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Even a concussion can have lasting effects on your physical and mental health. As with any injury, however, the long-term effects of a brain injury will depend on its severity. The U.S. Government’s MedlinePlus classifies traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) as mild, moderate, and severe – and long-term effects are more common in moderate and severe injuries.
That being said, mild TBIs, like concussions, can make you more susceptible to future head injuries, and about 20% of people who suffer concussions experience post-concussion syndrome (symptoms lasting longer than 6 weeks). Additionally, the more head injuries you sustain, the more likely you are to suffer long-term consequences.
Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries
After getting a TBI, you might lose consciousness for a few seconds or minutes, but some people do not lose consciousness at all.
Other symptoms of TBIs include:
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Confusion
- Headache
- Blurred vision or tired eyes
- Ringing in the ears
- A bad taste in the mouth
- Fatigue or lethargy
- A change in sleep patterns
- Behavioral or mood changes
- Trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking.
In mild TBIs, these symptoms typically clear up within a few weeks – and with plenty of rest. In moderate to severe TBIs, people may experience these symptoms for longer periods, as well as:
- A headache that gets worse or does not go away
- Repeated nausea and vomiting
- Convulsions or seizures
- Being unable to wake up from sleep
- Dilation of the pupil
- Slurred speech
- Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
- Loss of coordination
- Increased confusion, agitation, or restlessness
As the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke explains:
“More serious head injuries may result in stupor, an unresponsive state, but one in which an individual can be aroused briefly by a strong stimulus, such as sharp pain; coma, a state in which an individual is totally unconscious, unresponsive, unaware, and unarousable; vegetative state, in which an individual is unconscious and unaware of his or her surroundings, but continues to have a sleep-wake cycle and periods of alertness; and a persistent vegetative state (PVS), in which an individual stays in a vegetative state for more than a month.”
Brain Injuries and Disabilities
In addition to the symptoms and conditions described above, many people suffer permanent disabilities as a result of traumatic brain injuries. People may have problems with thinking, memory, and reasoning, trouble with sensory processing, difficulties with communication, and mental health issues.
In some cases, someone may seem like a completely different person after suffering a head injury, and many people develop anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions due to their head injuries.
Caring for yourself after a TBI is extremely important, and the correct medical care does not always come for free. Approximately half of the patients with TBIs require surgery to remove or repair ruptured blood vessels (hematomas) or bruised brain tissue (contusions), and many people require long-term medical attention and assistance.
If you suffered a brain injury through no fault of your own, you should not have to pay for the costs of recovery alone.
That’s why firms like The Dickinson Law Firm exist. Our small-by-design firm brings more than 40 years of combined legal experience to your case, and you will receive personal attention from both our attorneys.
We handle every case with the highest ethical standards, and we never charge legal fees unless we win.
Start preparing your case today by calling us at (770) 924-8155 or contacting us online for a free consultation.
