In the United States, someone suffers a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every 15 seconds. A TBI is the most frequent cause of disability or death among children and adolescents, according to the Brain Injury Association. Approximately five million head injuries occur every year, and most result from what appears to be only a bump or bruise to the head, but is actually quite a bit more serious.

What Are the Symptoms?

Any head trauma has the possibility of also causing injury to the brain. A head injury can be suspicious for brain damage if the following symptoms are present: unconsciousness, headache, convulsions, dazed expression, drowsiness, vomiting, memory loss or amnesia concerning the injury, as well as unequal pupil size. In addition, more obvious symptoms can include a bloody nose or bleeding from the ear without any noticeable fractures or cuts. Following a head injury, it is important to keep close tabs on any changes and be prepared for questions such as, “When did this change begin?” Try to recall specifics surrounding your fall or accident and when your first noticed impairment. For example, if you’re feeling anxious or disoriented, what do you think may have brought this on?

Brain Injury Checklist

Take a look below at these common changes, including personality, neurological, intellectual and psychological impairments following a head injury.

What type of personality alterations have you observed? These symptoms can include increased emotional distress, chronic frustration, aggressiveness or passivity, apathy, excessive talkativeness, childishness, overly responsible or irresponsible.

What neurological problems have been observed? These can include altered consciousness, slowed reaction time, increased sense of smell, overly sensitive to temperature shifts, seeing dark spots before your eyes, blurred or double vision, diminished night vision, sensitivity to sound or light, and twitching.

Have you noticed intellectual impairment? These can include memory issues, difficulty concentrating or paying attention, being easily distracted, difficulty making decisions or solving problems, unintentionally repeating remarks, difficulty doing simple math, deficits in processing information, and difficulty starting things.

What psychological impairments have you observed? This might include being easily startled, fearing loss of control, persistent anxiety, withdrawal or social isolation, laughing or crying without apparent cause, unable to shed worrisome thoughts, and feelings of worthlessness.

The Next Steps

If you notice any of these symptoms following an accident, it is imperative that you consult a physician, preferably one experienced in head trauma. Next, seek legal counsel. Find an attorney that is well-versed and experienced in brain injury and competent to analyze the circumstances of your particular case. The right attorney can also be a vital resource for dealing with all of the emotional, intellectual, physical and psychological stresses of a brain injury. Whether a brain injury is caused by a car accident, bike accident, surgical mishap, or some other act of negligence, it’s important to know that an equitable settlement can often be reached before a case goes to trial. Knowing your rights is the first step in protecting them. The right personal injury attorney will help with both.

The Right Advice

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a traumatic head or brain injury, the attorneys at The Mandell Law Firm are experts in this field. They are available to answer any of your questions. For more information or to make an appointment at their Northridge office, contact Robert Mandell at 818.866.6600.

The underlying issue is that traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can have severe and long-lasting effects. A TBI is defined as any hit or shock to the head that affects brain function ranging from mild to severe. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, 28% of all TBI cases result from falls while 20% are attributed to motor vehicle-traffic accidents. Males are 1.5 times as likely to sustain a TBI over females.

Some short-term effects of TBI include irritability and confusion, headaches, nausea, loss of consciousness, memory loss and un-reactive or unequal pupils. The most common long-term symptoms of a TBI are loss of memory and problem solving skills as well as changes in behavior, language, emotion, and learning. Studies show that 40% of Americans hospitalized for a TBI had at least one unmet need for services one year after injury.

Brain injury and head trauma can be life-changing events and most commonly occur in infants from ages 0-4 and teenagers 15-19. If you or someone you love has suffered a brain injury from a car accident or fall on unsafe territory in California, you may be entitled to compensation. Call (818) 886-6600 to speak with an experienced Northridge traumatic brain injury lawyer at the Mandell Law Firm for a free consultation.

Sources:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/25/ED7A1APC6V.DTL; http://espn.go.com/blog/pac10/post/_/id/5651/tedford-no-decision-on-best-return