Intracerebral Hemorrhage Recovery

Intracerebral Hemorrhages (ICH), also known as brain bleeds, happen when blood vessels burst within the brain. Blood clots form, putting pressure on the brain, decreasing blood flow, and causing a lack of oxygen, which can cause severe damage. 

This is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention to treat and minimize damage to the patient. Unfortunately, even with proper care, it can result in tragic, lifelong complications.

If you sustained an injury due to someone else’s negligence that caused an intracerebral hemorrhage, you may be eligible for financial support. Work with the experienced traumatic brain injury attorneys at the Brain Injury Law Center to evaluate your situation and start building evidence for a solid case. Get started today by calling (757) 244-7000 or contacting us online for a free case evaluation.

What Is a Brain Bleed or Intracerebral Hemorrhage?

The brain needs a constant supply of oxygen and other nutrients, which it receives through a series of blood vessels. 

When a brain bleed occurs, the blood can pool within the head and brain, causing pressure against blood vessels and cutting off the flow to the brain tissue and cells. Within three to four minutes of no oxygen, brain cells start dying, which is why brain bleeds are so life-threatening.

Brain bleeds are also called intracerebral hemorrhages, referring to the specific type of brain bleeds within the brain tissue. Intracerebral hemorrhages occur most often after falls or traumatic injuries. 

If you have sustained a brain bleed in a fall or other serious incident due to someone else’s negligence, we can help you evaluate your case and start building your claim.

Symptoms of Intracerebral Hemorrhages

If you have sustained an injury to your head, you should see a medical professional to get checked out for any unseen injuries. 

Some signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injuries, like intracerebral hemorrhages, are hard to self-diagnose, and there is a high risk involved in ignoring a head injury, as damage can happen quickly. For intracerebral hemorrhages, lethargy and drowsiness can be one of the first signs before a patient slips into a coma or unconscious state. 

Other signs and symptoms of intracerebral hemorrhages can include:

• Sudden, severe headaches with no apparent cause
• Tingling, numbness, weakness, or complete paralysis of your face, arm, or leg, especially just on one side of the body
• Blurred vision
• Loss of balance, coordination issues, or impaired judgment
• Dizziness, nausea, and vomiting
• Verbal confusion, difficulty speaking, or slurred speech
• Fluctuating and abnormal heart rate
• Possible seizures

If you have sustained an open head injury or a closed, invisible injury in a slip-and-fall or other personal injury, make sure that you get checked out right away to get the care you need. 

Recovering from an intracerebral hemorrhage can be very expensive. These injuries can prevent you from working, and with medical bills quickly adding up, you may find yourself in dire need of financial support.

 

Working with the dedicated attorneys at the Brain Injury Law Center can help you get your rightful settlement, so you and your family will recover financially while you focus on recovering physically. Reach out to us online or call (757) 244-7000 to learn how we can help you.

Causes and Risk Factors of Intracerebral Hemorrhages

Intracerebral hemorrhages can be caused by a variety of issues that damage blood vessels in your brain and cause them to bleed. This can be a traumatic head injury due to:

• A Slip-and-fall incident
• A Car accident
• On-the-job injuries

Other preexisting conditions or abnormalities can contribute to a brain bleed as well, such as 

• Brain cancer
• Different types of traumatic brain injuries, like coup and contrecoup injuries
• Cerebral aneurysms

You may also hear intracerebral hemorrhages referred to as strokes, as strokes are a larger category of medical diagnoses that include any type of blood flow loss to the brain. 

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the risk of a stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage increases with age, being more common in adults over the age of 65. However, a variety of risk factors can also contribute, like 

• High blood pressure
• Tobacco use
• Bleeding conditions
• Pregnancy
• Alcohol use

Receiving consistent medical checkups and care can help prevent brain bleeds by monitoring and possibly minimizing risk factors like these.

Recovery After Brain Hemorrhage

Not only does timely medical attention help establish the connection between your injuries and the incident, but it can make a big difference in your path to recovery.

Intracerebral hemorrhage recovery can vary greatly depending on how soon you receive medical treatment and what procedures are needed to reduce brain damage and improve recovery time. 

With all different types of acquired brain injuries, recovery time can vary greatly and can be influenced by the patient’s other health factors as well. Long-term brain bleed recovery goals attempt to allow the patient to resume their everyday activities while preventing future issues. 

Recovery can include: 

• Intracerebral hemorrhage medical procedures
• Ongoing physical therapy for any movement issues or paralysis
• Speech therapy
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy

In recent years, we have seen an overall rise in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) death rates, but working towards recovery should always be the goal.

Intracerebral Hemorrhage Medical Procedure

When you receive emergency medical care with symptoms of a stroke or brain bleed, your doctors will perform a variety of tests and scans, as well as take your personal and family history into account to evaluate risk factors. 

Diagnosis of an intracerebral hemorrhage can include X-rays, CT Scans, MRIs, CBC tests, and other various types of clinical assessments. Treatment will then depend on the amount of bleeding and blood that is collecting in the brain, causing damage. Receiving treatment as soon as possible can help reduce brain damage.

Various medical treatments are used for brain bleeds, including surgery and/or medications. These treatments can include:

• Anti-anxiety or blood pressure medications for treating underlying causes
• Pain relievers, steroids, and antiseizure medications to prevent further complications 
• Surgeries such as decompression, craniectomy, and craniotomy
• Arteriovenous malformation surgery to remove a blood clot
• Ventilator treatment to provide supplemental oxygen
• Intravenous fluids and nutrients or feeding tubes to supplement during recovery

Intracerebral Hemorrhage Survival Rate

About one out of every six people will experience a stroke in their lifetime, and an intracerebral hemorrhage is the most severe type of stroke. It accounts for roughly 15% of all stroke cases, and overall, the mortality rate from it is high. 

Depending on a patient’s risk factors, including age, smoking, and overall health, the long-term survival rate after intracerebral hemorrhage in the past year is estimated at 46% and in the past five years at 29%.

Because intracerebral hemorrhages are so life-threatening, when they occur due to someone else’s negligence, it is even more important to fight for your legal rights. 

A settlement can help your family regain financial stability, and it can make an example of the person or organization whose act of negligence caused the injuries. It is important to hold negligent parties liable for these terrible injuries.

Cerebral Hemorrhage Recovery Time

Brain injuries take time to recover, and all too often, a full recovery is not possible. Cerebral hemorrhage recovery time will significantly depend on the amount of damage that was sustained and how quickly treatment was begun, as well as the age of the patient. Younger patients typically have a significantly better chance at recovery due to the minimized risk factors they often present.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the majority of recovery typically happens within the first six months of a brain bleed. Gradual improvements may continue for up to two years, especially if the patient continues with physical and occupational therapies. 

As with recovery from any significant health issue, getting enough rest, taking things slow, avoiding overexertion, and checking with your healthcare team before starting any new activities are vital. 

Work with the Brain Injury Law Center for Your Intracerebral Hemorrhage Recovery

If you or a loved one was injured due to someone else’s negligence and that injury caused an intracerebral hemorrhage, you may be eligible to receive compensation. Our team has decades of experience working with brain injury cases and can help you craft a solid case on your behalf. 

We have recovered millions for our clients who have sustained brain injuries, including a $60 million jury award to a man who suffered a brain injury in a train derailment accident. 

Unlike other law firms that handle personal injury cases, our team of experienced attorneys focuses on brain injuries. We are dedicated to helping survivors of brain injuries and their families recover compensation to alleviate the stress and complications that medical bills can represent.

Contact our office today for a free case review, or call (757) 244-7000 to speak with our team of brain injury attorneys to receive the support and advocacy you need.

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