What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Traumatic brain injury can be caused by an injury or blow to the head, common causes are collisions involving trucks, cars, motorcycles, or bicycles. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that falls were the leading cause of TBI, being struck by or against an object is the second leading cause. Motor vehicle crashes are the third leading cause of TBI related hospitalizations and death, if that occurs a personal injury lawyer Phoenix AZ should be contacted to discuss your rights and options.
The nature and extent of a head or brain injury may not be obvious to the injured person, or his or her family members.
Physical symptoms of brain injury may include loss of consciousness, being dazed, headache, nausea, sleep dysfunction, dizziness, or loss of balance.
Sensory symptoms may include ringing in the ears, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light or sound.
Mental or cognitive symptoms may include memory or concentration deficits, there may be emotional changes, including depression, anxiety, personality changes.
Evaluation and treatment may involve specialists including a family doctor, neurologist, psychologist, neuropsychologist, occupational or speech therapist. Imaging tests may include CT scan or MRI. Cognitive training may take place when traumatic brain injury symptoms and treatment are long term.
Unfortunately, symptoms can be chronic, where injuries may include skull fracture, bruising of the brain, amnesia, memory loss, vision issues, hemorrhage. Severe traumatic brain injury and the residual symptoms can severely impact an individual, his or her family, and result in significant lost income and medical expenses.
Catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injury, caused by another’s negligence require representation by a personal injury lawyer Phoenix AZ who can investigate and evaluate the fault of the adverse party and get appropriate experts involved to assess and project future medical expenses and lost income. The attorney will obtain the medical records, get reports from physicians to address permanency of the injuries, or work disability. The attorney will want to talk to family members, friends, coworkers of the injured person to further assess the effects of the injuries upon the person’s personality, his or her ability to work, and how he or she now relates to family members, friends.
A life care planner and an economist may need to be hired to address future medical needs, expenses and lost income. A life care planner will learn about the injured party’s medical history and his or her deficits. The planner will research the costs of medical needs and prepare a plan setting forth medical needs and costs. The plan may also address past and future wage loss and work restrictions. An economist may arrive at the present value of future medical expenses and lost income.
In the last several years the potential adverse long term effects of head injuries from sports activities have been widely reported. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease found in people who have sustained multiple head injuries.
CTE can get worse over time, stages of symptoms can include disorientation, headaches, memory loss, impulsive behavior, dementia, and other cognitive disorders.
A personal injury lawyer Phoenix AZ should be consulted to assess possible claims following a traumatic event or collision.