When we talk about injuries from car and truck accidents, we typically think of broken bones or injuries to the next or back. When we think of injuries resulting from falls, we look for knee, hip, or pelvis injuries. But many accidents and falls cause severe head injuries too. Head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (or TBIs), not only cause pain and frustration to the injured person–among many other symptoms–but their family members as well.
Traumatic Brain injuries are more common than you may realize. At least 10 million TBIs serious enough to result in death or hospitalization occur every year. Of those hospitalized for traumatic brain injuries, over 1.1 million of those injuries result from falls, motor-vehicle crashes, or pedestrians struck by large objects like automobiles or trucks.
If a person or company’s negligence caused your loved one’s traumatic brain injury, they may be able to recover money for their injuries. It is important that the victim’s friends or family assist them through their case with a brain injury lawyer who specializes in cases involving TBIs. Often times, people suffering from traumatic brain injury symptoms do not possess the memory or the cognitive ability to make decisions regarding their case. Having a close friend or family members guide them through their case may help the victim make informed decisions and understand what is best for them.
The myth of the “mild” traumatic brain injury
For cases against automobile or truck drivers, insurance companies will likely stand in the way of recovery. Insurance companies often point to a certain diagnosis and argue that a person’s brain injury is not serious: the “mild” traumatic brain injury. Certainly, the severity of TBIs can vary; but, categorizing a traumatic brain injury as “mild” is extremely misleading. To start, a “mild” traumatic brain injury is still traumatic. A TBI diagnosis is often a threshold question determined by a variety of factors, such as memory loss, headache, slurred speech, or vision changes. However, all these factors are caused by significant trauma. It is important for a person suffering TBI symptoms to find the right treatment to prove their injuries are real, cognizable, and affect their everyday life.
Helping your family member through treatment
Traumatic brain injuries cause a wide variety of symptoms that differ from typical injuries following truck accidents or falls. Common TBI symptoms include:
- Headache or neck pain
- Ringing in the ears
- Dizziness and tiredness
- Depression and anxiety
- Slurred speech
- Weakness or numbness in the arms
- Dilated eye pupils or other vision problems
These symptoms require treatment from an assortment of doctors. To start, an audiologist examination may be needed for ringing in the ears or hearing loss. An optometrist or ophthalmologist may be needed to review problems related to vision. Various forms of therapy–including speech therapy, occupational therapy, or physical therapy–may be required to treat slurred speech, mobility, and pain. Even more, because the route of the injury is the brain, treatment from a neurologist is essential for regaining the function lost from a TBI-causing event.
All this treatment shows why more than anything, TBI sufferers need friends and family to help them through their treatment. Many symptoms like dizziness or vision problems prevent victims from driving. Therefore, they cannot get to and from appointments essential for their recovery. If friends or family are unavailable to help someone to their appointment, a non-emergency medical transport company can get the patient to their doctors’ offices and back home safely.
The 6 and 12-month benchmarks for TBI patients
Many neurologists and neuropsychologists will examine a person suffering from TBI-related symptoms at 6 months after the event giving rise to their injury and again at 12 months. The science indicates these are the time periods where recovery is more easily observed. However, these time periods can also indicate how permanent a symptom or injury is. If a symptom persists past 12 months, it may never go away. It is vital that TBI sufferers get evaluated at these two time periods to make sure their treatment and medication is on track to provide the best recovery.
If you or someone you know has suffered a traumatic brain injury in the Metro Atlanta Area, you need a Georgia brain injury lawyer who understands how to get them the compensation they deserve. At Rafi Law Firm, we specialize in cases involving all types of brain injuries–from concussions to TBIs including skull fractures and brain hemorrhages. You can schedule a free consultation by chatting with us online, clicking here, or contacting our office directly at 404-800-9933.