No matter what level, brain injuries are always serious in nature and should be addressed right away. It is unwise to let a brain injury go unchecked for any period of time.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are categorized in one of the following three levels:
#1 - Mild TBI
Mild TBIs have the following characteristics:
- Temporary loss of consciousness, typically just a few seconds or minutes
- Post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) for less than one hour of the TBI
- Normal brain imaging results
#2 - Moderate TBI
Moderate TBIs have the following characteristics:
- Loss of consciousness for 1-24 hours
- PTA for 1-24 hours of the TBI
- Abnormal brain imaging results
#3 - Severe TBI
Severe TBIs have the following characteristics:
- Loss of consciousness or coma for 24+ hours
- PTA for 24+ hours of the TBI
- Abnormal brain imaging results
Sub-Categories of Severe TBI
Since a severe TBI can have a number of implications, these injuries are often subcategorized in the following ways for more clarity:
- Coma
- An unconscious state from which the person will not wake up
- Vegetative State
- A state in which a person isn’t in a coma (in other words, they’re awake), but is unaware of their surroundings
- Persistent Vegetative State
- The individual has been in a vegetative state for longer than a month
- Minimally Responsive State
- A state in which the individual is no longer in a coma or vegetative state and irregularly interacts with and/or responds to the environment
Suffering a traumatic brain injury of any kind is very serious and should not be taken lightly; especially if someone else caused your injury. If you’ve been a victim of another’s negligence, it’s important that you take action right away. The best way to do so is to secure experienced legal representation. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Contact our skilled attorneys at Berthold Law Firm, PLLC by calling (304) 605-2040 or by filling out our online contact form.