(914) 220-1086When we make the decision to move a loved one to a nursing home, we do so with the expectation that they will be kept safe. While most facilities do an excellent job taking care of residents, others fail to keep patients safe. This can include everything from failing to prevent falls to physical abuse to neglect or poor care.
If an older person suffers any kind of head trauma from a fall or abuse, it may cause a brain bleed. Brain bleeds can cause devastating injuries, and may even be fatal. If a resident in a nursing home suffers a brain bleed, they and/or their families may be able to file a lawsuit against the facility and any other responsible parties.
At the Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, we are dedicated to helping nursing home residents and their families get justice for nursing home abuse. We offer free initial consultations and never charge a fee unless we recover money for you. Reach out today to talk to a New York nursing home abuse lawyer about your case.
Causes and Symptoms of Brain Bleeds
A brain bleed, or intracranial hemorrhage, is exactly what it sounds like: bleeding inside of your brain. It is caused by a blood vessel that bursts inside the brain. They are most often caused by trauma, such as a fall or a car accident. In some cases, it is caused by physical abuse.
Essentially, when a person suffers a head injury, their brain may swell and bleed in response. Pressure then builds in the brain, which can cause brain cells to die. If left untreated, an intracranial hemorrhage may result in death.
Other potential causes of brain bleeds include high blood pressure (hypertension), atherosclerosis, a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, bleeding disorders, and brain tumors. If a nursing home resident has risk factors for a brain bleed, staff should be aware of these issues and watch for any signs of a brain bleed.
Brain bleeds can happen within the skull, but outside of the brain tissue, or inside of the brain itself. Bleeds outside of the skull are classified by where they occur in the brain. Our brains have three layers (meninges) between the skull and the brain itself: the dura mater (outer layer), the arachnoid (middle layer), and the pia mater (the layer closest to the brain itself). Brain bleeds are categorized based on where they occur between these membranes:
- Epidural bleed or hemorrhage: a bleed between the skill and the dura mater
- Subdural bleed or hemorrhage: a bleed between the dura mater and the arachnoid membranes
- Subarachnoid bleed or hemorrhage: a bleed between the arachnoid and pia mater membranes.
There are two types of brain bleeds that occur within the brain tissue:
- Intracerebral hemorrhage occurs in the lobes, pons, and cerebellum of the brain. This type of brain bleed may also be referred to as a cerebral hemorrhage or hemorrhagic stroke.
- Intraventricular hemorrhage occurs in the ventricles of the brain where cerebrospinal fluid is produced.
Brain bleeds can be life-threatening. Even if not fatal, an intracranial hemorrhage can cause brain damage. A brain bleed is considered a medical emergency.
Symptoms of a brain bleed may appear suddenly or over time. As the pressure on the brain increases, however, a person suffering from a brain bleed may experience:
- Vomiting
- A headache that becomes more severe
- Drowsiness
- Loss of consciousness
- Confusion
- Slurred speech
- Dizziness
- Paralysis on one side of the body (opposite of the head injury)
As more blood puts pressure on the brain, a person may show signs of seizures, lethargy, and/or unconsciousness.
For older adults, even a mild head injury can cause a brain bleed, particularly if they’re taking a blood-thinning medication. If an older person suffers any type of head trauma, they should be evaluated by a doctor even if they don’t have obvious signs of damage. Anyone who shows more serious signs of a brain bleed, such as a loss of consciousness, a persistent or severe headache, vomiting, weakness, or blurred vision, should seek immediate medical care.
What Should You Do If Your Loved One Suffers a Brain Bleed
If someone that you love experiences a brain bleed, then you should take them to the doctor as soon as possible. This is particularly true for older people, who are at much higher risk of intracranial hemorrhages. Prompt treatment may be able to limit brain damage and reduce the risk of death.
Brain bleeds can be difficult to diagnose, especially when a person isn’t showing symptoms and there isn’t a known head injury. Imaging, such as a CT scan, an MRI, or an angiogram, can be used to look for an intracranial hematoma, a brain aneurysm, and other signs of a brain bleed. Other tests, such as a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) can also be used as part of the diagnostic process.
Small hematomas that don’t produce any symptoms may not need to be removed, but patients should still be watched to ensure that no signs of a more serious issue appear. Otherwise, treatment for a brain bleed usually involves surgery. Depending on the type of hematoma, this may include surgical drainage to remove the excess blood and/or a craniotomy to remove the blood and blood clot.
In addition to treating the bleeding itself, a doctor may put a patient on medications to reduce the likelihood of another hematoma occurring. For example, if a person has high blood pressure, then they may be put on medication to manage that condition. They will also typically offer medication and other support (such as nutrition and fluids) to manage the symptoms of a brain bleed.
How a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Can Help
In some cases, brain bleeds are not preventable. They may be caused by conditions like an arteriovenous malformation or even smoking, drinking, or abusing drugs. However, in situations where a brain bleed was caused by head trauma, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the nursing home where your loved one resided.
Intracranial hemorrhages linked to head trauma may be caused by falls, dropping a patient during a transfer, or by physical assault. In some cases, a brain bleed could have been prevented by proper care and supervision of a patient with a high risk of developing such a condition. A failure to properly monitor nursing home residents and respond appropriately to signs and symptoms of a brain bleed may be a sign of nursing home neglect.
Nursing homes have a responsibility to protect and care for patients. This includes implementing fall protection strategies, ensuring that residents receive proper medical care, and making sure that their residents are free from abuse and neglect. If a nursing home facility fails in these duties, then it can be held financially responsible for any resulting injuries.
Intracranial hemorrhages often cause the death of brain cells, which can lead to serious, long-term disabilities. They are frequently fatal, particularly if the individual does not receive prompt medical attention. An experienced New York nursing home abuse attorney can perform a full investigation to determine the cause of the brain bleed and whether the nursing home responded appropriately to get your loved one the care that they need for their medical emergency.
Through a nursing home abuse lawsuit, you may be able to recover financial compensation for all of the losses associated with the brain bleed. This may include medical bills, future medical treatment, lost wages for family members who took time off of work to care for their loved one, moving expenses, and pain and suffering. In situations where a nursing home resident dies as a result of a brain bleed, the surviving family members may be able to recover money for funeral and burial expenses and other losses through a wrongful death lawsuit.
Suspect Nursing Home Abuse? We Can Help.
While they can have many possible causes, brain bleeds are most often caused by head trauma. If your loved one suffered a brain bleed while residing in a care facility, the nursing home may be legally responsible for their losses. Our law firm can help you get answers – and justice.
Based in White Plains, the Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan represents victims of nursing home abuse and neglect throughout New York. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you only pay a fee if we recover money for you. To learn more or to schedule a free initial consultation with a NY nursing home abuse lawyer, give us a call at 914-220-1086 or fill out our online contact form.
