Traumatic Brain Injury is among the more difficult injuries for New Orleans personal injury attorneys to prove. While some brain injuries involve bleeding in the brain or skull fractures that a jury will be able to clearly see in brain scans or x-rays, these tools may not be precise enough to show more subtle damage.
As a result, traumatic brain injuries usually must be proven through a demonstration of how the damage has altered the injured party’s functioning and performance. Individuals with traumatic brain injury often exhibit changes in behavior, mood, and cognitive functioning that can be described to the jury. Also, there are a variety of diagnostic tests that brain injury treatment providers may use when evaluating the condition of the victim. The results of these brain injury tests also can be presented to the jury, and their meaning explained by the medical provider.
Fortunately, for those seeking compensation & benefits following a traumatic brain injury, newer imaging devices are becoming available that actually show how the brain is functioning. These newer devices include PET scans – which can show areas of the brain that are not receiving sufficient oxygen, and more powerful MRI machines able to detect structural damage that previously could not be seen – including small iron deposits left by bleeding from microscopic blood vessels.
Other improvements in tradition MRI testing may also assist in the diagnosis of brain injuries. MRI Diffusion Tensor studies can see how water molecules flow through brain nerve fibers. If the nerve fibers are damaged, the water does not flow evenly. Functional MRI studies show which areas of the brain are functioning when the patient is asked to perform different thought related tasks. By observing which parts of the brain are working, it can be used to determine whether the brain is operating normally.
If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury, we would be happy to help you. Please feel free to call us at (504) 581-6411.