Some injuries are more serious than others. Lacerations and broken bones often result in a full recovery with proper medical care. Catastrophic injuries, on the other hand, are unlikely to fully resolve even with cutting-edge medical interventions. Individuals who lose a limb or sustain a spinal cord injury may have lifelong medical complications ahead of them.
The same is true for those with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). A moderate to severe TBI causes permanent damage to the structure of the brain. People with brain injuries may have significant lifetime medical expenses to cover. They may require accommodations to continue working or live independently. They may experience a significant reduction in their earning potential.
The sooner people with TBIs receive treatment, the better their chances of preventing the condition from progressing. The following are some of the warning signs that an individual may have injured their brain in a fall, car crash or other incident.
A loss of consciousness
People don’t black out or faint without reason. In a traumatic incident, a loss of consciousness has a strong association with brain injury risk. Individuals who suffer blunt force trauma to the head and those who experience aggressive motions that shake their brains inside their skulls may faint. A loss of consciousness does not have to last a long time. Even a few seconds of unconsciousness can be an indicator of a TBI.
Physical symptoms
TBIs often present minor symptoms that slowly worsen or progress into more alarming symptoms. Frequently, the first warning sign people have of a TBI is a headache. If people experience pain in their heads after a crash that slowly worsens, they may have hurt their brains. Other people may experience profound nausea or vomiting after a car crash. For others, the physical manifestation of a TBI begins with a sense of dizziness. Some people may notice issues with their fine motor function or coordination. Unusual physical symptoms can be a sign that the brain may have sustained an injury.
Sensory challenge
Processing sensory information is a crucial brain function. The brain has to coordinate incoming visual information from two eyes and determine the likely source of unusual noises. People with brain injuries might hear ringing in their ears or experience blurry vision. Some people notice changes in their sense of taste and smell. Slurred speech or difficulty communicating are also common symptoms of TBIs.
Recognizing potential warning signs of a brain injury can help people get the medical support and financial compensation they deserve. Brain injuries can be very expensive and this may make litigation necessary after an individual sustains an injury caused by another’s negligence or intentional conduct.