People should know how to spot the signs and symptoms of mild, moderate and severe traumatic brain injury.
People who are involved in a car accident may receive traumatic brain injury from a forceful impact to the head. If the victim’s head smashes into the steering wheel, side window or snaps back and forth, it may cause the soft tissue of the brain to hit against the hard skull bone. As a result, the brain may become damaged, inflamed and bruised.
A number of people are affected by traumatic brain injuries every day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, traumatic brain damage is a factor in at least 30 percent of all accident deaths. In one year alone, 2.5 million people were hospitalized, visited the emergency room or died because of traumatic brain damage. Since brain tissue damage can be caused by a minor fender bender or a catastrophic collision, it is crucial to know how to spot the signs of TBI. The symptoms of TBI may vary, however, depending on what area of the brain is injured, as well as how severe the brain damage is.
Physical trauma
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, damage to the soft tissue of the brain may cause a person to lose consciousness, either for a brief moment or for an extended period of time. Victims may struggle with neurological disorders and experience routine seizures, tingling in the extremities or muscle weakness. Consistent headaches, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness are also possible symptoms of potential brain damage.
Cognitive dysfunction
When certain areas of the brain are damaged, people may have difficulties concentrating, remembering crucial details, making decisions or planning events. People who experience cognitive dysfunction may not be able to tell where they are in their surroundings, have learning disabilities and have problems organizing their things, as well as their lives. Communication may also be affected by brain trauma, as victims may have trouble speaking, reading or understanding what people are saying and how to respond.
Sensory changes
There are places in the brain that are dedicated to perceiving the world through vision and hearing. Not only can damage to these areas cause people to go blind, but they may affect their ability to understand what they are seeing or focusing on. People may be left with some degree of auditory impairment.
All of these impairments can make it difficult for people to work, engage in hobbies or perform daily tasks necessary to live.
Finding legal assistance
When people receive a traumatic brain injury from a serious automobile accident, they may be forced to learn how to live life with disabilities. The negligent driver responsible for causing the accident should be held accountable for their actions. An Illinois attorney who understands how personal injury cases work may be able to help you formulate a case.