On some level, every part of our body is vulnerable to injury, but our heads might be especially susceptible to harm.
The human skull is between 5.5 and 8.2 millimeters thick. That is not a lot of protection for such a vital organ as the brain. That is why any type of head injury needs to be closely monitored. Depending on the severity of the head injury, you could be looking at headache pain that lasts for just a few hours or a serious loss of cognitive functions.
With more serious head injuries, you might require surgery and rehabilitation therapy. Those are going to be expensive treatments.
If someone’s negligence caused your head injury, you should have to bear the costs of those treatments. Instead, you should discuss what happened with Thomas Law Offices. Our knowledgeable injury attorneys have helped many clients recover the compensation they are due for their recovery and lost wages.
Before we can determine the scope of damages, it is important to determine if your head injury is mild or severe. This is an assessment that your doctor will make after you go through a course of exams that can include blood work, X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans.
The results of those tests and a review of your symptoms will help determine if your head injury is mild or severe.
Internal Damage to the Brain Explained
The skull protects the human brain, but it isn’t “locked down” in the skull. In other words, it is fluid and can move. When there is a direct blow to the head as the result of a whiplash injury, the brain is jolted in the direction of the impact and back again. That can lead to bruising and brain damage.
A bruise that forms at the direct point of impact is called a coup lesion. The bruise that forms at the opposite side of the impact is contrecoup. Together, there could be two injury sites, known as coup-contrecoup.
Mild Head Injury Symptoms
A head injury can happen in a car accident if your head strikes any part of the interior of your car.
You can also suffer a head injury if you slip and fall at a business. Kids can sustain head injuries by playing sports at school if they’re not wearing protective gear or aren’t being properly supervised.
When the brain shifts in trauma, it can cause shearing or tearing of the internal lining, tissues, and blood vessels. That can manifest as internal bleeding, bruising, or swelling of the brain.
While those injuries won’t be obvious until the brain is scanned, the following symptoms can show up with a mild head injury:
- Raised, swollen area from a bump
- Small, superficial cut in the scalp
- Bruise
- Headache
- Sensitivity to noise and light
- Irritability
- Confusion
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Problems with balance
- Nausea
- Problems with memory and concentration
- Change in sleep patterns
- Blurred vision
- “Tired” eyes
- Ringing in the ears, a.k.a. tinnitus
- Alteration in taste
- Fatigue or lethargy
Some of these symptoms might not appear immediately after the accident, but they could appear hours or days later. When they do show up, you need to seek medical care.
Severe Head Injury Symptoms
Every head injury requires medical attention. A severe head injury can trigger additional health complications, including the following:
- Loss of consciousness
- Chronic headache
- Repeated nausea and vomiting
- Loss of short-term memory
- Slurred speech
- Difficulty with walking
- Weakness in one side or area of the body
- Sweating
- Pale skin color
- Seizures or convulsions
- Behavior changes, including irritability
- Blood or clear fluid draining from the ears or nose
- Dilation in one pupil
- Deep cut or laceration on the scalp
- Open wound on the head
- Foreign objects penetrating the head
A severe head injury can also lead to a coma or vegetative state, where the victim retains basic body functions but has lost their conscious abilities. They could also experience locked-in syndrome, where the person can think and reason but can’t speak or move.
How a Brain Injury Lawyer at Thomas Law Offices Can Help
If you or someone you care about has suffered a brain injury because of someone’s negligence, that person needs to be held accountable. Thomas Law Offices can provide the guidance you need to decide the best course of action for seeking a remedy for your losses. All your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering will be part of the calculations for the damages you are entitled to.
We need to evaluate your case before proceeding. Call to set up that free evaluation and get your questions answered.
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