Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
A severe blow to the head can cause a TBI. Accidents involving automobiles, semi-trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians can be the source of injuries. Other causes include acts of violence, including physical altercations and gunshots, and injuries caused by contact in sporting events.
Symptoms of a TBI include skull fractures, concussions, hematomas, internal bleeding, and swelling. Such injuries may cause other symptoms such as headaches, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, sleeping problems, restlessness, dizziness, vertigo (a sensation of spinning around or of objects spinning around the person), irritability, apathy, depression, and anxiety. Victims also suffer cognitive disabilities and impairment of motor skills.
When the brain swells, the build-up of cerebrospinal fluid causes increased pressure. The build-up of cerebrospinal fluid may begin shortly after a head trauma but not become apparent until sometime much later. However, diagnosis usually occurs within the first year after the injury. Symptoms of fluid build-up in the brain may include a decreased level of consciousness, changes in behavior, lack of coordination or balance, and loss of the ability to hold urine.
Some patients may need medication for physical and emotional problems resulting from the TBI. Great care must be taken in prescribing medications because TBI patients are more prone to side effects and may react to some drugs. It is important for the family to provide social support for the survivor by being involved in the rehabilitation program. Family members may also benefit from counseling in order to cope with the demands and stress of helping to care for a TBI survivor.
Effective and consistent rehabilitation is vital to a survivor’s recovery and long-term prognosis. It is important for severe head trauma survivors and their families to select the best setting for rehabilitation. Some rehabilitation options include home-based rehabilitation, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, comprehensive day programs at rehabilitation centers, supportive living programs, independent living centers, school-based programs for children, as well as other programs.
For the TBI survivor, family, friends and rehabilitation team members are oftentimes the only hope for helping a survivor recover. Medical bills in head trauma cases can be astronomical and many patients find that their medical bills are impossible to pay back.
At The Law Office of Jeffery J. Hernandez, we work together with traumatic brain injury survivors, the families and medical professionals to discovery the full extent of injuries and damages suffered by survivors in order to maximize any recovery to the fullest extent possible by law.