Differences between Traumatic Brain Injury and an Acquired Brain Injury
March 28, 2021
Any type of brain injury can be devastating for the victim. However, there are various types of brain injuries that can be challenging to properly understand. The phrases “traumatic brain injury” and “acquired brain injury” are used often. These two terms have different meanings and it’s important to understand what type of situation you may be dealing with in order to get the best treatment.
Defining Acquired Brain Injuries
Some brain injuries that occur are considered hereditary, congenital, degenerative, or are induced by trauma during the birth process. Any injury that occurs in this way is not considered an acquired brain injury.
An acquired brain injury is essentially any type of injury the brain sustains after a person is born. An acquired brain injury can affect all aspects of a person’s life, including their physical abilities, metabolic activities, and cognitive abilities. You can think of the term “acquired brain injury” as an umbrella phrase to describe all types of brain injuries that occur after birth.
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury is actually a type of acquired brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries occur due to some sort of external force exerted on the body that causes the brain to become harmed. Traumatic brain injuries are typically defined as closed (non-penetrating) or open (penetrating) and can occur in the following ways:
- Vehicle accidents
- Physical assaults
- Sports injuries
- Falls
Anytime the body undergoes some sort of external impact, a brain injury could occur.
What is a Non-Traumatic Brain Injury?
It is not necessary for there to be an external impact on a body for a brain injury to occur. When many people think of acquired brain injuries, what they actually mean is that the brain injury is considered non-traumatic. These brain injuries occur due to internal forces, including a lack of oxygen in the body, the body’s exposure to toxins, pressures from a tumor, etc. Some of the most common examples of non-traumatic brain injury causes include the following:
- Cerebral vascular incidents (stroke)
- Near-drowning
- Aneurisms
- Brain tumors
- Infectious diseases that infect the brain
- A lack of supply of oxygen to the brain
- Excessive alcohol usage
- Drug overdoses
Both Traumatic and Non-Traumatic Brain Injuries can Significantly affect a Victim
Regardless of whether or not a person has sustained a traumatic or a non-traumatic brain injury, it is crucial that they seek medical care as soon as possible. Early medical intervention is often the only way for a person to make as full of a recovery as possible. Brain injuries that are left untreated could significantly worsen and leave a person suffering more harm than they would have been had they received prompt medical care.
Acquired brain injury victims may end up needing life-long care. If you or somebody you love has sustained a brain injury caused by the careless or negligent actions of another person, please contact an Orange County brain injury attorney as soon as possible. An attorney can use their resources and legal expertise to fully investigate these cases and determine liability. The goal is to ensure that brain injury victims and their families receive the compensation that they need for their medical expenses, life changes, lost wages, and more.