Traumatic Brain Injury? Don’t Wait to Get Help.

It can be difficult to diagnose and treat a traumatic brain injury after a serious accident. Abeyta Nelson attorneys can help.

When it comes to traumatic brain injury, a common argument from insurance adjusters, regardless of the type of injury is that “it’s all in your head.” However, damage to the most complicated and least understood major organ can cause a cascade of debilitating physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms.

All too often, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and concussions are misdiagnosed or completely missed by medical providers. Knowing the signs of a traumatic brain injury and how they occur can help people get proper care and make a full recovery.

TBIs are defined as a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury. TBIs cause a wide variety of symptoms of differing severity and duration. Generally, less severe TBIs, especially those without a prolonged loss of consciousness, are referred to as concussions or mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs).

Just because you sustained a concussion and not a TBI does not mean everything is okay. Concussions can cause post-concussion syndrome (PCS) where a wide variety of symptoms can persist for months to years. Difficulty sleeping, concentrating, and changes in vision and mood are all symptoms of PCS. Even if the concussion fully resolves, having a concussion increases the risk of long-term brain injury in the future should a second concussion occur.

Unfortunately, there is largely no effective treatment for PCS other than time and “cognitive rest.” Cognitive rest means refraining from television, computer screens, and phone screens to allow the brain to recover. In the 21st century, this causes a major disruption in most patients’ work, school, and personal lives.

A TBI is usually distinguished from an mTBI by the presence of visible injury on imaging. A severe injury to the head can cause damage to the network of blood vessels that feed the brain. If blood begins to pool in the brain space, called a hemorrhage, the increased pressure will continue to damage the brain beyond the initial impact.

Even if promptly identified and treated, a TBI is likely to cause a wide variety of symptoms. Neurologic deficits such as muscle weakness, loss of balance and coordination, disruption of vision, change in speech and language, or sensory loss are common.  Psychological symptoms such as confusion, disorientation, slowed thinking, or difficulty with concentration also occur. In the most extreme situations, TBIs can cause such drastic personality changes and substance use disorders where marriages and families are torn apart. Damage to the hormone producing glands of the brain can cause stunted growth for youths and metabolic disruptions such as diabetes and weight gain for others.   

Brain injuries can occur due to the negligence of others. People sustain brain injuries in car crashes, falls on unsafe premises, and in industrial or agricultural accidents – even when there is no direct blow to the head. Insurance companies will attempt to aggressively settle cases with suspected brain injuries early, before the victim can diagnose and understand the extent of their injury and its effect on their life. This leaves the accident victim with lifelong changes to their whole world and shortchanges their compensation.

At Abeyta Nelson Injury Law,  we work with clients, medical providers, and experts to identify and fully evaluate every injury before settlement. If you or a loved one suspects a brain injury due to someone else’s fault, call Abeyta Nelson Injury Law.