A Brief Overview of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Often referred to as the ‘invisible injury,’ traumatic brain injury (TBI) can completely change your life. It can cause irreversible memory loss, cognitive problems, personality changes, damaged senses, and other problems that affect you at home, work, and in interpersonal relationships. It can even increase your likelihood of developing dementia. When you experience a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s negligence, you can seek compensation in a personal injury action.

What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

TBI results from sudden and damage-causing trauma to the brain. It typically occurs when your head hits an object or something pierces your skull to access your brain. Symptoms, which can take days or even weeks to appear, will vary according to the nature of the injury and the part of the brain that has been affected.
At the milder end of the spectrum, symptoms may only be temporary and include:

• Headache
• Confusion and lethargy
• Problems concentrating
• Ringing in the ears
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Memory problems

When the injury is severe, the resulting bruising, bleeding, and tissue damage can cause:

• Loss of motor coordination
• Seizures or convulsions
• Difficulty speaking
• Aggression and agitation
• Coma
• Death

How Do Traumatic Brain Injuries Occur?

Automobile accidents are one of the most common causes of traumatic brain injury. The high speed of travel, followed by the abrupt stop of the collision, can cause the brain to impact against the skull, causing damage that might not be discernible immediately after the accident. Even if you do not experience a direct blow to the head, the whiplash can cause TBI.

Brain injuries can also be caused by falls, which are a common source of injury for small children and the elderly; physical violence such as punching or shaking (a regrettably common cause of infant brain injuries); contact sports like rugby or football, and recreational activities like skiing, ATVing, and biking.

How Are Traumatic Brain Injuries Diagnosed?

Brain injuries can be diagnosed by the symptoms listed above, but it can often take time for them to manifest, which is why you should seek medical treatment immediately after a suspected injury. Emergency room doctors, neurologists, and neuropsychologists assess the extent of the damage by using diagnostic tools such as X-rays, computer assisted tomography (CAT scans) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs).

Seeking Compensation for Traumatic Brain Injuries

If you suffer a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s misconduct, you can seek compensation and recover damages for medical and rehabilitative costs, lost wages, loss of earning ability, and pain and suffering. For assistance in obtaining the award or settlement you are entitled to, call the Sharp Firm for a free consultation. We will help you secure the evidence that confirms the cause of the accident, the identify of the parties responsible, and the extent of your injury, so that you maximize your chance of receiving full and fair compensation.

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