Traumatic brain injuries, also called TBIs, can have devastating consequences. Possible side effects include memory loss, seizures, and temporary or permanent brain damage. Because the ramifications are so serious, it is crucial that you know how to recognize the signs of a traumatic brain injury in the event that someone you love should ever suffer a serious head wound.
Learn more about traumatic brain injuries and make sure you know what you need to about potential causes and symptoms.
Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Any serious blow to the head can cause a traumatic brain injury. Some of the most common causes include car accidents, slip and fall incidents, acts of violence, and work-related accidents. For example, someone might trip over a loose cord, hit their head on the pavement, and suffer a TBI, or a damaging act of domestic violence may result in serious head wounds. Additionally, children can suffer traumatic brain injuries during the birthing process if the doctor or midwife does not handle the newborn correctly.
Common Symptoms
If you notice someone has just suffered a sudden impact to the head, keep an eye on them. Sometimes head injuries can make the injured person feel dazed, confused, disoriented, and they may even suffer immediate memory loss. For these reasons, and more, you should always monitor someone with a head injury, however minor it might be. Even mild concussions can be serious and are worth a doctor’s visit. Most traumatic brain injuries, however, are quite a bit more serious than minor concussions.
Common symptoms of a traumatic brain injury include:
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Troubled vision
- Memory loss
- Lack of concentration
- Poor sleep
- Dizziness
- Irritability and mood swings
- Depression
- Nausea
- Loss of smell
- Sensitivity to light and sounds
- Confusion
In very serious cases, the injured person might also experience seizures, convulsions, clear fluids draining from the nose or ears, weakness in the fingers and toes, and loss of consciousness.
After a TBI
The effects of a TBI can be extremely devastating, which is why the afflicted person should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Some of the potential effects may only be temporary, but some may be long-lasting or even permanent. In severe cases, a traumatic brain injury could put a person into a coma or cause brain death. The injured person might also develop seizures, either immediately after the injury or in the years to come. Fluid buildup in the brain may also cause brain swelling, or the brain injury could lead to severe infections, blood vessel damage, vertigo, and chronic headaches.
If you or someone you love has suffered a head injury because of the negligence or carelessness of someone else, make sure you act fast. First, you need to seek medical attention, even if you think the injury is minor. Some symptoms may remain dormant for a short period of time, and it is always better to be safe than sorry. Once you’ve handled the medical side of things, make sure you contact a personal injury attorney to find out if you have a case.
Contact the Law Offices of Vic Feazell, P.C. today to get started.