Living around your brain injury or a close family member can be very difficult. The entire family often adjusts daily routines to address the new medical crisis. Although some traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) only require short-term treatment and limited rehabilitation, others can last for the rest of someone’s life.

While receiving treatment, you’ll notice that most doctors freely interchange the terms “brain injuries,” “head injuries,” and “traumatic brain injuries.” Each term means that your head and brain have sustained some severe jolt or major force trauma.

Brain injuries are often further classified as “open” or “closed.” Open head injuries indicate that an object like a bullet or knife has pierced through the skull into the brain. Closed head injuries refer to the damage the head and skull sustained after something outside your head hit it hard with tremendous force.

Auto accidents cause many people to suffer this type of serious harm. Yet others may also be critically harmed if they’ve just been shaken violently. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) also happen when the following events occur.

• After bad falls at home, on the job, or while handling other general life tasks
• When someone is physically assaulted
• While an adult or child is playing some type of contact sport

It’s always best to take every brain injury seriously by seeing a doctor shortly after you’re hurt. This is especially true since many who suffer head injuries don’t develop significant or debilitating complications for one or more hours. These risks run even higher when the injured person isn’t surrounded by other people who could readily spot aberrant or troubling symptoms.

Furthermore, delaying treatment can significantly increase possible medical complications and, in some cases, the chances of death. A quick trip to an emergency room or doctor’s office can prevent subtle signs of decline from suddenly turning catastrophic.

The lists shared below are designed to help you recognize common symptoms that may appear after a brain injury, often indicating severe medical problems may soon follow.

• Vertigo or dizziness
• Ringing in the ears
• Stomach discomfort or nausea
• A confused mental state

In cases of more severe blows to the head or after added time has passed since the brain injury, you’re more likely to suffer the following problems.

• Significant mental deterioration
• Vomiting
• Bad headaches that won’t go away
• Changes in mood
• Blacking out
• Having trouble controlling various muscles
• Unsteadiness when trying to walk or standstill
• Seizures
• Vision problems
• Paralysis
• Death

Considering how quickly any of the symptoms can escalate, it’s always best to get help immediately by calling 9-1-1 or heading to an emergency room.

Although many head injuries do not require aggressive treatment, others may require surgery or short- or long-term drug therapies. The Mayo Clinic website notes that drugs prescribed for brain injuries may include anti-seizure medication, diuretics, and coma-inducing drugs. Your doctors will assess your need for medication upon evaluating you and throughout your care and treatment.

Watch the following video to learn more about how doctors treat patients with traumatic brain injuries.

We are a member of the Brain Injury Association of America, and we’ve regularly represented clients with major traumatic brain injuries for many years. Every member of my office works hard on TBI cases, ensuring we investigate each one thoroughly. This allows us to present the strongest case possible, documenting that the defendant’s negligence directly caused your injuries.

Our negotiation skills and experience enable us to demand the highest verdicts and settlements our clients are entitled to receive. We’ll handle all the legal steps while you concentrate on improving your health. Why not call a Ventura brain injury lawyer today?

After speaking with your doctor, you may want to do some additional reading about serious head injuries at one or more of the websites named below:

• Brain Injury Association of America
• National Institutes of Health
• The Brain Trauma Foundation
• Mayo Clinic – Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Brain Injury Survivors’ Perspectives

Please call us for free and friendly advice regarding your brain injury accident. We can be reached at 805-372-0200 or 800-404-5400. As experienced Ventura Brain Injury Lawyers, we can provide you with trustworthy advice and information that will explain your current options for filing a lawsuit. See our case history of verdicts and settlements.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 10.12.23] eBs bw [cs 779]}