The Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) usually occur after a violent blow to the head or a forceful jolt. Violent crime can also cause traumatic brain injuries, such as knife or gunshot wounds. If you have been injured in an accident, you may not automatically realize that you have symptoms of a brain injury. It is essential to speak to a medical professional as soon as possible. A doctor can evaluate you and run diagnostic tests if you show signs of a brain injury.

Moderate to severe brain injuries can have permanent effects as some symptoms do not show up for days or months after the accident. Suppose you have been involved in a car accident, truck accident, pedestrian accident, or any other type of personal injury accident or assault. In that case, speaking to a doctor and a personal injury attorney is important. Doing so can help you receive medical attention and protect your legal rights.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) categorizes brain injury symptoms into the following categories:

• Sleep
• Emotional/mood
• Physical
• Thinking/remembering

After being involved in a serious accident, paying close attention to any changes in these categories is always important. It can take hours or even days for all of the symptoms of a brain injury to become apparent. If you notice any signs of a brain injury, you should receive medical treatment as soon as possible. A doctor will be able to evaluate you and determine whether you have a brain injury. Your doctor can also classify your brain injury as mild, moderate, or severe.

Mild concussions happen frequently. A person may trip over a shoe in their house and bump their head, suffering a mild concussion. A person may seem okay at first after bumping their head, but they could end up experiencing symptoms. Medical knowledge used to tell us that as long as a person did not black out, they were okay and did not suffer any type of brain injury.

However, we now know that this is not always the case. Even if you did not black out, you could still have injured your brain and be suffering from a concussion or more serious brain injury. Some of the signs of a mild brain injury include the following:

• Ringing in the ears
• Headaches
• Drowsiness
• Speech issues
• Trouble sleeping
• Sleeping too much
• Drowsiness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Loss of consciousness for a few seconds to a few minutes
• Sensitivity to lighter sound
• Blurred vision
• Feelings of anxiety or depression
• Mood swings
• Trouble remembering or concentrating

Moderate to severe brain injuries can be more obvious, but the symptoms may not always be linked to a brain injury. For example, if a person has been seriously entered in a car accident, they may be suffering bone fractures, bruises, contusions, and other injuries that cause pain. They may experience a headache and think that it's because of the trauma or their other injuries and not a concussion or more serious brain injury.

Car accidents and falls are the leading causes of brain injuries, so it is important to see a doctor even if you do not think you have a brain injury. A doctor can help you rule out a brain injury. It is important to understand that a person with a severe brain injury can also have mild symptoms. For example, within hours or days after the accident that caused the victim's injuries, the victim could experience the following symptoms:

• Headaches that stay or worsen
• Seizures or convulsions
• Loss of coordination
• Loss of consciousness for several minutes to many hours
• Pupil dilation
• Recurring nausea or vomiting
• Clear fluid draining from the nose or ears
• Recurring vomiting or nausea
• Numbness in fingers or toes
• An inability to wake up from sleep
• Severe confusion
• A coma
• Slurred speech
• Agitated or other unusual behavior
• Loss of muscle control
• Inability to organize their thoughts
• Difficulty completing tasks
• Difficulty paying attention
• Difficulty doing activities
• Difficulty planning and having good judgment

Even if a person who suffered a brain injury appears to have recovered, they could still experience issues years later. The problems could take years to develop fully. Any sign of brain injury is a reason to see a doctor immediately.

You should also speak to an attorney about pursuing compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. If you would like to learn more about holding the at-fault party accountable for your brain injury, contact Arnold & Smith, PLLC, to schedule a complimentary case evaluation.