Brain Injury Lawyer

Automobile Accidents and Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Definition and Causes:

Traumatic brain injury occurs when a sudden trauma disrupts the normal function of the brain. The trauma may occur when an object strikes the head, when the head strikes an object or when an object fractures the skull and enters the brain.

TBI is commonly caused by one or more of the following events:

• Car accident
• Motorcycle accident
• Snowmobile accident
• Construction accident
• A fall
• Being assaulted or abused
• Being struck by a falling object

According to the CDC, each year 1.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury. Of these, over 50,000 people die and 235,00 are admitted to the hospital. Traumatic brain injury can be hard to diagnose as symptoms do not always surface immediately and the damage done by a mild TBI may not show up during MRI's or CAT scans.

Symptoms:

A traumatic brain injury may not cause noticeable symptoms for days, even weeks after the injury occurs. Often the accident victim may not be aware that they are injured until they begin experiencing serious, debilitating symptoms. The following lists are intended as a basic guide to the symptoms of TBI. If you have been in an accident please seek medical attention. Some common symptoms of mild to moderate TBI include:

• A dazed or not quite "with-it" feeling
• Headache
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision or any vision changes
• Ringing in the ears
• Bad taste in the mouth
• Sleep disturbances
• Fatigue or lethargy
• Behavior or mood changes
• Memory issues
• Inability to concentrate
• Inattention
• Trouble focusing on a task or thinking

A moderate to severe TBI may also produce the following symptoms:

• A headache that does not go away or intensifies
• Vomiting or nausea
• Seizures or convulsions
• An inability to wake-up
• Dilation of one or both pupils
• Slurred speech
• Weakness or numbness of the legs or arms
• Loss of coordination
• Increasing confusion, restlessness or agitation

Be aware that any of these symptoms may not be experienced until hours, days even weeks after the traumatic event. In addition, depending on the type and severity of the injury typical diagnostic tests may not indicate an injury, even if you are experiencing multiple symptoms.

Treatment

The treatment of a TBI consists of three stages: acute, subacute and chronic. Outlined below are the treatments that fall under each stage.

Acute care takes place immediately after the accident. The victim will be rushed to the hospital and a physician may treat them in the following ways:

• Check for and remove any blood clots
• Clear airways
• Medicate the patient (to prevent further injury)
• Monitor and/or relieve high levels of intracranial pressure
• If necessary place on life support
• Once stable transfer to a subacute treatment center
• Repair injuries to the skull/scalp

During the subacute phase of treatment the patient may be treated in the following ways:

• A full evaluation will take place
• An appropriate map toward recovery will be created
• Physical, speech and/or behavioral therapy will begin

The final stage of treatment for people with TBI is called chronic or long term treatment. Those with mild to moderate TBI may skip the first two stages and begin their treatment here. Chronic treatment of TBI may include:

• Implementation of and training with assistive devices
• Counseling and therapy
• Medications
• Physical, speech and/or behavioral therapy

If you or a loved one has been injured and received a traumatic brain injury please contact our New Hampshire brain injury lawyers at Van Dorn & Curtiss today for a free initial consultation. We are located in Orford, NH and have successfully represented clients across New Hampshire and Vermont including Concord, Manchester, and Nashua.