Never Assume a Brain Injury Isn't Potentially Serious

Hollywood, CABrain injury has been on the minds of everyone since the tragic death of Natasha Richardson. It serves as a reminder to us all that brain injury, together with brain injury paralysis can not only cause death, but also rob an individual of a life worth living. That's when a brain injury attorney comes into play.

The Richardson saga has taught us that brain injuries can occur, even though the injured person appears fine. What if Richardson had sought, or mandated to seek immediate attention, even though she felt fine immediately after her fall in Quebec? Would it have saved her life?

A similar accident happened to a young girl, who injured her head while involved in sports. Although she appeared fine and had no complaints, her parents wondered quietly if they had done the right thing by NOT taking her to hospital.

It was then that the tragic death of Natasha Richardson splashed across their TV screen. It was evening and their daughter was up in her bedroom, seemingly fine. Taking no chances, they rushed upstairs to find that their daughter was beginning to suffer from a serious headache.

A few scant hours later a CT scan confirmed that the little girl had suffered the exact same injury Richardson had suffered. Emergency surgery was performed, the pressure relieved and today the girl is fine. She would not have been, had her parents not intervened when they did. She may not have lasted through the night.

Brain injury, as any doctor and brain injury attorney will tell you, is a tricky thing. It can be obvious, akin to the case of an acquaintance of this writer who was struck by a drunk driver while riding his bicycle and today the relatively young man is not only in a wheelchair, but lives in a nursing home with permanent brain injury paralysis. His life and that of his family has never been the same.

But then there is the story of Richardson, whose fall appeared minor on the bunny hill and the actor appeared unscathed. Mind you, reports are that she was not wearing a helmet.

However, this writer's son WAS wearing full gear when he accidentally slammed his head into a stationary object while snowboarding in January. Like Richardson, he appeared fine at first. But then he quickly descended into a state of total confusion, unsure of what day of the week it was, or the month, or what he got for Christmas just a few weeks prior.

He was rushed to the hospital, where the 13-year old was diagnosed with a 'significant concussion.' Thankfully a CT scan confirmed that there was no internal bleeding and today the boy is fine.

That said, it drives home the fact that the wearing of a helmet does not prevent brain injury from happening. The helmet protects the skull from fracture—which was the case here. Admittedly, a severely fractured skull can damage the brain in a host of horrific ways. However, a helmet has no means of preventing the brain from bouncing around inside the skull, where brain injury can occur. The Richardson case—together with that of this writer's son—is demonstrative of that.

Something to keep in mind the next time a family member is involved in an activity that involves contact sports, or the potential for falls and spills—such as a class ski trip, for example. A parent will want to make sure that a helmet is worn to protect the skull. Proper supervision is a given.

However, it's of paramount importance that when a fall occurs that may have injured the head, an apparent 'all-clear' and "hey, I feel fine" coming from the spill victim is no reason to bypass medical intervention as a precaution.

Because, if a brain injury or brain injury paralysis results not from lack of equipment but from inaction on the part of supervisory staff, a call to a brain injury attorney is something you definitely need to do.