DEFINITION

"Traumatic brain injury" means a partial or total disability caused by injury to the central
nervous system from physical trauma, damage to the central nervous system from
anoxia, hypoxic episodes, allergic conditions, toxic substances, or other acute medical
clinical incidents resulting in impaired cognitive abilities or impaired physical functioning.

Statute Definition of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) KRS 211.470 (3)

The term applies to open or closes head injuries resulting in impairmet in one or more
areas such as cognition; language; memory attention; rasoning; abstract thinking;
judgement; problem solving; sensory pereptual and motor abilities; psychosocial
behaviour physical function; information processing and speech

Federal register, section 300.7. page 12422

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or penetrating
head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain.
CDC definition –

TBI is defined:
1) as an alteration in brain function, or other evidence of brain pathology, caused by an
external force, manifested by 1 of the following clinical signs:
Loss of consciousness (LOC)
Alteration of consciousness (AOC) –dazed, disoriented, confused
Posttraumatic amnesia (PTA)
Focal neurologic deficit – may or may not be transient
2) or other evidence of brain pathology – e.g., on brain imaging

American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine definition (2010)-

Traumatic brain injury is an insult to the brain, not of degenerative or congenital nature
caused by an external physical force that may produce a diminished or altered state of
consciousness which result in an impairement of cognitive abilities or physical
functioning. It can also result in the disturbance of behavioral or emotional functioning.

TBI is defined as “brain damage resulting from external forces, as a consequence of

direct impact, rapid acceleration or deceleration, a penetrating object or blast waves from
an explosion.”
The term head injury is often substituted for TBI, but it is broader because it may include
injuries to the face and scalp, such as lacerations and abrasions, which may occur
without underlying brain trauma.