What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Traumatic Brain Injury (or TBI) occurs when an individual suffers a physical injury to their head or brain. The severity of TBI can range from very mild to very severe, depending on the severity of the accident causing the injury. Traumatic Brain Injury is a major cause of death and disability worldwide, and one of the leading causes of death in individuals under the age of 45.
What Can Cause a Traumatic Brain Injury?
TBI can be caused by a range of factors—really, any type of injury that puts your brain at risk. Frequent causes of traumatic brain injuries include:
- Violence
- Transportation accidents
- Construction accidents
- Sports
- Slips and falls
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Blunt force trauma
- Blast injuries (from explosions)
What Are the Symptoms of TBI?
Depending on the source and severity of your injury, its symptoms can be quite varied. The symptoms also correlate to the section of the brain that was injured.
With cases of mild TBI, it is possible that individual may lose consciousness for a few minutes. Other symptoms of mild TBI can include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Difficulty walking or balancing
In cases of moderate or severe traumatic brain injury, these symptoms may remain the same, only with stronger effects. Additional symptoms that may appear include:
- Anisocoria (one pupil bigger than the other)
- Headaches that get worse over time
- Seizures
- Difficulty waking up
- Slurred speech
- Poor coordination
If pressure inside the brain becomes too high, it is also possible that an individual could suffer from brain herniation and brain death.
Brain injuries are not only dangerous, but can incur high medical costs. If you or someone you know has been injured and has suffered a traumatic brain injury, contact the Minneapolis brain injury lawyers at Terry, Slane & Ruohonen, P.L.L.C. by calling 612-362-0000 to ensure you get the representation you deserve.
