Cerebral hypoxia is a brain injury that occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen. The condition can quickly lead to death and typically results in permanent damage. Like any brain injury, cerebral hypoxia is a complex condition that can range from mild to severe. The long-term impact varies by individual, but it brings a high risk of serious impairment to brain function.
What Is Cerebral Hypoxia?
The brain needs oxygen to function properly. A brain injury may occur when a person’s brain doesn’t get enough oxygen. Cerebral hypoxia is the primary type of brain injury associated with oxygen deprivation in adults.
The term “cerebral” refers to the brain, while “hypoxia” refers to low oxygen levels. Even a short period of oxygen deprivation to the brain can be fatal. If a person survives the incident, it’s hard to estimate how badly the brain has been damaged.
How Does Cerebral Hypoxia Happen?
There’s no one way that cerebral hypoxia occurs. A wide number of medical conditions and accidents can result in a person developing the condition. Car accidents, work accidents, and medical malpractice are common sources of cerebral hypoxia.
Some other common causes include:
- Head injury
- Heart attack
- Strangulation
- Near-drowning
- Stroke
- Severe blood loss
- Smoke inhalation
- Electrocution
- Drug overdose
These situations put the injured person’s brain at risk of not receiving enough oxygen. Brain cells begin dying after only a few minutes without oxygen. The longer it takes for the individual to receive medical treatment, the more severe their long-term symptoms will likely be.
What Are the Signs of Cerebral Hypoxia?
The signs of cerebral hypoxia can vary considerably depending on how long the oxygen deprivation lasts.
Some of the most common initial signs include:
- Uncontrollable movements
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dizziness
- Feelings of euphoria
- Shallow breathing
While these initial symptoms may appear to be mild, they can be signs of a serious brain injury. Anytime they are experienced after an incident involving the risk of oxygen deprivation, it’s essential to seek emergency medical care.
More severe signs that a person has developed cerebral hypoxia include:
- Coma
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
- Skin, lips, or nails turning blue
- Sleepiness
- Confusion or agitation
The longer a person’s brain goes without oxygen, the more serious the long-term damage will be. Cerebral hypoxia can be fatal without prompt medical intervention.
How Is Cerebral Hypoxia Treated?
The immediate goal of cerebral hypoxia treatment is to minimize the risk of lasting brain damage. When someone shows signs of the condition, they should immediately be taken to the emergency room. Medical staff will perform tests to assess blood flow to the brain, check brain responsiveness, and look for signs of brain damage.
Treatment involves addressing the immediate issue of oxygen deprivation. Medical staff may use mechanical ventilation or other methods to restore normal blood flow to the brain. Doctors are still in the process of exploring methods that can help reduce the risk of lasting damage, such as the use of therapeutic hypothermia.
Outcomes of cerebral hypoxia can range considerably. The longer an individual’s brain is deprived of oxygen, the more likely it is they will suffer lasting damage to cognitive function. There’s little medical staff can do to repair brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation.
After the patient is stabilized, the treatment team will likely do comprehensive testing to assess the level of brain damage and advise the patient and family members of what care they will need moving forward.
What Are the Long-Term Costs of Cerebral Hypoxia?
The long-term costs of cerebral hypoxia can be extensive. For the individual, the extent of brain damage determines the level of disability and dependence on others for daily activities. Severe cases often result in the lifelong need for treatment, medical equipment, and attendant care to accommodate disabilities.
The type of treatment and the level of attendant care an individual will require depend on the extent of the brain damage and must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The extensive costs of care often add to a family’s financial strain when an injured individual can no longer work.
When medical debt, future medical costs, and the loss of expected income all occur in conjunction, it can be impossible for a family to afford the costs their loved one requires. Being able to provide for an individual with cerebral hypoxia typically requires hiring a lawyer to help recover brain injury compensation.
Recovering Cerebral Hypoxia Injury Compensation
Recovering compensation for cerebral hypoxia is often possible, but it’s rarely an easy process. The first step is to consult a brain injury attorney about the accident. A lawyer will look into how the injury occurred. This will determine what sort of personal injury claim must be filed.
Since cerebral hypoxia can occur due to a variety of reasons, compensation might come through any number of insurance policies.
Some of the most common types of cerebral hypoxia claims that personal injury lawyers handle include:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Boating accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Premises liability
Once a lawyer identifies what type of claim a cerebral hypoxia case involves, they’ll have to decide whether they can establish negligence and prove that someone’s actions resulted in the brain injury.
What Does Cerebral Hypoxia Injury Compensation Cover?
When an injury results in cerebral hypoxia and there are grounds for a personal injury claim, compensation can cover nearly any costs or financial losses associated with the injury.
Most cerebral hypoxia claims seek to reimburse the family for costs that include:
- Medical bills
- Specialist costs
- Medical device costs
- Assistive care costs
- Prescription medical costs
- Physical, occupational, or rehabilitation therapy costs
- Lost wages and benefits
- Pain and suffering
Personal injury compensation for cerebral hypoxia can cover both past and future costs. This is particularly important when a brain injury will lead to the need for lifelong attendant care. When cerebral hypoxia leaves an individual unable to function independently, personal injury compensation is often the only way to afford the lifelong costs of care.
Call a Gainesville Brain Injury Lawyer Now
If your loved one has been diagnosed with cerebral hypoxia in Gainesville, FL, it’s time to call a brain injury attorney. The long-term costs of a brain injury can be extensive, but there’s a chance you’re eligible to recover brain injury compensation.
Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers is a Gainesville personal injury firm that has spent decades fighting for injured clients in Florida. Our experienced brain injury attorneys have a long track record of successfully recovering the personal injury compensation our clients need.
Contact Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers at (877) 255-3652 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced brain injury lawyer in Gainesville, FL.
