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Personal Injury / 4.30.2020

What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can change a victim’s life in an instant. Often, TBI victims require extensive treatment, and it is rare for them to return to their life exactly as it was before their accident.

Below, our Mississippi personal injury attorneys discuss the common causes and treatments for TBIs.

Traumatic Brain Injuries Explained

A traumatic brain injury occurs after a blow or jolt to the head. In any accident in which the head experiences blunt force trauma, such as a car accident, sports accident, and more, the head experiences sudden acceleration or deceleration while the brain is slower to catch up.

When the brain ultimately does catch up to this sudden movement, it bounces against the inside of the skull, resulting in bruising, bleeding, and injury.

The severity of the blow or jolt to the head will determine whether a TBI is mild, moderate, or severe.

Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries

A TBI is generally considered mild when the victim experiences the following:

  • Loss of consciousness for a few seconds to a few minutes
  • Headache
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Fatigue or drowsiness
  • Difficulty sleeping

Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injuries

A TBI is generally considered moderate to severe when the victim experiences the following:

  • Loss of consciousness from several minutes to hours
  • Persistent headache or headache that worsens
  • Repeated vomiting or nausea
  • Convulsions or seizures
  • Inability to awaken from sleep

“The Invisible Injury”

A TBI is known as an “invisible injury” because of its tendency not to exhibit symptoms until much later. Oftentimes, the warning signs of a TBI go undetected for months or years, even with the use of modern imaging equipment.

This is why it’s important for anyone who has been in an accident where they experienced trauma to the head to visit the doctor, even if they do not notice any symptoms.

The sooner a victim can get a proper diagnosis and treatment, the better their chances of recovery.

Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

TBIs can happen in any situation in which the head and brain experience blunt force trauma. These situations include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Car accidents
  • Truck accidents
  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Sports accidents
  • Assaults

TBIs can also occur as a result of oxygen deprivation, which may happen in the following situations:

  • Near drowning
  • Anesthesia errors
  • Carbon monoxide poisoning
  • Stroke or heart attack

Can a Traumatic Brain Injury Be Cured?

The brain is the most complex system in the human body and, as such, medical practitioners hesitate to assign a recovery date to any injury involving it, including TBIs.

There are, however, several treatments for TBIs to help mitigate their symptoms, including the following:

  • Emergency care. This type of care for moderate to severe TBI victims helps ensure the victim has enough oxygen and adequate blog pressure. It also helps ensure the victim does not receive additional injuries to the head or neck.
  • Medications. Medications may be given to a TBI victim to prevent fluid output, seizures, and more, including diuretics and coma-inducing drugs.
  • Surgery. Surgery may be performed to remove clotted blood or repair skull fractures.
  • Rehabilitation. Many TBI victims visit several specialists to improve their speech, coordination, and movement after their injury. These specialists may include occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, social workers, and more.

It’s important to remember that there is still much unknown about TBIs, and that everyone responds to treatment differently. As such, it’s not unheard of for a moderate to severe TBI victim to experience greater strides in their recovery than a mild TBI victim.

Can You Prevent a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Most accidents happen in a split second, and it’s not always possible to prevent them entirely. There are, however, some measures you can take to reduce your chances of being involved in a serious accident, including the following:

  • When driving, always wear your seatbelt and drive at the posted speed limit.
  • When playing sports, always wear the appropriate safety gear.
  • When walking indoors or outdoors, keep an eye on where you step and watch out for slippery surfaces, broken stairs, dark hallways, and more.

Recovering Damages for a Traumatic Brain Injury

There is no doubt that a TBI can derail a victim’s life for the foreseeable future. Victims may experience mounting costs in medical bills and lost wages.

If you have experienced a TBI, you should not have to foot the bill if someone else’s negligence caused your accident.

With the help of an experienced personal injury attorney, you may be able to recover the following damages from the liable party:

  • Past and future medical bills
  • Past and future lost wages
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of consortium

Suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury? We’re Here to Help

If you suffered a TBI in an accident caused by someone else, our Mississippi personal injury attorneys are here to help.

At Richard Schwartz & Associates Injury Lawyers, P.A., we have the experiences and resources needed to take on large hospitals and insurance companies and get you the compensation you need and deserve.

Our legal team can represent you in cases of TBIs caused by:

We know the physical, emotional, and financial turmoil that TBI victims experience, and we make it our mission to get them back on the right track by holding any and all negligent parties accountable for their actions.

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