Long Term Effects Of Tampa Bay Brain Injury
Most people are unaware of the scope of traumatic brain injury (TBI) or its overwhelming nature. TBI is a common injury[1] and may be missed initially when the medical team is focused on saving the individual’s life. Before medical knowledge and technology advanced to control breathing with respirators and decrease intracranial pressure, which is the pressure in the fluid surrounding the brain, the death rate from traumatic brain injuries was very high. Although the medical technology has advanced significantly, the effects of TBI are significant.
Categories of Tampa Bay Brain Injury
Mild Tampa Bay Brain Injury
TBI is classified into two categories: mild and severe. A brain injury can be classified as mild if loss of consciousness and/or confusion and disorientation is shorter than 30 minutes. While MRI and CAT scans are often normal, the individual can have cognitive problems such as a headache, difficulty thinking, memory problems, attention deficits, mood swings and frustration. These injuries are commonly overlooked. Even though this type of TBI is called “mild,” the effect on the family and the injured person can be devastating.
Other names for mild TBI include:
- Concussion
- Minor head trauma
- Minor TBI
- Minor brain injury
- Minor head injury
Severe Tampa Bay Brain Injury
Severe brain injury is associated with a loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes and memory loss after the injury or penetrating skull injury longer than 24 hours. The deficits range from impairment of higher level cognitive functions to comatose states. Survivors may have limited function of arms or legs, abnormal speech or language, loss of thinking ability or emotional problems. The range of injuries and degree of recovery is very variable and varies on an individual basis.
The effects of TBI can be profound. Individuals with severe injuries can be left in long-term unresponsive states. For many people with severe TBI, long-term rehabilitation is often necessary to maximize function and independence. Even with mild TBI, the consequences to a person’s life can be dramatic. Change in brain function can have a dramatic impact on family, job, social and community interaction.
Physical Effects of Tampa Bay Brain Injury
Although every brain injury is different, there are some physical effects[2] that are common to many Tampa Bay brain injuries including:
Fatigue. Excessive tiredness is common to all severities of brain injury, including mild injuries. Tasks that we take for granted, such as getting dressed or walking around can require much more effort after brain injury. It is important to allow for rest periods at regular intervals during the day, and not to feel that everything has to be done at once.
Mobility can be affected following brain injury. Movement can become very slow and balance can be affected. Indeed, having a brain injury can sometimes feel like ‘living life in the slow lane’. Some people may need a wheelchair or other mobility aid.
Sensory impairment. The sensation of touch on the skin may be reduced, lost or exaggerated. It may also be difficult for the person to know where their limbs are positioned without looking at them. Eyesight may be affected and this may not be correctable with glasses. Odd postures or walking patterns may also be explained by sensory impairments. Taste or sense of smell may be impaired or lost, either in the short or long term.
Difficulties with speech. Slow, indistinct or rapid speech is common after a brain injury. It may be hard to understand the person’s speech at first, but the listener may learn to ‘tune in’. Some people may repeat what they have said many times over: this is known as perseveration. Some people may lose the ability to speak altogether. Remember, their inability to express themselves does not mean that they have lost their intelligence.
Contact a Tampa Bay Brain Injury Attorney
The effects of a brain injury can be dramatic and in some instances the negative effects are life-long. If you or a loved one have suffered a brain injury, it is necessary to speak to an experienced Tampa Bay brain injury attorney. The experienced brain injury lawyers at the Dolman Law Group in Clearwater, Florida, can obtain the compensation that you deserve. 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.traumaticbraininjury.com/symptoms-of-tbi/mild-tbi-symptoms/
[2] https://www.headway.org.uk/media/2820/the-effects-of-brain-injury-new-template.pdf
