Causes of Brain Injury

The causes of brain injury can often result in the destruction or deterioration of brain cells.

Approximately 1.5 million individuals in the United States, unfortunately, are affected every year by some type of brain injury. More than 5 million individuals suffer the majority of the symptoms, signs, and effects of brain damage.

About 50,000 individuals every year will die from brain injuries. Classified into specific categories, brain injuries can include traumatic brain injury, and acquired brain injury.

Both of these kinds of injuries can disrupt the normal brain functioning. The healthcare industry, often times, will use these terms interchangeably when making a description of both injury types.

Traumatic brain injury is normally a result directly of an outside force that includes a blow to one’s head.

This can usually involve damage or movement on or inside the skull. This movement or damage internally can cause major brain damage.


Acquired brain injury is damage at the cellular level caused, usually the result of brain pressure.

Neurological illnesses are usually the cause, which include a tumor growing within the brain, or a stroke.

Damage to the brain can be the result of childbirth, mainly through genetics. This type of injury, considered congenital damage to the brain is usually unrecognized when occurring, but months or years subsequently diagnosed.

The majority of causes of brain injury are focal, or localized damage.

A gunshot to the brain, as an example, can result in major focal damage, confined to a precise small area.

These injuries closed-head, the majority of times, will result in major diffuse brain damage in the skull to surrounding areas.

On one side of the brain, localized damage usually diffuses to the other side via brain nerves that stretch throughout an area. This is usually referred to as diffuse axonal injury.

The level of intensity of traumatic brain injuries can be caused by a number of factors, which include the nature of the harmful event, and the force of impact.

Brain injuries usually entail at least one of these factors, such as: disruption of oxygen supply, bleeding in or around the brain, swelling, and blood clots.

Damage to brain cells can be restricted to an area underneath the skull under any point of impact.

Any catastrophic blow or jolt may result in damage at multiple points due to the brain being able to move inside a skull.

Any rotating or spinning jolt can cause easily brain cellular structures to tear. Namely from an explosive, any blast may result in long-term widespread damage.

Any object which penetrates the brain skull may cause major irreparable harm to the blood vessels, brain, protective tissue, and cells. The majority of times, traumatic brain injury and acquired brain injury are caused by the negligent actions of at-fault parties.

If you or a family member suffer from causes of brain injury due to an incident, accident, or medical malpractice, you may be entitled to recover financial damages for your suffering and pain.

Contact us for a free consultation or call Anzalone Law Firm PLLC, at: 603.548.3797.