Most people are familiar with the concept of a concussion. A concussion is a mild form of traumatic brain injury (TBI), which the U.S. government’s MedlinePlus defines as “a sudden injury that causes damage to the brain.”
Although the symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, many people who experience traumatic brain injuries suffer long-term effects and serious disabilities. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke:
“Some common disabilities include problems with cognition (thinking, memory, and reasoning), sensory processing (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell), communication (expression and understanding), and behavior or mental health (depression, anxiety, personality changes, aggression, acting out, and social inappropriateness).”
Traumatic brain injuries can be closed (a blow, bump, or jolt to the head) or open (when an object penetrates the skull), but all TBIs come with alarming symptoms.
Symptoms may include a headache, confusion, and brief loss of consciousness, or more serious problems like behavioral changes, coma, and even death.
Although some people heal from minor TBIs, the effects of moderate or severe TBIs can last much longer. Approximately half of severely head-injured patients need surgery, and some suffer stupor, coma, and vegetative state.
What Causes Traumatic Brain Injuries?
The leading causes of closed head injuries include falls, blast injuries (from explosions), and car, truck, and motorcycle accidents. Open head injuries are usually caused by bullets or shrapnel, weapons like hammers, knives, and baseball bats, and bone fragments that penetrate the skull.
Unfortunately, accidents and intentional abuse are both common causes of traumatic brain injuries, and child abuse is the most common cause of head injuries for children under 4.
What Treatments Are Available for People with Traumatic Brain Injuries?
After a head injury, you should get medical attention as soon as possible. Although doctors cannot do much to reverse the initial brain damage, stabilizing the injury can prevent further damage. Doctors can help you get enough oxygen to your brain and the rest of your body and stabilize your blood flow and blood pressure. You may also need surgery to remove or repair ruptured blood vessels (hematomas) or bruised brain tissue (contusions).
If you suffer behavioral or mood changes or other long-term neurological effects, you may also need mental health services in addition to physical treatments and therapies.
These services do not come for free, which is why many people who suffer traumatic brain injuries choose to file catastrophic injury lawsuits.
A successful settlement or verdict can help you access the care and resources you need and help you cope with the financial fall out of a TBI.
If you need help getting the compensation you deserve, look no further than the Law Offices of Charles R. Gueli. We are available 24/7 to listen to your problems and help you find solutions, and you will pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
For personalized attention with more than 2 decades of legal experience, call us at (516) 628-6402 or schedule your free consultation online.