The brain transmits and receives nerve signals to and from the rest of the body. It is vital for cognitive function, memory, and emotion. However, the brain is also highly susceptible to injury — in fact, even minor trauma can have significant repercussions.
If you have a job that requires you to be at a job site, you are at a much higher risk of suffering a brain injury while working. Below, this job site accident lawyer in Haines City, Florida is going to review four types of brain injuries that may occur on a job site.
Penetrating Brain Injuries
A penetrating brain injury refers to an open wound to the head from a foreign object. The foreign object dissects the brain tissue, thus disturbing the brain’s neural connections. Additionally, the object can rupture blood vessels in the brain (the carotid arteries), depriving brain cells of oxygen.
The two most common causes of penetrating brain injuries are:
- Foreign objects: A foreign object can penetrate the skull and injure the brain. For example, heavy mechanical parts at work could fall and pierce the skull. Additionally, your head could also fall onto a foreign object. For example, you could fall from a height and hit a piece of machinery that penetrates your skull.
- Skull fragments: A direct blow to the head can fracture the skull and push skull fragments into the brain. Skull fragments can inflict the same type of damage as foreign objects — though the risk of infection may be lower if the blunt force does not break the skin.
Blunt Force Brain Injuries
Brain injuries occur when a force acts on the brain without piercing the brain tissue. The force may collide with the head, resulting in head trauma and brain injury. Additionally, the force could be carried to the brain through the neck. For example, if you are involved in an accident while operating heavy machinery, your head could be shaken or whipped. You could sustain a brain injury even if nothing strikes your head.
Types of blunt force brain injuries include:
- Concussions: A concussion occurs when the brain sloshes around in the cerebrospinal fluid. This motion generates a pressure wave in the fluid, injuring the brain severely — but not fatally. Most concussion symptoms subside within six to eight weeks. However, if the symptoms persist for more than two months, they may indicate the presence of post-concussion syndrome, which is a condition that impacts your ability to work. If you’ve found yourself in this situation, a job site accident attorney in Haines City, Florida can help you get the compensation you are owed.
- Contusions: A contusion occurs when the brain hits the cranial cavity. Internal carotid arteries rupture, causing the brain to swell. Contusions are serious because the swelling might result in lifelong brain damage or even death.
Anoxic Brain Injuries
Anoxic brain injuries happen when the brain’s oxygen supply is cut off by trauma. This can result in cerebral hypoxia. These injuries can occur due to carbon monoxide poisoning on the job. When the brain is deprived of oxygen for just four minutes, lifelong brain damage can occur. If you have been exposed to carbon monoxide at a job site, you should contact a reputable Haines City, Florida job site accident lawyer to discuss your options.
Stroke-Related Brain Injuries
Many strokes or “brain attacks” happen naturally. However, strokes can also occur due to trauma. Blood clots can form whenever a blood vessel is damaged as part of the body’s emergency response — for example, if you break a bone or suffer a severe bruise in a fall at work. A blood clot can break loose and travel to your brain, where it can get trapped in the carotid arteries and deprive your brain of oxygen, resulting in a stroke.
Looking for a Job Site Accident Lawyer in Haines City, Florida?
If you or a loved one has been injured in a job site accident, the team at O’Toole Law Group is here to assist you with your potential claim. Our experienced job site accident attorneys in Haines City, Florida have worked with countless people throughout the Haines City area, and we’d be more than happy to represent you as well. Contact us today at (863) 533-5525 to discuss your options.
