A traumatic brain injury, often referred to as a TBI, is a serious injury that occurs to the brain. Traumatic brain injuries have an external cause, so that they can be said to be caused by an outside force, usually a serious blow to the head. Brain injuries caused in other ways, such as oxygen deprivation, birth injuries, or degenerative brain diseases may have some of the same signs and symptoms of a TBI, but are not considered traumatic brain injuries. The symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can vary from person-to-person and depend upon the area of the brain that was impacted by the injury. However, symptoms include confusion, blurred vision, concentration difficulties, cognitive impairment, behavioral changes, mood changes, and even other systemic issues. Symptoms may onset immediately after the injury or be delayed. Because many of the symptoms of TBI may occur with other injuries or disorders, it must be diagnosed. A recent serious blow to the head is important information for a doctor to have when diagnosing TBI.
A traumatic brain injury can be caused by anything that causes significant force to the head, resulting in damage to the brain. The two most common causes of TBI are automobile accidents and sports injuries. However, any action that results in a blow to the head has the potential to cause TBI.
Traumatic brain injuries can be life-altering, serious injuries. While there are treatments available to help patients with post-TBI rehabilitation, many TBI patients never make a full recovery and need assistance with some components of daily living for the duration of their lives. Therefore, it may be critical to victims and their families to recover from a wrongdoer when a TBI has occurred. If you have any more questions about traumatic brain injuries, a personal injury attorney can help you understand if you can recover from the party that caused your injury.
