Brain Injury Lawyer
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is exactly that: an injury to your brain caused by a sudden trauma to your head, such as when it violently hits a hard object or a hard object hits it or pierces your skull and enters your brain.
Falls and motor vehicle accidents are by far the leading causes of TBIs, as a brain injury lawyer. Other major causes include sports injuries, such as the concussions football players sustain when their head hits the ground after a particularly vicious tackle, and gunshot wounds to the head.
TBI Symptoms
One of the main problems with TBIs is that no two injuries are the same. As a corollary, you could show immediate symptoms or your symptoms could take weeks to surface. This is why obtaining immediate medical assessment and testing is so crucial whenever you hurt your head, even if you think you have suffered only a minor bump.
Whenever your symptoms appear, they likely will include one or more of the following:
- Vision problems
- Hearing problems
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Balance problems
- Coordination problems
- Mobility problems
- Speech problems
- Cognitive problems
- Emotional problems, such as depression, anxiety, irritability, anger, etc.
- Behavioral problems
- Persistent headaches
- Continuing bouts of nausea and vomiting
- Seizures
- Hydrocephalus (buildup of fluid in your brain)
- Brain hematomas (ruptured blood vessels)
- Brain contusions (bruising)
- Disrupted sleep patterns
- Organ failure
Treatment
Nothing can undo the initial damage a traumatic brain injury causes. Consequently, treatment focuses on stabilizing you, mitigating the initial damage and making sure it doesn’t become worse due to reinjuring yourself.
Depending on the nature and severity of your TBI, you can expect to undergo a relatively extensive hospitalization, including possible surgery, and a lengthy course of post-discharge rehabilitation and physical, occupational and recreational therapy to teach you how to cope with your disability and live the fullest life possible.
Prognosis
Unfortunately, a TBI can have lifelong consequences. A severe TBI could disable you, making it impossible for you to work and therefore earn a living. In a worst case scenario, you could become an invalid, requiring help from others to perform your necessary daily activities, such as eating, dressing and bathing or showering.
In addition, sustaining a TBI puts you at higher risk for subsequently developing Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
All in all, a TBI represents one of the most traumatic and life-changing injuries you can receive. Therefore, prevention becomes paramount. For instance, always wear a proper helmet when riding your bicycle or motorcycle. If you or your child plays football, make sure your, his or her head is protected with a properly designed and well-fitting helmet. To learn more about filing a brain injury lawsuit, contact a top lawyer you can trust now.
