Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be caused by many different types of accidents. Its effects can be extremely damaging, sometimes even requiring someone to care for you for the rest of your life. After an instance of physical damage, it may not be immediately apparent that you have sustained a TBI.
Here are signs to watch for if you know or suspect your head was damaged.
Any instance of physical damage or blows to the head and neck area could result in TBI. Some examples of the most common ways this happens are:
- Car accidents
- Sports
- Falls
- Physical assault
- Work accidents
If any of these, or another instance of physical damage to the head, happens to you, be alert to the symptoms of TBI. Some side effects do not appear immediately, so you should watch for these signs for at least a few weeks after the event that damaged you. Some symptoms include:
- Consistent headaches
- Bad taste in mouth
- Vomiting/nausea
- Loss of consciousness for short or long periods of time
- Dilated pupils
- Slurred speech
- Drowsiness
- Clear fluid coming out of nose or ears
- Mood swings, anxiousness, irritability, or confusion
The severity of the damage may affect which symptoms appear. If you notice any of the above symptoms or anything out of the ordinary in your physical state or behavior after a head injury, immediately seek medical help. After any instance of injury, you should see a doctor, but TBI is very serious and requires emergency treatment.
If you are a victim of TBI, contact an attorney about your situation. Cases of TBI are usually caused by someone’s negligence, a defective product, or purposeful assault. After suffering a TBI, consult an attorney about your situation and the compensation you can receive for your injuries.