What is traumatic brain injury?
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A brain injury suffered in
an accident may lead to devastating and disastrous consequences for an injured
person and his or her family. Often, the true effects of a brain injury might
not be apparent until long after the accident.
Patients who sustain brain
damage often have experienced an altered state of consciousness, but doctors
who specialize in this field explain that a person can have significant brain damage
even if they have not been “knocked out” or completely lose consciousness.
An accident victim might
initially be diagnosed with a concussion at the emergency room, or in a
follow-up doctor visit.
Sometimes the effects of a
concussion resolve over a short period of time. But in some instances the
victim begins showing signs of personality change or difficulty with thinking,
called cognitive impairments. He or she may or may not even initially realize
that an injury of any seriousness has taken place and may not realize that his
or her behavior is changing.
A recent case handled by
our firm involved a client who, although shaken up in a wreck, did not realize
any need for medical attention until his wife noticed that he was having
trouble remembering things, and made him see a doctor a few weeks after the
wreck. Unfortunately, he was later diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, or
closed head trauma, and his impairments turned out to be progressive, gradually
getting worse over time, and permanent.
If you suspect a loved one
has experienced any type of impact involving the head and observe behavioral
changes, such as difficulty with memory or personality changes, get them to a
doctor or a hospital as soon as possible.
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