Responsible for roughly 1.4 million trips to the emergency room every year, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are one of the most prevalent conditions that affect Americans today.
Often incurred during an accident involving an excessive amount of blunt force trauma, this specific injury can bear an array of difficulties and challenges. In fact, some of those who have experienced TBIs are now facing and struggling with permanent disabilities as an effect of the condition, and others have unfortunately passed away.
Once you consider all the effects of the life-threatening injury, it is best to assume that it’s something that must be avoided. Although this same condition is entirely preventable, the unfortunate truth is that not enough people know about it to prevent bigger problems from happening.
Do you have a TBI?
Among the different demographics in the United States that are part of the 1.4 million cases of sustained TBIs, one of the largest sectors worth taking note of is the New Yorkers.
With the city’s extended heights, ever-present slip hazards, and constantly-buzzing environment, the risks of experiencing an injury to the head are much higher here. Yet, most New Yorkers are still unaware of the different signs they need to watch out for to the point where they don’t notice any symptoms and unwittingly brush them off as a minor problem.
Key symptoms to watch out for
When it comes to spotting or diagnosing the possible presence of a traumatic brain injury, it’s worth noting that there are two classifications of symptoms: mild injuries and moderate to severe ones. Let’s go over both forms and their accompanying indicators in further detail:
Mild TBIs
Generally, mild injuries are incurred during common occurrences that aren’t as severe but still affect the body’s physical, sensory, and cognitive systems to a certain degree. Typically linked to post-incident effects from car accidents, slips, and falls, or sports injuries, experiencing a milder form of the condition can result in the following symptoms:
- Physical symptoms: Loss of consciousness, moderate to severe headache, sleepiness or fatigue, problems with speech (including slurred speech or inability to find words), nausea and vomiting, insomnia
- Sensory symptoms: Blurred vision, a bad taste in the mouth, an inability to smell, ringing in the ears, increased sensitivity to sound or light
- Cognitive (or mental) symptoms: Problems with memory or concentration, mood swings, depression, and anxiety
Moderate to severe TBI
Linked to “freak accidents” and deliberate crimes, moderate to severe cases of traumatic brain injuries pose an exponentially higher risk of permanent disability or death if not cared for right away. Here are the most prevalent symptoms of the condition:
- Physical symptoms: Severe nausea or vomiting, a severe or persistent headache (a headache that worsens with time), seizures, dilation of one or both pupils, numbness or weakness of the fingers or toe, a lack of coordination, drainage of clear fluid from the nose or ears, an inability to awake from sleep
- Cognitive (or mental symptoms): Severe confusion, agitation (or other behavior abnormalities), a coma (or other changes in consciousness)
What to do when someone else was at fault for your TBI
The only problem that’s bigger than the TBI itself is the presence of another party’s negligence that caused it to happen—which is where seeking damages comes in.
After seeking proper treatment, you must seek damages in case the accident that caused your traumatic brain injury (or that of a loved one) was because of another person and could have been avoided. During this time, it is advisable that you confer with an expert—such as Ronemus & Vilensky’s personal injury attorneys—to seek advice on what your next steps are!
Conclusion
Dealing with a traumatic brain injury is stressful because of the level of risk involved in the process, but knowing what to watch out for can make a world of difference. By taking the time to understand the key signs that come with this specific injury and what you need to do if someone else’s negligence causes it, you can be better prepared to take the right steps forward!
When it comes to getting due justice after experiencing a traumatic brain injury, it pays to have a brain injury lawyer in New York City that can help protect and preserve those rights. Get in touch with us at Ronemus & Vilensky today for a free consultation!