word, “vital!” How extensive is the brain’s capillary network? Well, it’s estimated that nearly every brain neuron has its own capillary and the total combined length of

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Depression after Brain Injury

Cause and Frequency The exact cause of depression following traumatic brain injury is unknown, as it is generally, with many factors involved. What is known, however, is that depression correlates significantly higher in persons following brain injury than in the population at large. One in every six people will experience depression in their lifetime, but about half of all people with TBI will experience depression in the first year following injury. Even more (nearly two-thirds) are affected within seven years after injury. Statistically, that’s huge! Contributing Factors Factors after traumatic brain injury that contribute to depression are: Physical changes in

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Coup Contrecoup Brain Injury

What are coup and contrecoup injuries? In brain trauma, a coup injury (pronounced coo) occurs on the side of the brain where it initially impacts the inner skull. A contrecoup injury (pronounced contra coo) occurs on the opposite side of the brain from where the coup injury happened and is the result of the brain recoiling from the original coup injury. Inertia forces to the head play a role in this type of injury. Coup and contrecoup injuries can occur individually or together.  When they occur together, they constitute a coup contrecoup (pronounced coo contra coo) brain injury. These terms

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Glasgow Comma Scale

What is the Glasgow Coma Scale? The Glasgow Comma Scale (GCS) is the most common scoring system used to describe the level of consciousness in a person following a traumatic brain injury. Basically, it’s used to help gauge the severity of an acute brain injury. The test is simple, reliable, and correlates well with outcome following severe brain injury.  The GCS is a quick and mostly objective way of recording the initial and subsequent level of consciousness in a person after a brain injury. It is used be trained staff at the site of an injury like a car crash

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Post-Traumatic Amnesia

What is Post-Traumatic Amnesia? Post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) is a state of confusion that occurs following a traumatic brain injury or concussion in which a person is disoriented and unable to remember certain things associated with the event itself and/or remember things before and after the event.  The term is also used in a broader context involving the inability of a person, after brain injury, to create new memories.  When continuous memory returns, PTA is considered resolved.  There are two types of amnesia: retrograde amnesia (loss of memories that were formed shortly before the injury) and anterograde amnesia (problems with creating new

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Neuroplasticity

Our Changing Brain Neuroplasticity is an umbrella term that refers to changes in neural pathways and synapses in the brain due to changes in behavior, environment, neural processes, thinking, and emotions, as well as changes resulting from bodily injury.  This occurs on a variety of levels, ranging from cellular changes due to learning, to large-scale changes involved in cortical remapping in response to traumatic brain injury.  Think of it this way. Your brain is not a “static” structure.  It’s a dynamic and ever-changing organ with seemingly a life of its own, not unlike a standalone organism.  Initially, the brain goes

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Statute of Limitations

When a brain injury strikes, the victim is generally not the best person to make decisions on what to do next.  That is when family and friends should step in and help.  It’s also when an experienced brain injury lawyer should be consulted.  A good brain injury lawyer will know how best to proceed and what Texas laws may affect your claim. Keep in mind that the following laws may not be the only ones your attorney will address, and they are not the only Texas laws that might affect your case.   All accidents have a time limit to file

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Fault and Modified Comparative Negligence

Who was at fault will be one of the most critical things to prove to successfully receive compensation for your brain injury.  Texas has “fault” laws that require the injured person to provide evidence that someone else was responsible for the accident.  The person or company at fault is likely to fight back though and try to blame you even if fault is clear.  You may need the help of a good personal injury lawyer to review the evidence and stand up for you to make sure you’re not wrongfully blamed. Even if you succeed in battling accusations you were

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Competency Laws in Texas

If the brain injury is severe enough, the injured person may not be capable of making competent decisions or managing their own affairs.  In that event, it may be necessary to establish a legal guardianship.  A person seeking to be a guardian, generally a spouse, parent, or family member, would need to file a request in a Texas probate court explaining the circumstances.  Once appointed as legal guardian, that person is responsible for making all decisions for the injured person, including medical and legal decisions.  An experienced brain injury lawyer has confronted this difficult situation before and can direct you

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Topics

Introduction
Brain Anatomy
Traumatic Brain Injury Overview
Texas Laws to Know
Brain Injury Litigation: Simplifying the Complexity
Featured Articles by Charlie Waters
Traumatic Brain Injury Resources