Symptoms Of Tampa Bay Traumatic Brain Injuries

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders ^[1] and Stroke (NINDS) describes Traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a form of acquired brain injury that occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can result when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. A person with a mild TBI may remain conscious or may experience a loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes.

According to the NINDS, symptoms of traumatic brain injury may include the following:

Mild traumatic brain injury

Headache
Confusion
Lightheadedness
Dizziness
Blurred vision
Tired eyes
Ringing in the ears
Bad taste in the mouth
Fatigue or lethargy
A change in sleep patterns
Behavioral or mood changes
Trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking

Moderate or severe traumatic brain injury

Same symptoms as mild traumatic brain injury
A headache that gets worse or does not go away
Repeated vomiting or nausea
Convulsions
Seizures
An inability to awaken from sleep
Dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes
Slurred Speech
Weakness or numbness in the extremities
Loss of coordination
Increased confusion, restlessness or agitation

Traumaticbraininjury.com LLC., is an internet resource for education, advocacy, research and support for brain injury survivors ^[2], their families as well as medical professionals. Their research provides that the impact of a moderate to severe TBI^[3], their research can include:

Cognitive deficits including difficulties with:

Distractibility
Speed of Processing
Confusion
Perseveration
Impulsiveness
Language Processing
“Executive functions”

Speech and Language

Not understanding the spoken word (receptive aphasia)
Difficulty speaking and being understood (expressive aphasia)
Speaking very fast or very slow
Problems reading or writing

Sensory

Difficulties with interpretation of touch, temperature, movement, limb position, and fine discrimination

Vision

Partial or total loss of vision
The weakness of eye muscles and double vision (diplopia)
Blurred vision
Problems judging distance
Involuntary eye movements (nystagmus)
Intolerance of light (photophobia)

Hearing

Decrease or loss of hearing
Increased sensitivity to sounds

Smell

Loss or diminished sense of smell (anosmia)

Taste

Loss or diminished sense of taste

Physical Changes

Physical paralysis/spasticity
Chronic pain
Control of bowel and bladder
Sleep disorders
Loss of stamina
Appetite changes
Regulation of body temperature
Menstrual difficulties

Social-Emotional

Dependent behaviors
Emotional ability
Lack of motivation
Irritability
Aggression
Depression
Disinhibition
Denial/lack of awareness

Leading Cause of Traumatic Brain Injuries

The Centers for Disease Control^[4] and Prevention sets forth the most common causes of TBI:

From 2006–2010, falls were the leading cause of TBI, accounting for 40% of all TBIs in the United States that resulted in an emergency room visit, hospitalization, or death.

Unintentional blunt trauma (e.g., being hit by an object) was the second leading cause of TBI, accounting for about 15% of TBIs in the United States for 2006–2010.
Among all age groups, motor vehicle crashes were the third overall leading cause of TBI (14%). When looking at just TBI-related deaths, motor vehicle crashes were the second leading cause of TBI-related deaths (26%) for 2006–2010.

The leading cause of TBI-related hospitalizations varied by age:

Falls were the leading cause among children ages 0-14 and adults 45 years and older.

Motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of hospitalizations for adolescents and persons ages 15-44 years.

If you or someone that you know suffered a traumatic brain injury, it is important to contact an experienced Tampa Bay brain injury attorney who can assist you in determining if you are entitled to compensatory damages for your injuries from those who may be responsible. At the Dolman Law Group in Clearwater, Florida, our team of highly skilled brain injury lawyers have helped many victims obtain the recovery they deserve for their injuries and related losses including lost wages, medical expenses as well as pain and suffering. Please call our office at 727-451-6900 today.

Dolman Law Group
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 3375
(727) 451-6900

https://www.dolmanlaw.com/legal-services/brain-injury-attorneys/

References:

[1] http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm
[2] http://www.traumaticbraininjury.com/understanding-tbi/car-accident-tbi/
[3] http://www.traumaticbraininjury.com/symptoms-of-tbi/severe-tbi-symptoms/
[4] http://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html