Brain Injury
Over 1.4 million Americans experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year. Trauma is the leading cause of death in the
Moderate TBI can cause substantial lifetime impairments of cognitive, visual, motor, emotional, social, sexual or vocational functioning with ongoing need for home assistance, job assistance and therapy.
Mild TBI causes headache, fatigue, distractibility and problems with memory, speed of information processing, planning, organization and task execution associated with anxiety, depression, irritability, and loss of confidence.
Many of these TBIs result from low speed, low impact accidents. Accidents result from motor vehicles, sport-related, work-related, and construction accidents. Any trauma or jolt to the head or neck can cause the brain to bruise, bleed, tear, or swell.
TBI is a complex injury with a broad spectrum of symptoms and disabilities, and can have a devastating impact on an injured person and his or her family. TBI has many long-term effects such as memory loss, sensory loss, decreased muscle control, and personality changes. It can impact everything from mobility to ability to participate in activities of daily living. It can also cause epilepsy and increase the risk for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other brain disorders that become more prevalent with age.
Brain injuries may result in:
- Paralysis
- Loss of voluntary or involuntary motor functions
- Loss of reasoning and thinking abilities
- Memory loss
- Sensory loss such as sight, speech or hearing
- Emotional disabilities including depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, etc.
TBI has other effects such as medical costs, loss of wages and a rise in the cost of health care.
Unlike an open brain injury which happens when the skull is fractured, a closed injury does not involve a fracture, but can be more serious than an open injury due to the possibility of brain swelling and the formation of dangerous blood clots inside the skull.
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of a TBI can be subtle, especially when there are no fractures. Here are some symptoms to look for:
· Confusion and difficulty remembering recent events
· Unusual fatigue, tiredness or sluggishness
· Nausea and dizziness
· Severe headache
· Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
Symptoms of a TBI may not appear until days or weeks following the injury. Whether you have these symptoms or not, you should immediately seek medical attention if you have the slightest suspicion that you may have brain injury.
Traumatic brain injury victims face a long period of physical and emotional recovery. If you or a loved one suffered a brain injury in an accident due to someone else's negligence, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Victims and their families may also be able to file a claim against hospitals, HMOs or physicians if it can be determined that a brain injury resulted from improper and negligent medical procedures or that a brain or head injury was present, but not diagnosed.
Mashney Law Office is ready to help you. Please call us at (800) 555-6655 or submit an online case evaluation. This is a FREE CONSULTATION. If we take your case, you will not have to pay money upfront. We get paid after and only if you get paid. Please call now since the passage of time may damage your rights to receive compensation.
