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.
What are the most common causes of traumatic brain injury?
You have likely heard of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), but you might not know how often these injuries occur. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), each day
153 Americans die from TBI injuries. Of course, not all TBI are deadly. Some brain injuries send injured people to the emergency room, and some go untreated.
A TBI happens when you suffer a blow or jolt to the head. The impact to the head disrupts normal brain function. It can be temporary or permanent. Here are four of the most common ways TBIs occur.
Falling
The most often reported cause of a TBI is a fall. You could fall from a ladder, down the stairs, on an icy sidewalk or even in the bathtub.
Participating in sports
You are probably familiar with famous football players suffering concussions and other brain injuries. But you do not have to a pro athlete to get hurt while playing sports. A blow to the head while boxing, playing baseball or participating in basketball game can also happen. A fall off your skateboard or scooter may also lead to a TBI.
Vehicle accidents
When you are in a car accident, your head may strike an object in your car or something may come loose and strike you. Even the impact of a collision can be enough to cause a TBI.
Being struck by or against an object
You could get hit by falling debris walking down the sidewalk. Or you may be on the jobsite, get hit by a forklift and get pushed into a wall. This happens more than you may think.
It can be tough to know if you have a TBI because the symptoms might not appear immediately. However, if you are in an accident, watch for certain symptoms. You may have a TBI if you:
- Lose consciousness
- Feel confused or disoriented
- Experience nausea or vomiting
- Have difficulty with speech
- Have trouble sleeping
- Have a persistent headache
- Feel dizzy
- Are sensitive to light or sound
- Have difficulty remembering things or concentrating
- Have dramatic mood changes
Any of these symptoms could be a sign of a TBI. You should seek medical help immediately, if you experience these following a blow to the head.
