Brain injury

What is a brain injury?

A brain injury is damage to the brain that can affect the way a person moves, their emotions or behaviour or the ability to process information.

The effect of a brain injury can be temporary or permanent and it can have a devastating effect on a person’s life – leaving someone with disabilities, such as problems walking or standing, vision problems, difficulties with decision making or understanding things and pain.

What is an acquired brain injury?

An acquired brain injury (ABI) is damage that happens during birth or after a person is born, and is not related to a genetic or hereditary condition. It can be caused by oxygen deprivation while being born or immediately afterwards, poor management of a stroke, or delays in the treatment of meningitis. It will affect different people in different ways, but it can mean mental disability, physical disability, or both.

What is a traumatic brain injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a blow to the head, which could be because of a car accident, a violent attack or a sports-related injury, any of which could lead to a successful injury claim. TBIs are usually categorised as either mild (e.g. a concussion), moderate, or severe.

As with an acquired brain injury, the symptoms can include physical or mental disability, along with other side effects, including memory loss, difficulty concentrating and slowed thinking.

What are the effects of a brain injury?

The effect of a brain injury can be temporary or permanent and can have a devastating effect on a person’s life – leaving someone with disabilities, such as problems walking or standing, vision problems, difficulties with decision making or understanding, and pain.

If the person with a brain injury is a baby, it might take years before the symptoms are able to be detected – see our page on Cerebral Palsy for more information.

How can Davies & Partners help?

If someone suffers an acquired brain injury because of mistakes made by doctors or nurses, they may have a clinical negligence claim. Such cases may happen because an infection like meningitis wasn’t treated quickly enough, or a stroke wasn’t managed correctly.

Brain injuries are complex and our clinical negligence team are experienced in supporting clients and their families to investigate whether mistakes in clinical care were made, whether those mistakes should have been avoided and whether the mistakes caused the brain injury.

If you would like to speak to us about a possible brain injury claim, please contact us now to arrange a free initial discussion.

There are charities that support people who have brain injuries such as Headway who have groups and branches providing services and information across the UK.