Sometimes a traumatic brain injury is quite obvious because it comes with severe symptoms like fainting or inability to stand up after sustaining a blow to the head.
At other times, a traumatic brain injury might not be obvious at first. That’s because the traumatic brain injury symptoms can start as common discomforts, such as a headache. But recognizing the signs is important to seeking treatment quickly and getting in touch with a traumatic brain injury attorney.
To guide you in knowing when you might be suffering from a traumatic brain injury, we’ll explain how to spot the signs and symptoms. If you’re ever concerned you might have sustained a traumatic brain injury, you should always seek medical treatment to get another opinion.
Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms
There are two general categories of traumatic brain injury symptoms. These include physical symptoms and sensory symptoms. Here’s a look at each so you can spot an injury before it becomes serious.
Physical TBI Symptoms
The severity of physical symptoms from a TBI will vary depending on the severity of your injury. No matter how mild your symptoms seem, you need to see a doctor if you’ve recently suffered a blow to the head. Here are 14 signs and symptoms that you need to make an appointment with your doctor immediately.
- Loss of consciousness
- Dizziness, confusion or disorientation
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fatigue
- Drowsiness or sleeping more than normal
- Trouble sleeping
- Convulsions or seizures
- Pupil dilation
- Loss of balance
- Changes in mood
- Feeling depressed
- Inability to concentrate
- Decreases in coordination
Sensory TBI Symptoms
In some cases, individuals who’ve suffered a head injury only pay attention to physical symptoms and miss the sensory symptoms. It’s important to monitor both. Here’s a look at what sensory symptoms you should look out for.
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Sensitivity to light
- Bad taste in the mouth
- Sensitivity to sound
- Decreased or nonexistent sense of smell
Spotting Brain Injuries in Children
Symptoms for children will vary a little bit from adults, partially because they might not be able to tell you entirely what’s wrong or what hurts. Instead, you need to look for changes in behavior. These changes might include the following.
- Changes in eating habits
- Irritability
- Continuous crying or are unable to be consoled
- Inability to pay attention
- Changes in mood
- Drowsiness
- Lack of interest in playing with toys or taking part in normal activities
Call your doctor immediately following a head injury for your child. Your doctor will explain what to look out for and when you should bring the child to their office for an exam. You don’t want your child to suffer long-term repercussions from head injuries.
Common Traumatic Brain Injury Causes
Traumatic brain injuries are often caused by a blow to the head or traumatic injury to the body. There are several common instances where these injuries take place.
- Falls: examples include falling down stairs, off a ladder while working, or in the bath due to slippery conditions. Falls are more common among children and older adults but can happen to anyone. Another cause of falls can be slippery surfaces, such as an icy parking lot in the winter or a spill that’s left unattended at a grocery store.
- Motor vehicle accidents: because the impact is generally severe, motor vehicle accidents often result in traumatic brain injuries. No matter the type of vehicle you’re in at the time of the accident or whether you’re a pedestrian or on a bicycle, it’s a good idea to see your doctor after an accident like this.
- Violence or disputes: victims of domestic violence often suffer head injuries from their abusers. Parents should be especially careful of monitoring children who have suffered domestic violence, conditions like shaken baby syndrome are quite serious.
- Sports injuries: head injuries can happen in a variety of sports when players don’t have the proper equipment or undergo proper safety precautions. Brain injuries are more common in youth sports as these participants have less coordination and understanding of how to avoid such injuries.
- Combat-related injuries: military personnel can suffer from brain injuries during explosive blasts or other combat scenarios. In some cases, medical professionals attend to the obvious wounds in these situations and don’t realize there’s a brain injury until later.
Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney
You might be eligible to seek financial compensation for your traumatic brain injury if someone else’s negligence caused your injuries. For example, even in situations where you sign a waiver for your child to play sports, you might be eligible for compensation if the team or coach didn’t take the necessary precautions to protect your child.
Goldman & Daszkal offers a free consultation to guide you in understanding your rights and evaluating whether to pursue a lawsuit after you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury. Schedule your free consultation today.