Effects of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It coordinates functions such as breathing, heart rate and metabolism, senses (vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch), thought, personality, movement and more. When traumatic brain injuries (TBI) occur, consequences are unpredictable.

A TBI may cause temporary or permanent dysfunction, which may cause impairment or complete loss of the ability to perform a function, such as speech or movement. Victims of severe TBI may lose the ability to control their emotions, and become prone to mood swings or outbursts of anger.

The losses associated with TBI can be costly in terms of medical costs and the lost ability to work. That’s why it is important for the victim of a TBI that was caused by someone else’s negligence to protect his or her rights.

A personal injury attorney from David Resnick & Associates, P.C., in New York City can review your TBI case and discuss your legal options for pursuing compensation. Call us today or fill out our online form for a free, no obligation discussion.

After a Traumatic Brain Injury

A TBI results from a blow to the head that jostles the brain inside the skull or penetrates the skull and brain tissue. A brain injury affects the functions of the neurons, nerve tracts or sections (lobes) of the brain, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) says. If the neurons and nerve tracts are affected, they may become unable to transmit messages.

A TBI may be mild and self-healing with rest. Many cases of TBI cause more severe injuries that alter the body’s ability to function. They may never heal. No two brain injuries are exactly the same.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes the result of a mild TBI as “a brief change in mental status or consciousness,” usually known as a concussion. About 75 percent of TBIs are concussions or other forms of mild TBI, the CDC says. They typically heal with rest, but a concussion leaves a person more vulnerable to concussion from a later blow to the head.

Numerous concussions or other mild brain injuries over months or years can cause cumulative neurological injuries and cognitive deficits. Repeated blows to the head over a shorter period (hours, days or weeks) can be catastrophic or fatal, the CDC says.

A severe TBI is marked by an “extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury.” Severe TBI can cause short- or long-term changes that affect:

The five lobes of the brain (frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal, cerebellum) and the brain stem each control various bodily functions. The lobes are divided into right and left sides or “hemispheres,” which are responsible for different functions. General patterns of dysfunction can occur if an injury is on the right or left side of the brain.

An injury to the left side of the brain may cause visual-spatial impairment, memory deficits and loss of “big picture” thinking, the BIAA says. A right-brain injury may damage speech, the ability to understand language and logical thinking, and may cause emotional problems like depression and anxiety.

Our New York TBI Attorneys Can Help

The victim of a severe TBI will require medical treatment, therapy and – in some cases, personal assistance – perhaps for the rest of the patient’s life. Severe TBI also affects the family members or others around the injured person through the expense of care and the emotional burden of a life that has changed.

David Resnick & Associates, P.C., can help TBI victims whose injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence recover compensation to assist with medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and other losses. Call our firm now or use our online contact form for a free evaluation of your case.

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