New Brain Injury Blood Test Could Save Lives

Let’s say you have a traumatic brain injury. Maybe it was caused by a car accident, medical malpractice, a slip and fall accident, or some other type of injury. If you’re filing a lawsuit to seek compensation for medical costs related to the injury, the defense is going to do every single thing they can to delegitimize your claim. They will try to claim that something else caused your injury, or that you’re not even injured that badly. You need to prove that you’ve been injured, and a new blood test could be the solution.

Can This Blood Test Detect a TBI?

Thanks to the funding from the U.S. Department of Defense and the United States Army, what is now known as the Brain Trauma Indicator (BTI) goes into effect with a meticulous and specialized process. The test is designed to detect two particular protein markers: UCH-L1 and GFAP, two chemicals at elevated levels for up to 12 hours after any head injury severe enough to cause bleeding in the brain.

This would then constitute definitively a traumatic brain injury simply on the basis of these two chemicals. How does this it work? Generally speaking, when the brain bleeds, large clots clutter as hematoma in and all over the organ, shifting position and causing fatal damage. However, a victim never notices it, and a physician can’t even detect it, until it’s too late.

Traditional methods were not 100 percent conclusive, which included everything from visual examination to questioning. The problem with these tests is that some victims of traumatic brain injuries can pass them without showing signs of a brain injury.

Faster Detection Could Save Lives

More importantly, this blood indicator may go beyond providing some justice for the victim; it could also save the victim’s life. With the test, physicians could discover potential traumatic brain injuries before they become fatal. Doctors could perform surgeries sooner and remove the blood clots that put pressure on the brain. Ultimately this benefits both parties while streamlining the legal process.

Additionally, CT scans could become a thing of the past, eliminating the danger of radiation to the brain as a simple blood test can prove exactly what your attorney would want to in a medical malpractice or personal injury lawsuit. Starting off as a method utilized in the military, given that the FDA has approved its use commercially, this can change the percentage of TBI cases once classified as concussions.

If You Have a Case That Could Involve a Traumatic Brain Injury…

It’s always best to consult an attorney now more than ever. Having an experienced attorney on your side could make the difference between a winning and losing case.