How can I tell if I have a TBI after an accident?
Our Dallas personal injury lawyers at Beckerman Anderson Law Firm have years of experience successfully representing victims who sustained brain injuries during all kinds of accidents, such as motor vehicle accidents, job site accidents, and many more.
The Texas brain injury lawyers at the Rasansky | McKenzie Law are here to help you secure financial compensation after sustaining a brain injury because of another person’s negligence. Contact our Dallas-area personal injury team today to schedule a free evaluation of your brain injury claim.
What is a Mild TBI?
Mild traumatic brain injuries are a common type of brain injury that takes place when rapid deceleration or acceleration, or blunt force trauma, causes the brain to make contact with the inside of the skull.
The word “mild” refers to the trauma that initially caused the injury. It has absolutely nothing to do with the severity of the injury itself or the seriousness of the consequences on the victim.
This is why all potential brain injury victims need to seek an immediate medical evaluation and determine if any treatment is recommended or required, even if their initial response to the trauma did not indicate serious damage.
Common Mild TBI Symptoms
A mild traumatic brain injury can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life. That is why it is important for victims and their families to be able to recognize the common warning signs and symptoms that often accompany head trauma. The symptoms of a concussion and mild TBI vary from person to person and may fluctuate until the victim is fully recovered. For instance, immediately after your injury, you might feel nauseated and have persistent headaches. A week or two later, you might notice that you are more emotional than normal and have trouble sleeping.
Other common symptoms include:
- Chronic or recurring headaches
- Lethargy or fatigue
- Problems with vision, such as blurred vision or double vision
- Problems with concentration, attention, or memory
- Sleeping problems
- Nausea, dizziness, and difficulties maintaining balance
- Unpredictable and unprovoked mood swings, including depression and irritability
- Seizures
- Sensory issues, like tinnitus, blurred vision, loss of the ability to smell, or a bad taste in the mouth
- Unusual sensitivity to sound and/or light
It is necessary to remember that brain injuries are extremely inconsistent, and symptoms can display themselves differently from one day to the next. TBI symptoms can be challenging to correctly identify since they are similar to the symptoms of many other health issues. At the first sign of symptoms, no matter what they are, victims should make a doctor’s appointment or get to their local hospital emergency room as quickly as possible.
This is especially true if, after a concussion or mild TBI:
- The victim will not admit or does not recognize that something is wrong
- The victim does not recognize how their symptoms are impacting their daily routine
- Symptoms are being overlooked by the victim, doctors, and family members
Dangerous Symptoms in Adults
In some cases, a blood clot that pushes the brain against the inside of the skull can develop. This is extremely dangerous. The person responsible for checking on you needs to dial 911 or take you directly to the emergency room if you:
- Experience a headache that gets increasingly worse and will not go away
- Experience seizures, convulsions, decreased coordination, numbness, or weakness
- Cannot stop throwing up
- Are acting oddly or have slurred speech
- Have one pupil that is clearly bigger than the other
- Become unable to identify familiar places or people, become agitated, restless, or confused
- Are extremely drowsy, are unable to be woken up, or lose consciousness
Dangerous Symptoms in Children
Call for an ambulance or take your child to the hospital emergency room immediately if they received a jolt, blow, or bump to their body or head, and:
- Are showing any of the adult symptoms listed above
- Are inconsolable and will not stop fussing or crying
- They refuse to eat or nurse
Timeline of Mild TBIs
In the same way that mild TBI symptoms can be different for each individual, the timeline for recovery can also be different.
Usually, a case of mild TBI is resolved in just a few months. Some victims might experience symptoms for less than six months, and almost everyone will see their symptoms fade within a year.
It is difficult to correctly diagnose a mild TBI based on nothing more than a victim’s symptoms. This is why getting a thorough medical evaluation after sustaining head trauma is always recommended.
Work With a Texas TBI Lawyer
If you or a member of your family has recently sustained a head injury due to someone else’s negligence, you are most likely entitled to seek financial compensation for your injuries and other damages, including:
- Medical expenses (from pursuing evaluations and treatments)
- Lost income due to missed work
- Pain and suffering
Our Dallas-based law firm team has seen first-hand the effects that mild traumatic brain injuries can have on their victims, which is why we urge you to seek proper medical care as soon as possible.
Being medically evaluated is essential in order to rule out more serious complications and injuries, such as a brain hemorrhage, and ensure that victims are appropriately cared for and monitored.
Contact the Rasansky | McKenzie Law
If you recently sustained a mild TBI or any other head injury due to an accident, we strongly urge you to get an immediate medical evaluation and schedule a free consultation with our Texas personal injury lawyers to learn more about your options moving forward.
The Rasansky | McKenzie Law can explain your rights to you, determine if you have a valid claim, and explain how we can help you navigate the personal injury process in a free consultation. Give our Dallas, TX law offices a call at (214) 651-6100 or through the form on our website. We understand how frightening this experience is for you and your family. Let us put our experience to work for you.