A traumatic brain injury can cause more difficulties than other catastrophic injuries. A severe traumatic brain injury can cause changes in personality, even to the point that loved ones may not fully recognize this “new” person. Traumatic brain injuries can make it difficult to think clearly, learn new skills, and remember things. Emotional issues like depression, anxiety, and anger can manifest after a traumatic brain injury, and physical issues like vision disturbances, vertigo, and balance and coordination problems are common. You need a strong legal advocate on your side. A Columbia traumatic brain injury attorney from Finney Injury Law is ready to help you get the medical treatment and financial assistance you deserve. When your traumatic brain injury is directly tied to the negligence of another, you deserve to be compensated for your injuries.
Our focus is to find the most effective solutions on your behalf—including those of the financial, legal, and medical variety. We will comprehensively assess your traumatic brain injury case, offering real options that allow you to receive full and fair financial compensation. We will conduct a thorough investigation and work with your medical team to assess your current medical condition, your future work options, future necessary medical treatments, and your pain and suffering. When you are dealing with a traumatic brain injury, Finney Injury Law will passionately fight for you.
What Are the Different Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries?
The type of brain injury is determined by several different factors, including the length of the loss of consciousness and specific neurological symptoms, such as loss of memory of the injury. Below are the various types of traumatic brain injuries:
- Mild concussions are the most common type of TBI, with three out of every four brain injuries involving a concussion. While it’s rare to lose consciousness from a mild concussion, the individual may feel “dazed,” or briefly lose consciousness. A mild concussion can sometimes cause feelings of confusion for about twenty-four hours.
- A moderate traumatic head injury usually involves a loss of consciousness for more than half an hour, but less than a day. Moderate traumatic brain images can result in confusion for up to a week.
- Severe traumatic brain injuries include a loss of consciousness for a day or more. This level of brain injury can cause a wide variety of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms that can last weeks, months, or a lifetime.
- A complicated traumatic brain injury can include bleeding inside the skull and brain.
- A closed traumatic brain injury occurs when the head receives a blow or jolt to the head, with no penetration to the skull. Such an impact injures the brain, causing inflammation.
- An open or penetrating traumatic brain injury occurs when something breaches the skull, damaging the brain tissue. This could occur from a bullet or knife wound or another object that can penetrate the skull.
- Strokes, seizures, and other events like choking or near-fatal drownings can deprive the brain of oxygen, causing a hypoxic/anoxic non-traumatic brain injury.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries?
Catastrophic car accidents and accidents on construction sites are the most common cause of personal injury claims that involve a traumatic brain injury. A semi-truck accident that involves a smaller passenger vehicle can leave those in the smaller vehicle with traumatic brain injuries. Motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents can also cause traumatic brain injuries, as those walking, biking, or riding a motorcycle have virtually no protection when hit by a vehicle. Slips and falls where the head strikes a hard surface, and construction site or work falls from a height are also common causes of traumatic brain injuries.
What Are the Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A mild concussion can result in temporary confusion and memory problems, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sleepiness, blurry or double vision, and nausea. A severe traumatic brain injury can result in those same symptoms, dilated pupils, a clear fluid coming from the ears or nose, and or fainting.
What Are the Long-Term Issues Associated with a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Some of the long-term issues associated with a traumatic brain injury include delayed verbal responses, an inability to communicate, difficulty reading and writing, balance issues, difficulty controlling emotions, an inability to access memories from immediately before, during, or after the accident, convulsions, and seizures, more severe confusion, slurred speech, agitation, sensitivity to light and smell, and either sleeping too much or barely at all.
Is a Concussion Considered a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, usually called by a jolt, blow, or bump to the head, or by a hit to the body that results in the head and brain moving rapidly forward and then backward (as it would when a driver is hit from behind). These sudden movements can cause the brain to bounce around inside the hard, bony skull.
When this happens, chemical changes in the brain can occur as well as the stretching of brain cells. Even though a concussion is considered a “mild” brain injury—by virtue of the fact that a concussion is rarely life-threatening—concussions have serious consequences, particularly if an individual suffers many concussions throughout their life. When boxers and football players receive many blows to the head, they can develop a condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) which worsens over time leading to dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.
How Can Hiring a Columbia Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney from Finney Injury Law Help?
Being injured in an accident that was not your fault and coming away with a traumatic brain injury can literally halt the life you knew in its tracks, replacing it with medical tests, surgeries, and other medical interventions. It can be extremely beneficial during such a difficult time to have a Columbia traumatic brain injury attorney from Finney Injury Law by your side. We will fight for you every step of the way, clearly explaining the process, and working hard for an equitable settlement. Contact Finney Injury Law today for a free claim evaluation.