Recognizing the symptoms of long-term traumatic brain injury may make a difference in whether you can make a full recovery or suffer from life-changing side effects.
Millions of people in the U.S. and thousands of Kentucky residents will suffer from a traumatic brain injury this year. The damage can be life-changing and may require years of rehabilitation. It is vital that traumatic brain injury symptoms are recognized and treated as soon as possible in order to minimize long-term effects. If you or a loved one have suffered such an injury which you believe was caused by the negligence of another, you need an experienced Kentucky traumatic brain injury attorney in your corner. You may need long-term medical care and other assistance in dealing with your activities of daily living. Collecting all the damages to which you are legally entitled may make the difference in the quality of your life as you try to rehabilitate and recover.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury is one where an external force hits the head and causes the brain to move around and jostle back and forth or side to side inside the skull. The leading causes of traumatic brain injuries are falls, car accidents, and blunt force trauma. Many traumatic brain injuries occur in the workplace, ranging from workers slipping and falling on wet surfaces to being hit on the head with a falling object while working at a construction site. The Brain Injury Association of America reports that 3.5 million people experience a traumatic brain injury every year, and of those, 50,000 die. More than 280,000 are injured so severely they must be hospitalized. At any one time, 5.3 million people in the U.S. are struggling with the long-term effects and disabilities caused by traumatic brain injuries. Early treatment is critical in increasing the chances of a positive outcome. Symptoms can often develop slowly and are easy to brush off unless you and your loved ones know the warning signs. If you have suffered an accident or traumatic event, you should seek medical help immediately, even if you are not feeling the effects.
Long-Term Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms
Traumatic brain injury symptoms may occur immediately after the injury, but some develop days, weeks, or even months later. You should be aware of the various symptoms that can affect both physical and cognitive functioning:
- Loss of consciousness no matter how brief
- Convulsions
- Headaches that keep getting worse and will not go away
- Extra sensitivity to light and sound
- Unequal dilation of pupils
- Double vision
- Nausea and vomiting
- Slurred speech
- Weakness in limbs
- Balance problems
- Difficulty in concentrating
- Mood changes
- Crying easily
- Changes in sleep patterns
You may experience traumatic brain injury symptoms immediately after an accident, or they could take days or even months to appear. Immediately after being involved in any kind of accident, you should have a medical evaluation. Otherwise, it is difficult to prove that your brain injury was caused by a specific accident and seek damages from the responsible party. If you or a loved one are experiencing traumatic brain injury symptoms, contact Edwards & Kautz Law Firm at 270-908-4914 to schedule a free legal consultation. If an individual’s negligence or intentional acts have led to your condition, we will vigorously pursue your case to see that you get all the compensation to which you are legally entitled, including lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.