Posted At: Oct 06, 2023 - 545 Views
Mild or Severe Head Injuries Can Have Devastating Consequences
The impact of a blow or impact to the head on a person’s life can be catastrophic. The aftermath of head injuries can leave serious cognitive consequences and significant psychological problems. As an experienced personal injury law firm, we know that victims face many unknowns after a brain injury accident: How long after a head injury can symptoms occur? What are the long term effects of a head injury? Can you die from a head injury years later? Should I contact a head injury lawyer if I am not in pain?
We know that these questions can be a real headache and overwhelming for victims. At Top’s Injury Law Group, we recommend that anyone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury contact an experienced attorney like those on our team.
Contacting a personal injury lawyer from Top’s Injury Law Group will ensure that the responsible party is held accountable for their negligence. In addition, victims will be able to cope with their injuries with financial support to help them through the recovery and treatment process. If you are looking for legal help from an experienced team of attorneys, Top’s Injury Law Group has the best head injury lawyer in Phoenix, Arizona and Arizona. Call us today at (480) 470-2299 or submit a free consultation request through our website.
The effects of a brain injury leave multiple after-effects that affect different aspects of a person’s life.
Head Injury Statistics
Roughly 2.8 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year—50,000 die from their injuries, 2.5 million visit the ER for treatment, and 282,000 are hospitalized. Most of these injuries stem from accidents, falls, self-harm, assaults, and sports-related accidents. While people of all ages sustain TBIs, adults over the age of 75 are most at risk.
If you or a loved one has experienced symptoms like headache or fever after a head injury, it’s important to understand what happens next, so you can prepare for the road ahead.
What is Traumatic Brain Injury or TBI?
Traumatic brain injuries occur when a person receives a strong bump or blow to the head. The impact forces the person’s head to move suddenly and violently, causing their brain to slam into their skull. Depending on the force, the brain might even collide with the skull at opposite ends, multiple times.
This trauma bruises tissue in the brain and can also rupture blood vessels. This can cause damage throughout the brain, in addition to the area where it made contact with the skull.
Two different types of head injuries lead to traumatic brain injuries after an accident:
Closed Head Injuries
A closed head injury occurs when the victim’s head forcefully impacts another object, but the skull doesn’t break. This type of injury is common in falls, car accidents, physical altercations, and sports accidents.
The more severe the impact, the more likely there is to be significant damage. For example, a person who hits their head in a high-speed motorcycle accident is likely to experience more damage, such as vomiting after a head injury, than someone who hits their head in a low-speed bicycle accident.
Open Head Injuries
In an open head injury, a foreign object penetrates the skull, causing damage to the brain. Bullets or pieces of fractured skulls are examples of objects that often cause an open head injury.
Open head injuries typically result in damage to a specific area of the brain. But in some cases, the damage is widespread.
After Effects of Head Injury
What are the effects of a head injury, then? Traumatic brain injury can affect all aspects of a person’s life. Head injury symptoms vary and change over time.
It’s common for the person to lose consciousness for a time after a TBI, or even fall into a coma in more severe cases. Changes in breathing and motor function are also common.
In the following days or even weeks, more effects may present themselves, including:
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Extreme emotions
- Sleep difficulties
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Aggression
- Delayed black eye after head injury
- Bleeding ear
Diagnosing a Head Injury in Arizona
Head injuries are typically evaluated using MRI and CT scans to locate the damage and assess the severity.
Since there’s no direct way to measure the extent of tissue damage, a scale is used to assess the patient, such as the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). With this scale, the victim’s ability to open their eyes, motor function response, and verbal responses are used to determine a score for their condition.
While the scale is useful for assessing the patient’s current condition, it isn’t used to indicate the long-term outcome or to predict their chances of making a full recovery.
Head Injury Recovery
There is no standard treatment for traumatic brain injuries. Every patient is different, and the road to recovery varies significantly from person to person.
People who sustain a concussion or mild TBI are often able to recover fully and quickly, but this isn’t always the case. While many are able to return to normal activities within a few weeks, others deal with symptoms for the rest of their lives.
The recovery process is usually much slower for people with more severe head injuries. Some people will need to learn how to talk and redevelop basic motor skills. However, in the most severe cases, patients may never fully recover.
Contact a Head Injury Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one sustained a TBI in Arizona due to the negligence or malicious actions of another party, you may be entitled to compensation.
At Top’s Injury Law Group PLLC, we will get you the justice and compensation you deserve. While you may think the head injury you suffered was too small to require legal representation, hiring a head injury lawyer in Phoenix, Arizona with knowledge of Arizona law will help you navigate the complex legal process while you focus on your recovery.
Contact us today at (480) 470-2299 for more information on how we can help you. Also, our bilingual team is available 24/7. And no, we won’t charge you until you get the financial justice you seek.