California girl collapses with brain aneurysm

A California teenager collapsed with a brain aneurysm while playing softball in May 2015, and her friends and family are hoping to raise awareness of the condition. A brain aneurysm occurs when a brain artery weakens and ruptures. This can lead to a brain injury, a stroke or death. According to reports, the girl told her coach she felt dizzy before she collapsed.

It is rare for children or teenagers to have aneurysms, and they are most common for people between the ages of 35 and 60. Generally, people whose aneurysms rupture first have a severe headache followed by unconsciousness. Aneurysms are fatal in about 40 percent of cases. The degree of damage to the brain and the amount of bleeding that has occurred when the person arrives at the hospital can usually be a good indicator of how likely the victim is to survive.

Medical professionals do not know exactly why aneurysms occur. In some cases, they are hereditary. They may also be related to smoking. They generally do not rupture even as a result of head trauma although they do sometimes occur if the brain is pierced.

If untreated because of a health care practitioner’s failure to diagnose the condition, a brain aneurysm can result in significant and life-altering consequences to a victim. The costs of the medical care and treatment that may be required in the future can be prohibitive, and in many cases the victim will be unable to obtain gainful employment, causing even more financial hardship. A medical malpractice attorney might examine the medical records of a patient who has been damaged in such a manner to determine whether a lawsuit based upon medical negligence should be brought against the responsible party.