A traumatic brain injury is an injury to the brain due to a sharp blow or strike to the head. The impact to the head causes the brain to move back and forth within the head, sometimes creating chemical changes to the brain or stretching and damaging brain cells. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury. The injuries can be permanent or temporary, but even temporary injuries can take a long time to heal and be debilitating in the meantime.
It’s also important to know that the damage doesn’t just happen when the skull receives the impact. It can take the brain hours or days to swell, and symptoms appear once that happens. Someone can seemingly be fine immediately, then start to have symptoms later and not realize they’re connected to the blow.
What Are Common Brain Injury Symptoms After an Accident?
There are several symptoms related to brain injuries. A person may get some or most of these. If any of these symptoms appear, they should seek immediate medical treatment.
Here are the common symptoms:
- Drowsiness at times when someone is usually wide awake or unconsciousness
- Vomiting
- Severe or worsening headaches
- Blurry or other abnormal vision
- Dizziness
- Balance difficulties
- One eye’s pupil is larger than the other
- Slurred speech
- Convulsions
- Difficulty recognizing people or things that should be familiar
- Restlessness or agitation
- Unusual behavior
Note that these can also happen in children, along with crying that doesn’t stop or a refusal to eat or nurse.
Why Consult an Attorney for a Brain Injury?
An attorney specializing in injury will understand the potential long-term effects of such an injury and can help the victim work with insurers to ensure they get the proper compensation and care. In addition, if another person caused the injury due to negligence or malice, additional compensation may be possible.
Let Us Advise You
If you or someone you know has suffered a brain injury, call us at 816-866-7711 to learn what legal compensation could be available.