---
title: O.C.G.A. § 31-18-2. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 31-18-2
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 31-18-2 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-18-2
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-18-2.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-18-2/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t31-(v23)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=da7ded69_0#page=845
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-18.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-18-1.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-18-3.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: HEALTH / REGISTRY FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD INJURIES
extraction_warnings:
  - dehyphenation_unverified:cranio-cerebral
---

# O.C.G.A. § 31-18-2. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the term:

(1) “Brain injury” means a traumatic injury to the brain (craniocerebral head trauma), not of a degenerative or congenital nature, but arising from blunt or penetrating trauma or from acceleration-deceleration forces, that is associated with any of these symptoms or signs attributed to the injury: decreased level of consciousness, amnesia, other neurologic or neuropsychologic abnormalities, skull fracture, or diagnosed intracranial lesions. These impairments may be either temporary or permanent and can result in a partial or total functional disability.

(2) “Spinal cord injury” means a traumatic injury to the spinal cord, not of a degenerative or congenital nature, but arising from blunt or penetrating trauma or from acceleration-deceleration forces, resulting in paraplegia or quadriplegia, which can be a partial or total loss of physical function.

## History

Code 1933, § 88-3402, enacted by Ga. L. 1980, p. 1245, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 871, § 1; Ga. L. 2006, p. 175, § 1/SB 208.