You have probably heard of a traumatic brain injury, which is often called a TBI. This happens when the brain is injured by some sort of outside force. This could be a penetrating injury or it could be an internal injury, such as damage caused when the brain impacts the interior of the skull during a collision.
But, for those who are often around the water, it’s also important to understand the dangers of an acquired brain injury, or an ABI. This can impact your life in a lot of the same ways, but it happens differently.
Loss of oxygen is the major issue
One way that an acquired brain injury can take place is if the brain is deprived of oxygen for too long. Every second without oxygen increases the odds that significant damage will be done. In some cases, this damage can never be repaired, since brain cells are lost. This is very similar to a traumatic brain injury, but it is due to the lack of oxygen instead of some sort of outside force.
This means that drowning incidents increase the odds of an ABI. Someone may be pulled from the water long before they would have passed away, and this can lead others to believe that they got through the incident without negative ramifications. But they could still certainly have a serious ABI, the extent of which will only become known over time, even if they survived the initial drowning incident.
What are your options?
If you’re dealing with a brain injury of this type, or if a family member is, be sure that you are well aware of the legal options at your disposal.