PMJF Blog

Brain Injury

Every 23 seconds one person in the United States sustains a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury).

Every 23 seconds that person could be you or someone you love or depend on.  A TBI can be one of the most serious and life-changing injuries imaginable. TBI or  “Traumatic Brain Injury” has been defined as an insult to the brain, not of a degenerative or congenial nature, caused by an outside/external physical force, which results in an impairment of cognitive abilities or physical functioning.  TBI can also result in the disturbance of behavioral or emotional functioning.  These impairments may be either temporary or permanent and cause partial or total functional disability or psychological maladjustment.  The most common unmet problems include difficulty with:

  • improving memory and problem solving
  • managing stress and emotional upset
  • temper control or anger management
  • improving job skills

Symptoms of TBI often include the following:

  • spinal fluid discharge from the ears or nose
  • loss of consciousness (however this may not always occur in concussion cases)
  • dilated or unequal pupil size
  • vision changes such as blurred or double vision
  • bright light sensitivity or intolerance
  • loss of eye movement, temporary or permanent blindness
  • dizziness, balance problems
  • respiratory failure or stress
  • coma
  • paralysis
  • difficulty moving or controlling body parts, weakness, poor or faulty coordination
  • slow or depressed breathing, with an increase in blood pressure
  • vomiting
  • lethargy
  • headache
  • confusion
  • ringing in ears or change in ability to hear
  • difficulty with thinking or cognitive skills
  • inappropriate and emotional responses (irritabilit, easily frustrated, inappropriate crying or laughing or other emotional outbursts)
  • difficulty speaking, slurred speech
  • difficulty swallowing
  • body numbness, tingling
  • loss of bowel or bladder control, incontinence

CONCUSSION is the most common type of brain injury.  A concussion is caused when the brain receives trauma from an impact or sudden momentum or movement change.  The blood vessels in the brain may stretch and cranial nerves may be damaged.  A concussion may or may not show up on a CAT scan.

When a brain injury occurs different areas of the brain can be affected and diverse symptoms are possible.

Approximately 1.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year in the United States.  Of those 1.4 million people approximately 50,000 die, 235,000 are hospitalized and 1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department.  The main cause of TBI’s are falls and motor vehicle accidents.  Additionally, blasts are a leading cause of TBI’s for active duty military personnel in war zones.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 3.17 million Americans currently have a long-term need for assistance in order to perform activities of daily living as a result of a TBI.  For more information go to www.biausa.org (Brain Injury Association); www.cdc.gov (Center for Disease Control); www.dvbic.org (Defense and Veteran’s Brain Injury Center); www.hrsa.gov (Health Resource Service Association).

If you believe you have suffered a TBI please consult a qualified physician immediately.  If your injury was the result of the acts or negligence of some other person then you should seek legal advice from an experienced and knowledgeable attorney as soon as you are able.  Our attorneys have experience with brain injury cases and know how to meet the demands of these often complex and emotionally challenging cases.

If you have been injured or in an accident and have suffered or believe you have suffered a brain injury or TBI please Contact our office at (434) 821-5022 for a

FREE CONSULTATION.

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