Traumatic Brain Injuries and Concussions: What You Need to Know
Posted January 10th, 2017 by Anthony Carbone, PC.
Categories: Personal Injury.
You may have suffered a severe blow to the head when you fell down. Or, you hit your head in a car accident. Whether the result was a traumatic brain injury or a concussion, the situation can be difficult. And, unfortunately, more common that many people realize.
The fact that you are diagnosed with a head injury does not necessarily mean you also have a brain injury. This could also be known as an insult to the skull, which actually protects the brain. Although it isn’t likely, it is conceivable to suffer a skull fracture and not have any type of traumatic brain injury.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) provides some startling statistics regarding the incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States. The research covers the period of time between 2002 and 2006. On a national basis, over one million people visited hospital emergency rooms for evaluation of some form of TBI. Subsequently, 275,000 individuals were hospitalized for extensive treatment. There were 52,000 deaths associated with traumatic brain injury during those years.
Are there Differences between TBIs and Concussions?
Concussions: According to one resource concentrating on traumatic brain injuries, concussions are actually a mild form of TBIs. Often concussions are also referred to as minor head injuries. They are the most common consequence of head trauma. Unfortunately, some may forego treatment for concussions, or they are not diagnosed even after medical evaluation. Some of the symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury include the following:
- Headaches
- Loss of Consciousness
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Vertigo
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Memory Loss
Issues from a concussion may be short term. Notwithstanding, some people who have suffered concussions may continue to have problems. One report directed at physicians reminds them that mild brain injuries can result in “life-long impairment in an individual’s ability to function physically, cognitively, and psychologically.” Concussions are rated according to the degree of severity.
Traumatic Brain Injuries: If we’re going to refer to a concussion as a mild brain injury, let’s think of a traumatic brain injury as a severe one. The consequences are rarely short term. In fact, they can be so devastating as to include personality changes. You can read some information we’ve written on TBIs, here.
Unfortunately, most traumatic brain injuries will result in grave and long-lasting consequences. They are responsible for a number of fatalities. A moderate TBI may cause a period of unconsciousness of up to thirty minutes. If the trauma victim is not already unconscious for 24 hours, medical providers may put them in a forced coma state.
Recovery from a traumatic brain injury can be tenuous. Victims may require substantial rehabilitation and may suffer at least the loss of one of the five senses. Unfortunately, a lifetime of care and a loss of income are too often associated with traumatic brain injuries.
Contact Us
As we mentioned, any type of accident can cause a head injury. We suggest meeting with an experienced personal injury attorney to determine if you are eligible for any kind of compensation as a result of your injuries. At the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone, we have decades of experience handling all types of personal injury cases. Contact us for a complimentary appointment to discuss your case.
