What Are the Most Common Symptoms of a Brain Injury? How Can You Prevent One From Occurring?

The brain is arguably the most important organ in the body. It controls our thoughts, memories, emotions, breathing, motor skills, sensory skills, and other functions that regulate our body. Any type of damage done to the brain can affect a person’s day to day life. If forceful contact is directly applied to the head, it will likely result in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). This could result in temporary or permanent paralysis, or even death. According to data cited by Statista, there were over 61,000 deaths in the United States related to TBIs in 2017.

TBIs can exhibit an infinite variety of physical, psychological, and emotional effects. Rehabilitation is almost always necessary just so that TBI victims can relearn basic skills, such as walking and talking. Doctor visits may also be required for regular check ups to ensure that the patient is receiving appropriate medical care to treat their injury. However, with the necessity of visiting a therapist and a doctor, the patient is likely to experience a financial burden from medical bills, prescriptions, appointments, and/or procedures.

A person may be qualified to file a personal injury claim to acquire recoverable compensation if their brain injury was caused by the negligence of another party. At West Coast Trial Lawyers, our San Francisco brain injury attorneys have over 60 years of collective legal experience in handling personal injury cases. With our track record of recovering more than $1 billion in settlements for our clients, we are confident that we will deliver a good outcome to your case.

To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation at our San Francisco personal injury law firm, please contact our 24/7 legal team by calling (415) 326-8794 or emailing info@westcoasttriallawyers.com.

Common Causes of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

There are multiple factors that can contribute to the cause of a traumatic brain injury. This includes:

• Motor vehicle accident. When vehicles aggressively collide into an object during an accident, it may cause the driver to forcefully slam into the vehicle’s window, steering wheel, or windshield. Either type of physical contact could cause significant damage to the brain.
• Sports-related activity. High-impact sports, such as football and hockey, require players to tackle one another for a ball or puck. If a player is hit with a powerful blow to the head, they could endure serious brain damage.
• Violence. Any physical abuse that is directed to the face could affect the victim’s brain, especially if a gun or knife is being used.
• Slip and fall accident. Many factors can cause a slip and fall accident, such as wet or damaged floors. A brain injury may occur if the person lands on their head.
• Blast injuries caused by explosions. Blast waves have the ability to trigger a concussion or mild TBI without the person experiencing a blow to the head. This could result in compression. Shearing of the brain may also occur.

Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms

A TBI victim will likely experience multiple symptoms. This is due to the fact that the brain controls the body’s functions. Any damage done to this organ will result in challenging issues that could dramatically impact a person’s life. Common symptoms that have been associated with a TBI include the following.

Physical Symptoms

• Headaches.A head injury can last up to days, weeks, months, or even years. It may likely worsen over time if no action is made to maintain the pain.
• Dizziness.Forceful impact can shake up the brain and cause the victim to experience dizziness. The amount of time it takes for a person to heal from this type of symptom may vary.
• Vision issues. About 40 to 50 percent of the brain involves vision. If a person endures severe damage to the brain, it is expected for their vision to be impacted in some sort of way.
• Seizures.A TBI victim will have a higher likelihood of experiencing a seizure right after the injury or months, even years, later. Epilepsy may also develop, however, it depends on the person’s age and overall health.

Cognitive Symptoms 

• Attention and concentration. A TBI victim may have a difficult time trying to pay attention or focus on a particular subject. Multi-tasking may also be an issue.
• Understanding information. A TBI victim’s ability to understand information may begin to slow down.
• Communication.Socializing with people could make it difficult for a TBI victim to understand others or express themselves.
• Remembering information. It will be difficult for a TBI victim to learn or remember information or memories.
• Planning or organizing events. A TBI victim may have some trouble trying to plan or organize appointments or schedule days for other personal events.
• Problem-solving. A TBI victim may have a difficult time recognizing when there is a problem and how to resolve it.
• Impulsive behavior. TBI victims may find it difficult to control their behavior. They may also act inappropriately or impulsively when socializing with others.

How to Prevent a Brain Injury

Below, we have created a list of tips that may help decrease the likelihood of suffering from a brain injury.

• Do not take illegal drugs. Inserting harmful drugs into your body can damage your brain or influence you to act in a reckless manner that can result in a brain injury.
• Do not drink and drive. It is dangerous to drink and drive. Alcohol has the ability to impair your vision and make you less aware of your surroundings. You will not be able to focus on the road and will likely get yourself into an accident.
• Wear your seat belt when you are driving. According to the Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC), seat belts reduce the risk of serious injuries by 50 percent and death by 45 percent. The CDC also stated that those who do not wear a seat belt are 30 times more likely to get ejected out of their vehicle during an accident.
• Do not text and drive. Distractions, such as texting and driving, will make it more likely for a person to get involved in an accident. Avoid allowing distractions to take away from your focus on the road.
• Wear a helmet when necessary. Sports-related activities, such as football, hockey, or riding a skateboard, require people to wear helmets to decrease the chances of having a serious head injury.
• Install fall prevention equipment at home. This includes the following:
  • Installing window guards to avoid falling out of the window when it is open.
  • Placing safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs to prevent children from accessing the area unsupervised.
  • Laying a placemat next to a shower or bathtub to prevent a slip and fall accident from occurring.

West Coast Trial Lawyers Is Here to Help

If you are suffering from a brain injury due to the negligence of another individual, West Coast Trial Lawyers has experienced San Francisco personal injury attorneys who will help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.

Contact our 24/7 legal team today by calling (415) 326-8794 or emailing info@westcoasttriallawyers.com to schedule a free consultation at our San Francisco personal injury law firm.