By Seth Anderson on May 5, 2023
Critical body functions could be impaired when the brain stem gets damaged, putting your life at significant risk. Even if the injury is not fatal, it could cause debilitating medical problems, such as impaired breathing, poor balance, full-body paralysis, and difficulties controlling behavior. Below, partner Seth Anderson discusses the causes and effects of brain stem injuries and legal options for victims. If another’s negligence caused your injury, you or your loved ones may be able to seek compensation for medical care, disability, lost earning capacity, and more. Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn has recovered more than $100 million on behalf of injured victims. Our Board-Certified Fort Worth personal injury lawyers do not charge upfront costs.
Your brain stem sits at the base of your skull on top of your spinal cord. The brain stem connects the spinal cord to the brain, allowing the brain to transmit information throughout the body. The brain stem also controls critical bodily functions, like breathing, walking and heart rate. That is why damage to the brain stem can be catastrophic for victims.
The brain stem has three parts:
In short, your body cannot survive unless the brain stem works like it is supposed to.
Brain stem injuries often result from sudden, forceful trauma that disrupts essential body functions. These incidents typically involve high-impact collisions or dangerous conditions that affect the head and neck, impairing breathing, movement, and consciousness.
Medical research from the National Institutes of Health notes that such injuries can damage motor and sensory pathways, leading to long-term disability.
The effects of a brain stem injury will depend on what part of the brain stem are damaged and how severe the damage is. These are some of the medical problems victims may experience:
Your brain stem contains the neurons that make up the reticular activating system. This system controls consciousness and the ability to be awake. If the reticular activating system sustains damage, you could slip into a coma. Often, a coma that results from a brain injury will resolve as the swelling in your head subsides. However, your chances of making a full recovery will depend on how quickly you move through the stages of a coma. These stages include the vegetative state, when you can only open and shut your eyes; the minimally conscious state, when you can blink but drift into and out of consciousness; and the confusion state, when you cannot fully control your behavior.
A brain stem injury could result in various breathing problems, such as a lack of breathing or too little air. You could also struggle to exhale or breathe too fast. Breathing problems may result from damage to the medulla, affecting your body’s ability to detect the amount of carbon dioxide in your blood.
Impaired motor function is often a result of damage to areas of the brain besides the brain stem. However, your brain stem could suffer damage in the same accident. You could suffer impaired balance and coordination. You may be unable to control your movements, even if movement is possible.
This means you cannot move anything except your eyes. You can still think, hear, and reason, but cannot control anything else. Unfortunately, many who are diagnosed with this condition never regain movement.
This is a serious problem, as some victims may be at risk for choking on their saliva. The good news is that there are exercises victims can do to regain control of their ability to swallow.
If you or your loved one experiences any of the following symptoms after an accident, they may be the result of a brain stem injury, including:
If you or a loved one has experienced any of these symptoms, seek medical treatment immediately. While each situation is different, immediate treatment may give you the best chance of recovering fully.
Treatment for a brain stem injury could last the rest of the victim’s life, as these injuries can create numerous physical, emotional, and psychological problems. The course of treatment will depend on the injury’s severity and how the victim responds.
If the victim had a brain stem stroke, doctors need to stop the bleeding or remove the clot. After that, doctors can assess the effects of the injury.
Sometimes doctors need to do surgery to stabilize the injury, which carries the risk of permanent or fatal injury.
If the victim suffers locked-in syndrome, he or she may never recover. This means he or she will need round-the-clock care, as he or she will be unable to do anything without assistance.
Other brain stem injury victims may need a variety of therapies to attempt to regain impaired or lost functions. These could include physical therapy to restore motor function. Speech therapy may be necessary if the victim struggles with speech or swallowing.
Mental health counseling may also be needed, as victims may experience changes in behavior. They may also struggle to adjust to their new reality.
Occupational therapy may allow victims to regain the ability to work, albeit in a different job than before the injury.
Victims may be able to recover significant compensation for a brain injury. This may include compensation for the cost of:
Your lawyer may also be able to seek compensation for pain and suffering and other non-economic damages, like lost companionship and lost enjoyment of life. If your loved one died in the accident, our lawyers may be able to seek wrongful death compensation for the effects of your loss.
Victims may pursue compensation for financial losses and the personal toll of their injuries. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 41 recognizes recovery for medical costs, lost income, and reduced earning potential. Families may also claim damages for diminished quality of life or permanent impairment. Courts weigh these categories carefully, considering the severity of the injury and its impact on daily living.
Filing a strong claim requires timely and deliberate action. Essential steps include:
Prompt diagnosis and care not only improve recovery prospects but also create critical documentation for litigation.
Our firm brings decades of courtroom experience to complex brain stem injury claims. We build strong cases, confront insurers, and pursue the compensation you deserve. Call Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn at 817-920-9000 today for a free consultation and learn how we can protect your rights after a life-changing injury.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by attorney Seth Anderson, whose team has more than 50 years of combined legal experience in helping victims of personal injury seek justice.
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