Head and Brain Injury Attorneys in York, PA

What are the levels and degrees of brain injuries?

Medical professionals classify TBIs as mild, moderate or severe. Even a mild TBI, however, can have a profound effect on the injured individual.

• Mild traumatic brain injuries: Mild TBIs, such as concussions, are typically characterized by brief loss of consciousness, an altered mental state at the time of the injury, or difficulty in focusing during or after the accident. Sometimes those who have suffered a mild traumatic brain injury may appear completely uninjured, though there may be significant damage. While most mild TBIs affect the brain temporarily, some do result in long term or permanent symptoms. Regardless, any head injury requires a visit to a physician.
• Moderate traumatic brain injuries: Moderate brain injuries result from a blow to the head that does not penetrate the skull, or a violent shaking of the head in which the brain hits against the inside of the skull. Victims may experience a loss of consciousness that lasts from a few hours to one day or 24-hour period. Confusion and other cognitive and physical impairments may last months or longer. Usually, people who experience a moderate TBI can make a recovery with treatment over time.
• Severe traumatic brain injuries: Penetrations to the skull or crushing blows to the head result in severe brain injuries, though closed brain injuries can be classified as severe as well. These injuries are often life-threatening. Victims may be unconscious for 24 hours or more with no sleep-wake cycle. Hospitalization and rehabilitation are required, though many patients may not return to the state they were in before the injury. Severe TBI patients may be at higher risk for developing other serious medical conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

There are several methods of determining the degree of a traumatic brain injury. Two of the most commonly used methods are the Glasgow Coma Scale and the Ranchos Los Amigos Scale:

• Glasgow Coma Scale: The GCS is a preliminary evaluation tool to gauge the severity of traumatic brain injuries. It measures post-trauma eye-opening abilities, verbal responses and motor responses, assigning each area a score. The scores from each section are then totaled — the lower the score, the worse the initial injury.
• Ranchos Los Amigos Scale: Another gauge health professionals use is the Ranchos Los Amigos Scale. This scale measures levels of cognition, awareness, behavior and interaction with the environment. The scale defines 10 levels of functioning, from 0 (No Response) to 10 (Purposeful and Appropriate Responses). Like with the Glasgow Coma Scale, a lower score on the Ranchos Los Amigos scale is an indicator of a severe head injury.

In addition to these two scales, skilled professionals like neuropsychologists can further define the nature and degree of injury through a series of sophisticated tests. They will also pay attention to any related symptoms the patient is experiencing in the days after the injury. Medical professionals can use this information to develop an effective rehabilitation plan for the brain injury patient.