A traumatic brain injury, often shortened to TBI, is an injury to the brain that is caused by an outside force. A sharp blow to the head, a forceful jolt to the body or an object piercing the skull can cause a TBI.
Common Injuries & Accidents that Can Cause TBIs
Traumatic brain injuries can result from a wide range of accidents including:
- Falls: one of the leading causes of TBIs, especially in older adults and young children
- Auto Accidents: including bicycle and pedestrian accidents, car accidents, semi-truck and motorcycle accidents.
- Workplace Injuries: from falling objects, equipment accidents and falls from heights
- Recreational & Sports Injuries: high-impact sports such as football, hockey and even skateboarding
- Medical Malpractice: oxygen deprivation, anesthesia overdose and other forms of negligence
- Violence & Assaults: gunshot wounds, physical assaults, domestic violence and shaken baby syndrome
While not every bump or blow results in a TBI, it’s still important to see a doctor following an accident or a fall because injuries are not always immediately apparent. Additionally, you may want to reach out to an injury and accident lawyer.
At Brazil Sweeney Law Group, we represent injured people and their families throughout St. Paul, Minneapolis and Greater Minnesota. Our personal injury lawyers have extensive experience handling a variety of accident and injury cases involving severe head and traumatic brain injuries and can advise you on the right steps to take to protect your rights to compensation if your injuries emerge later.
Common Symptoms of TBIs
Brain injuries are not always obvious. Sometimes, a brain injury does not become apparent until long after the accident took place, which means it can be overlooked but there are physical, cognitive and emotional side effects and symptoms you can watch for.
Physical Side Effects
- Headaches: either frequent or persistent head pain that gets worse over time
- Dizziness: having difficulty balancing, feeling lightheaded or experiencing vertigo
- Coordination: weakness, numbness or decreased coordination
- Fatigue: extreme drowsiness or an inability to wake up
- Sensory Changes: blurred vision, slurred speech, ringing in your ears (tinnitus) or bothered by light or noise
- Nausea: vomiting (early on or repeatedly) or feeling sick to your stomach
- Pupils: unequally sized or double vision
- Convulsions: seizures, shaking or twitching
Cognitive Side Effects
- Confusion: feeling disorientation or having trouble recognizing people or places
- Memory & Concentration: having trouble focusing, or experiencing short- or long-term memory loss
- Thinking Slowly: feeling slowed down, foggy or groggy
- Communication Issues: having difficulty finding the right words or following conversations, answering questions slowly
Emotional & Behavioral Changes
- Irritability: easily angered, frustrated or impatient
- Mood Swings: feeling more emotional or sudden shifts in emotion
- Anxiety or Depression: feeling sad, anxious, nervous or depressed
- Impulsivity: make quick decisions, jumping to conclusions or acting without thinking through consequences
- Sleep Changes: either insomnia or hypersomnia, having trouble falling asleep, sleeping much less, or sleeping much more than usual
Symptoms in Children
Young children and infants aren’t always able to communication and symptoms may present differently. Following an accident or fall, watch children closely for:
- Changes in eating or nursing habits
- Unusual or easy irritability
- Persistent crying or an inability to be consoled
- Changes in ability to pay attention
- Changes in sleep habits
- Seizures
- Sad or depressed mood
- Drowsiness
- Loss of interest in favorite toys or activities
Contact Brazil Sweeney Law Group After a Head Injury
The attorneys you hire can make all the difference in whether or not you win your case. At Brazil Sweeney Law Group, we fight tirelessly on behalf of our clients because we understand how seriously traumatic brain injuries affect victims and entire families. Call now for a free, no-obligation case review and let us get to work for you. You don’t pay unless we win.