The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health concern in the United States. Every year various forms of traumatic brain injuries contribute to a significant number of deaths and cases of permanent disability. What is a traumatic brain injury? A TBI can be caused by a bump or a sudden blow to the head, or it can involve a penetrating head injury where an object penetrates through the skull, disrupting the normal function of the brain.
TBIs vary widely with symptoms ranging from mild, to a brief change in consciousness, to an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia, and in worst cases death. Traumatic brain injuries are a major cause of disability and death worldwide, specifically for children or young adults. In addition to the head injury that occurs on impact, the victim can also experience a secondary injury within minutes or days following the initial injury. These secondary processes include alterations in the cerebral blood flow and pressure in the skull, both of which contribute significantly to the damage caused by the original injury.
The brain is a very sensitive organ and when it is injured the victim can suffer from a host of physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral problems. The outcome for a brain injury can range from complete recovery to permanent disability or death. While some injuries may require minimal interventions and heal on their own, serious TBIs may require medications, emergency surgery, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, vision therapy and more for rehabilitation.
With a mild TBI the victim may remain conscious or they may lose consciousness for a few seconds to a few minutes. Other common symptoms include headache, vomiting, nausea, lack of motor coordination, dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue, and changes in sleep patterns. A person can also be affected emotionally, they may suffer from behavioral or mood changes, confusion, memory and concentration problems. They may also experience persistent headaches, nausea, repeated vomiting, convulsions, slurred speech, loss of coordination, agitation and more.
TBIs can have serious, if not life-altering effects for accident victims, some of which may change the victim's quality of life permanently. If you have suffered a TBI as a result of a car accident, or any other accident, we urge you to contact a Frederick personal injury attorney from The Law Office of John R. Discavage, P.A. to file a claim for compensation.