BODILY INJURY
A cut, abrasion, bruise, burn, or disfigurement; physical pain,
illness, impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ,
or mental faculty; or any other injury to the body, no matter
how temporary.
BURN
First degree burns: Minor burns of the first layer of skin. Second
degree burns: Superficial partial-thickness burns injuring
the first and second layer of skin. Third degree burns: Serious
burns injuring all the skin layers and tissue under the skin.
CONCUSSION
Injury resulting from a sudden or violent shock to the
head. May cause temporary loss of consciousness.
CONTUSION
Bruising and swelling of the brain.
DISC INJURY
Injury to the supporting discs (cushions) located between
each spinal bone. Discs that are ruptured or cracked
may cause extraordinary
pressure resulting in back pain.
FRACTURE
A break, rupture, or crack, especially in bone or cartilage.
Comminuted fracture: A fracture in which the bone
is broken into several parts. Complicated fracture: A
fracture
of
the bone combined with the lesion of some artery,
nervous trunk,
or joint. Compound fracture: A fracture in which
there is an open wound from the surface down to the fracture.
Simple
fracture:
A fracture in which the bone only is ruptured. It
does
not communicate with the surface by an open wound.
HEMATOMA
Blood clot that collects in or around the brain.
PARAPLEGIA
Complete paralysis of the lower half of the body
including both legs, usually caused by damage
to the spinal cord.
QUADRIPLEGIA
Complete paralysis of the body from the neck
down, usually caused by damage to the spinal
cord.
SOFT TISSUE INJURY
Injury to the ligaments, tendons and fibers
of the body that connect the skeletal bones.
SPINAL
CORD INJURY
Injury of the nerves contained within the
spinal canal often associated with trauma
to the spinal
column (spine),Complete:
Nerve damage obstructing all signals between
the brain and
body. Incomplete: Nerve damage obstructing
some of the signals between the brain and
body.
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
Serious injury to the head often resulting
in severe and permanent damage to the
brain. A bone
may break
or fracture
when the
force applied against it is greater than
the strength of the bone itself. The
severity of
the fracture
depends on
several
factors including the victim's overall
health, age, and type of impact.
Traumatic
Brain Injuries
1. Tearing
- The sudden
impact of the body colliding with another
object (such as a car or baseball bat)
may cause very
delicate tissue
in
the
brain to tear apart. Unfortunately,
modern medical devices (x-ray, CT scan, MRI)
often do not detect
torn brain
tissue. As a result, the injured patient
may be given a clean bill
of health when in fact there has been
significant brain damage.
2. Bruising - Bruising, like
tearing, is caused
by impact
to the skull. The impact forces the
soft tissue of the brain into
the much harder skull. The collision
between
the tissue and the skull may rupture
small blood vessels
allowing
blood
to escape into areas of the brain
unsuitable for such blood. The
unconfined blood places additional
pressure on the brain tissue. This pressure may
cause parts
of the
brain to
stop functioning.
As the brain is responsible for operating
the most basic bodily functions (such
as breathing),
it
can be quite
perilous for
any part of the brain to shut down.
3.
Swelling - While swelling in most other body parts
is not typically
considered life
threatening, swelling of the brain
can be. When swelling occurs in other
parts of the body, the tissue surrounding
the injured area expands to relieve
the pressure. The brain
however is surrounded
by the hard bone of the skull and
therefore cannot expand to accommodate the swelling
occurring
inside. When the
brain swells,
the pressure inside the skull increases
along with the likelihood of severe
consequences as
a result
thereof.
Anoxic Brain
Injuries
Anoxic brain
injury occurs when the brain
is
deprived its oxygen
intake for some significant amount
of time. Such deprivation may occur as a result
of
drowning, choking, strangulation,
or other respiratory difficulties.
The cells within the brain require oxygen
(an therefore
blood) to
function. Lack of
oxygen for a significant period
causes the brain
cells to die.
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