Brain injuries can be traumatic, not just due to the physical trauma to the brain, but the emotional and financial stress that accompanies such an incident can be traumatic, as well. Brain injuries range in severity; some are easy to recover from while others are not. Less severe injuries include concussions, while more severe injuries include comas. Luckily, the majority of brain injuries are of the less severe variety. In the United States, approximately 1.7 million people get a brain injury each year. 50,000 of those individuals will die from the injury and 80,000 will experience permanent disabilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the most common cause of brain injury is falling followed by motor vehicle accidents. Other causes of brain injury include being struck by a moving object, violent attacks, military combat, and sports injuries.
A brain injury occurs when there is an impact to the head or when an object penetrates the brain, such as a bullet or shrapnel. A brain injury occurs when the brain hits against the skull or is cut by an object leading to bleeding, swelling, or tearing in the brain. When the brain hits the skull, blood vessels are torn and bleed. This causes the skull to fill with blood, which can hinder brain functioning by putting pressure on brain tissue. Swelling injures the brain similarly by putting pressure on the brain and damaging brain cells. Tearing can occur if the brain moves violently inside the skull and can harm critical neural connections.
If you are wondering if you or a loved one sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI), it is important to know what to look for. The symptoms of a brain injury vary depending on the severity.
Mild TBI symptoms:
Unconsciousness lasting a few seconds to a few minutes or maintained consciousness with feelings of being dazed or confused,
Cognitive impairments in motor functioning, memory, and communication abilities,
Vomiting or feeling nauseous,
Headaches and feeling dizzy,
Trouble sleeping or sleeping more than normal,
Exhaustion,
Blurred vision, ears ringing, sensitivity to light,
Mood swings, feelings of depression and anxiety.
Moderate to severe TBI symptoms (can include any of the mild symptoms as well):
Unconsciousness lasting several minutes to hours,
Continuous or worsening headache,
Persistent nausea or vomiting,
Seizures,
Dilated pupils,
Severe confusion,
Behavior changes including agitation,
Slurred speech.
Children and infants are not able to communicate their symptoms in the same way as adults. Symptoms in young children include inconsolable crying, abnormal irritability or sadness, lack of interest in toys as well as changes in eating habits, attention, and sleep.
If you or a loved one has experienced an impact to the head, it is important to seek medical attention. Even a mild brain injury can be serious. It is also important to seek legal help if you were injured by another person’s carelessness.
Contact Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC
The experienced Atlanta metro area attorneys at Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC know that the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury is arduous, painful, and stressful. We can help you with your personal injury claim to help relieve the burdens TBI can cause. Contact us today for a free consultation.