Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from vehicle collisions and other accidents are alarmingly common. While it is hard for most people to imagine suffering a brain injury, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that millions of individuals seek medical treatment for TBI each year, and these injuries are responsible for approximately one third of all accident-related deaths.
If you were recently involved in an accident and you are concerned about a possible concussion or other brain injury, you should seek medical treatment promptly. While TBI can range from “mild” to “severe,” any brain injury should be treated as a potential medical emergency.
Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms
A traumatic brain injury is classified as “mild” if it does not result in disorientation or loss of consciousness, or if disorientation or unconsciousness lasts only a few minutes. However, individuals diagnosed with mild brain injuries can continue to experience other symptoms for a year or longer, and scientific research is increasingly pointing toward long-term – and potentially permanent – consequences from all classifications of TBI.
Common symptoms of mild traumatic brain injuries include:
- Confusion
- Depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty sleeping
- Dizziness
- Enhanced sensitivity to light and sound
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Memory loss
- Visual impairment
Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms
A traumatic brain injury can be classified as “moderate” if it results in unconsciousness lasting more than a few minutes, and as “severe” if it results in unconsciousness lasting hours or days. Along with the symptoms of mild traumatic brain injuries (which will often be more pronounced), additional symptoms of moderate TBI include:
- Impaired ability to process information
- Incoherence
- Difficulty reading and writing
- Difficulty speaking (including difficulty finding words and slowed or slurred speech)
- Difficulty understanding other people’s speech
- Difficulty with sensory interpretation
- Double vision or total vision loss
- Involuntary eye movement
- Loss of fine motor control
- Ringing in the ears
What to Do After a TBI Diagnosis
If you are diagnosed with a concussion or any other form of TBI as the result of an accident, you should follow your doctor’s advice, and you should speak with an attorney about asserting your legal rights. Traumatic brain injuries can have life-changing consequences, and the costs of medical treatment alone can far exceed what most people can afford. If you are unable to work, if you experience chronic pain or cognitive limitations, or if your brain injury has any other financial or non-financial impact on your daily life, these are all losses for which financial compensation is available, and asserting your legal rights could be critical to your long-term recovery.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation at Levine Law
For more information about seeking financial compensation for a traumatic brain injury resulting from a vehicle collision or other accident, contact Levine Law in Denver, CO to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. To discuss your case with one of four experienced accident lawyers in confidence, call 303-333-8000 or request an appointment online today
