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take care of yourself.
b ra in i n ju ry b ra in i n ju ry
overview of
brain injuries
Every year, over 16,000 Ontarians sustain a brain injury due to accident, illness or environmental circumstance.
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) describes various forms of damage to the brain sustained postnatal (after birth). Typically, ABI is defined as damage to the brain as a result of trauma, stroke, post-surgical complications, or certain illnesses. Impairments due to degenerative and congenital diseases such as Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and prenatal illness do not fall under the ABI umbrella. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Non-Traumatic Brain Injury are subcategories of ABI. TBI occurs when an external force causes damage to the brain. Falls, car accidents or assaults to the head can cause this type of ABI. Non-Traumatic Brain
Injuries are a result of damage caused by a metabolic disruption (e.g., hypoglycemia), hypoxia and anoxia (i.e., loss of oxygen to the brain), brain lesions or tumours, toxins, and illness (e.g., meningitis).
Since the brain controls emotional, behavioural and cognitive abilities, when damage occurs, it affects the way a person thinks, feels and acts. A brain injury not only impacts the individual diagnosed, but their loved ones as well, especially if long term care is required. The cost associ-ated with treating a brain injury can be significant. The expense reaches one billion dollars annually in Ontario alone.
common injuries
We start by
understanding your
exact situation.
While injuries to the head do not always result in damage to the brain, it’s important to note the most common forms of head trauma that can cause Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) include:
Skull Fracture
Cracks or breaks in the skull that can result in damage to the area of the brain below the fracture site.
Concussion
A mild concussion may involve no loss of consciousness (feeling “dazed”) or a very brief loss of consciousness (being “knocked out”). A severe concussion may involve prolonged loss of consciousness with a delayed return to normal.
Cerebral Contusion
Cerebral contusion is a bruising of the brain caused by direct blows to the skull or by acceleration deceleration forces.
Subdural Hematoma
When bleeding under the dura occurs, it can cause a blood clot to form, which can put pressure on the brain.
Epidural Hematoma
When bleeding occurs between the dura and the skull, it can cause a blood clot to form, which can put pressure on the brain.
Intracerebral Hemorrhage
When blood vessels deep within in the brain are injured, they can cause bleeding that occurs inside brain tissue.
Swelling of the Brain
When a TBI occurs, the brain is compressed within the skull which can cause damage. There is also the potential for decreased blood flow to the brain.
b ra in i n ju ry b ra in i n ju ry
causes and symptoms
causes
The most common causes of Acquired Brain Injury are:
• Car/vehicular accidents • Falls
• Sporting accidents • Physical attacks
(e.g., fights or assaults) • Gunshot wounds
symptoms
Brain injuries can result in bruising, open wounds, bleeding and even swelling of the brain. These injuries can be very serious as they can affect the way a person thinks, feels or behaves.
Survivors who suffer the effects of a brain injury can experience:
Confusion and Memory Loss
Individuals who have sustained an Acquired Brain Injury may be confused about the events leading up to the injury. This confusion may be temporary or permanent. Serious injury to the brain may result in short or long term memory loss. Individuals may not recall events that just happened (e.g., eating lunch, turning on the stove, etc.) or may not remember anything about their life or their loved ones at all.
A Loss of Physical and Cognitive Abilities
Brain injuries can also result in paralysis of limbs and loss of speech, sight, smell, taste or hearing. Cognitive skills can also
be affected. Individuals may lose the ability to learn new tasks or have impaired reasoning skills. Others may suffer from chronic headaches and even seizures.
Changes in Emotions and Behaviour
Since the brain controls emotions and behaviours as well as cognition, brain injuries can affect the way a person feels and acts. However, changes in behaviour or emotion can also be due to frustration, depression, or anger about the injury.
Social Difficulties
Individuals may struggle with initiating and maintaining friendships after sustaining a brain injury. These difficulties may be due to communication impairments (e.g., loss of speech, hearing, vision, etc.), changes in cognitive ability (e.g., long and short term memory loss), diminished social skills and self-esteem, or loss of physical abilities (e.g., paralysis, ability to drive, etc.).
treatment and prognosis
A Computed Tomography (CT) scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are the most common ways doctors detect brain injuries. Recovery and the rate of healing depend upon a person’s age, their overall health prior to the injury and the extent of the damage.
Statistics show that 80% of people who sustain a mild brain injury fully recover. However, those who sustained a more severe injury may have permanent physi-cal, cognitive and emotional impairments. The course and type of treatment also depends on the injury. A comprehensive treatment plan includes both physical therapy and cognitive therapy. A complete rehabilitation program should focus on the following areas:
• Physical • Cognitive • Behavioural • Vocational • Educational • Community Re-entry • Recreational
An individual’s social network—friends and family—are also a key component in the healing process. Their support and compassion not only ease a patient’s worries and burdens, but can also speed up the recovery process.
The rate of recovery from a brain injury is as unique as the individuals who sustain them. No two people will recover the same way or in the same amount of time. How-ever, it’s important that individuals remain positive, flexible and open to all forms of treatment. Seek support from family, friends, other patients and healthcare professionals.
cultural perspective
Suffering a catastrophic injury, especially a brain injury, is devastating to any person and their family. However, this form of injury can be even more difficult for those whose first language is not English.
Not only can the team at Carranza help overcome the language barrier, we can also assist with any cultural issues that may arise, including:
• Traditional versus modern medicine and conflicts about medications • Informing loved ones of medical
issues and facilitating discussions between rehab teams and key decision makers in the family • Explaining body language and
how its interpretation might affect your care
• The impact of religion on care, treatment and recovery • Cultural stigmas surrounding
shame, depression and isolation • The importance of nutrition, diet
and the use of herbal remedies • How brain injuries affect the
family, their social status and future possibilities
• Bridging the gap between a family’s beliefs and the Canadian healthcare system
our care begins
the moment we
meet you.
We offer a
free
initial no-obligation
b ra in i n ju ry b ra in i n ju ry
you know best
Survivors of serious brain injuries often require a high level of care for the rest of their lives, income support, significant vocational assistance if you are to be able to return to the workforce at all, and a need to develop new interests and activities. All of these life-changing aspects should be compensated. Getting you that compen-sation is our job.
At Carranza we have years of experience acting for people who have suffered brain injuries. We strive to fully understand you
and how your and your family’s lifestyle is affected by your injury and your rehabilita-tion. We start to work immediately to max-imize your personal recovery by ensuring you get the treatment and assistance you require to return to as many social, family, and leisure activities as soon as possible. At the same time, we gather the evidence to quantify every aspect of your losses to maximize your financial recovery.
how we can help
Families are often surprised and over-whelmed by how much an injury can impact their lives and their financial situation. An experienced personal
injury lawyer can help you understand your current situation better and explain your legal entitlements.
At Carranza, our involvement begins the moment we meet you. Through every interaction, we strive to make you feel comfortable and informed; we see us as members of your team, working toward the best possible personal and financial outcomes from your injury.
We are so committed to ensuring we consistently meet you and your family’s needs, Carranza has become the only ISO certified personal injury law firm in
Canada. Through constant measurement of ourselves for client satisfaction, con-tinual improvement, and effective training, process controls and internal communica-tions, we ensure our clients are the focus of all we do.
At Carranza, our job is more than help-ing you through litigation, it is also our responsibility to ensure you have the right resources for your rehabilitation. Your medical and rehab teams work hard to help you recover. They will address your physi-cal, emotional, mental and social needs. We will work closely with them, so you and your family don’t have to worry about the additional costs of rehab treatments and assistive devices.
your options for
compensation
Once we have a firm grasp of your accident we will provide you with an assessment of your case. We explore and evaluate every potential means of compensation available to you, including:
• Pain and suffering damages • Home and Vehicle modifications
to facilitate your mobility and independence
• Attendant Care Benefits
• Medical and rehabilitation costs, including case manager services • Income replacement benefits, and
loss of earning capacity over your lifetime
• Housekeeping and home maintenance expenses • Lost educational expenses • Visitor’s expenses • Damage to clothing • Caregiver benefits • Other economic losses
time limits
Insurance companies will generally only pay for any treatment or expense after you apply for the corresponding benefit, so it is important that you apply for all the benefits you will need as soon as pos-sible. Strict time limits apply. We will meet these deadlines for you, so you can focus on your recovery.
Some of the key limits to keep in mind: 7 days – you must inform the Accident Benefits insurance company of the acci-dent and that you were hurt.
30 Days – you must complete and send the Accident Benefits application within 30 days of it being provided to you by the insurance company. If you take longer, the insurance company can delay your benefits 45 days and may be able to deny you benefits altogether.
120 Days – you need to give written notice of your intention to sue the at-fault parties. 2 years– to commence a lawsuit against an at-fault driver or your own insurance company if your benefits are denied. You must provide the insurance company all the information it needs to determine your entitlement. You have 10 business days after it requests such information to provide it, or it can suspend or deny your benefits.
We will meet with you to discuss your situation and options,
at no charge, wherever you are, so you can decide whether
we are the best choice of representation for you.
resources
The following websites are sources of valuable information and support for those suffering from a brain injury and their loved ones:
1280 Finch Ave. West, Suite 200 Toronto, Ontario, M3J 3K6 Hours of operation: Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Telephone: 416-633-1065 Toll Free Line: 1-877-633-1065 Fax: 416-633-9782
www.carranza.on.ca
The Brain Injury Association of Canada www.biac-aclc.ca
The Ontario Brain Injury Association www.obia.ca ABI Possibilities www.abipossibilities.ca BrainTrust Canada www.braintrustcanada.com BrainLine www.brainline.org
Association for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured
www.arbi.ca
Canadian Association For Neuroscience www.can-acn.net
Disability Health Promotion Network www.dhpn.smd.mb.ca
Long Term Care Global Canada www.ltcglobal.ca Th is m an u al is a g en er al re fe re n ce g u id e fo r in ju re d p er so n s an d th ei r fa m ili es . Th e m ed ic al an d le g al in fo rm at io n co n ta in ed in th is m an u al is n ot in te n d ed to of fe r le g al or m ed ic al ad vi ce . Th e co n te n t in th is m an u al is fo r in fo rm at io n al an d ed u ca ti on al p u rp os es on ly an d is n ot in te n d ed as a su b st it u te fo r th e p ro fe ss io n al ju d g m en t of a le g al an d /o r h ea lt h ca re p ro fe ss io n al , a n d yo u sh ou ld n ot re ly u p on an y m at e -ri al or st at em en ts in th e m an u al fo r le g al or m ed ic al ad vi ce . I t is n ot in te n d ed to cr ea te a so lic it or -c lie n t re la ti on sh ip . I t is re co m m en d ed th at yo u re vi ew an y m ed ic al in fo rm at io n ca re fu lly w it h yo u r d oc to r or h ea lt h ca re p ro fe ss io n al b ef or e m ak in g an y d ec is io n s re g ar d in g yo u r h ea lt h or re co m m en d ed m ed ic al tr ea tm en t. W h ile re as on ab le at te m p ts h av e b ee n m ad e to en su re th e ac cu ra cy of th e in fo rm at io n in th is m an u al , o u r fi rm ca n n ot m ak e ex p re ss or im p lie d re p re se n ta ti on s or w ar ra n ti es ab ou t th e ac cu ra cy or co m p le te n es s of th e in fo rm at io n . E ac h p er so n ’s le g al n ee d s ar e u n iq u e, an d th es e m at er ia ls m ay n ot b e ap p lic ab le t o y ou r l eg al s it u at io n . P le as e c on ta ct a n O n ta ri o P er so n al I n ju ry l aw ye r f or a c on su lt at io n o n y ou r p ar ti cu la r p er so n al i n ju ry m at te r. FPO
