Traumatic Brain Injuries are Life-Changing

Tallahassee, FLPersonal injury encompasses a variety of injuries—from property damage to physical injuries. One of the most life changing of these injuries may just be the traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries can happen in the blink of an eye, but they can change a person's life forever. They can also require expensive medical procedures and therapy—which still do not ensure that the victim will fully recover.

Traumatic brain injuries (also known as TBIs) can be caused in any number of ways. They can happen as the result of a car accident, a fall or a severe blow to the head. They are often classed into mild, medium and severe injuries. However, even severe brain injuries may not be diagnosed immediately following the initial trauma. It can sometimes take months and months for a severe brain injury to be diagnosed, because many times people will assume that the symptoms they are experiencing are a simple after-effect of the trauma and will go away. Other patients, such as those experiencing memory loss, may not realize they are suffering TBI symptoms at all.

Severe symptoms of a TBI include memory problems, lack of sensory and motor control, and an almost complete loss of cognitive function. Some patients who develop a severe TBI may have to relearn how to complete regular tasks, such as speaking or reading. They may also lose their memories about a significant portion of their life.

Even mild to moderate TBIs can manifest in ways that are not immediately apparent. These include issues such as a lack of energy, lack of concentration, lack of drive, headaches and inability to sleep. These issues may not present themselves until well after the trauma has occurred.

Traumatic brain injuries can have a huge impact on a person's future. For example, a young, healthy person who suffers a TBI may lose the ability to work and may require compensation for future earnings. Or, the victim may be forced into early retirement as the symptoms of the TBI become too severe to manage. The patient may also require frequent stints in the hospital well into the future. These are all costs that the patient, or the patient's family, may have to deal with.

Sometimes, the traumatic brain injury is the result of someone else's negligence or actions, such as the person who is driving carefully but is hit by a drunk driver. There was recently a lawsuit involving the parents of a child who died at the age of 4 after suffering a brain injury during birth. The parents of that child were awarded $4 million in their lawsuit against the hospital where the girl was born. The lawsuit alleged that a nurse trainee misread the fetal heart monitoring data and did not give the child emergency intervention.

Another, often overlooked, side effect of a TBI is the impact it has on a person's personality. Because the brain plays a vital role in determining who we are, a traumatic brain injury can have a dramatic impact on a victim's personality. A person who was once very peaceable and patient could become violent and angry. A person who may have been very skilled at an activity may find that he or she can no longer perform that activity. This change to the victim's personality can have serious repercussions for the rest of his or her life, not to mention the lives of family and friends.

When a person suffers a traumatic brain injury through someone else's negligence or actions, it is important to take action to ensure that all current and future medical bills are taken care of. A traumatic brain injury can be personally and financially devastating—that is why it is vital to do everything possible to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.