A wide range of preventable accidents or instances of intentional harm can cause someone to experience traumatic brain injury (TBI). While those who suffer concussions and relatively minor TBIs often speak about the temporary setbacks they cause, other types of brain-involved injuries can have more lasting impacts on a person’s life.
If you’re curious about what serious functional problems can be caused by a mild traumatic brain injury, we’ll shed light on those concerns below.
What Is a TBI?
There are two common types of traumatic brain injuries. The first is a closed brain injury, where nothing penetrates the skull, but there is a rapid forward and backward movement that causes the brain to move within the skull. This causes bruising to the brain and torn blood vessels. The second TBI type is an open brain injury, which often involves an object, such as a bullet, penetrating the brain and causing damage to the skull, brain, and blood vessels.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of injury for adults ages 65 years and older. However, this type of injury can affect almost anyone of any age. TBIs are commonly caused by the following factors:
- Motor vehicle collisions: Honolulu auto accidents, including truck crashes, motorcycle collisions, pedestrian strikes, car wrecks, etc.
- Physical violence: This category may include gunshot wounds and stabbings, domestic violence, nursing home or child abuse, or sexual assault
- Falls: This may include someone falling from a bed, ladder, and other higher-up or same-level surfaces, especially if an older adult and young child is the one is the victim
- Playing contact sports: Particularly risky sports include soccer or football and also skateboarding
More Immediate Consequences Associated with TBIs
A traumatic brain injury can cause severe, life-threatening, or life-long injuries. TBIs can leave behind a range of lasting adverse effects, depending on the injury type, its severity, and the part of the brain affected. Impairments caused can be temporary or permanent.
Individuals with severe complications can show immediate symptoms such as seizures, nerve damage, and narrowing of blood vessels. Stroke, coma, and brain infections are other symptoms that may be readily notable.
Longer-Term Effects
Mild traumatic brain injuries often have long-term impacts on a victim’s life. These brain function impairments are often not immediately evident, appearing days or months after the initial injury occurs.
Longer-term TBI impacts may cause problems with:
Cognition
Cognitive difficulties may lead to problems with remembering, learning, reasoning, and making decisions.
Senses
Double vision and a loss of sense of taste, leading to a bitter taste in one’s mouth, are examples of sensory issues caused by TBIs. Ringing, tingling, or pain in the ears are also often caused by traumatic brain injuries.
Communication
Trouble talking, and specifically, verbalizing one’s feelings or thoughts, reading, and writing are all examples of communication issues individuals who suffer mild or more severe traumatic brain injuries experience. These can all make it difficult for TBI sufferers to function socially.
Behavior
Difficulty with social situations resulting from the inability to communicate can affect a person’s behavior. Changes in personality can be caused by TBIs. Mood swings, leading to a person becoming more irritable or aggressive, and depression and anxiety, leading to social withdrawal, tend to afflict TBI patients – often in the long term.
Degenerative Effects Tied to Brain Damage
Having one or more TBIs may increase the risk of certain degenerative diseases, such as:
- Alzheimer’s disease: This condition can impair a person’s memory, thinking skills, and emotions.
- Parkinson’s disease: This can impact a person’s ability to control their body movements and motor skills
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE): Individuals who face repeated head impact, such as athletes involved in boxing, football, and hockey, are most at risk for this condition, which can cause problems with memory, thinking, and motor skills.
Holding Responsible Parties Accountable for Your TBI
When someone suffers a traumatic brain injury because someone engages in intentional acts, like an assault, or due to negligence, such as an accident in Hawaii, they can be held accountable for their actions through the filing of a personal injury lawsuit.
Accountability can come in different shapes and sizes and can involve both civil and criminal penalties. Deliberate acts, such as Shaken Baby Syndrome, where a caregiver violently shakes a child, is a situation that is criminally prosecutable and, if the victim files a personal injury lawsuit, may result in the securing of a monetary settlement. A situation such as a caregiver not watching an elderly person who suffers a fall is an example of negligence that may allow a victim to pursue a civil suit and monetary award as well.
When you or a loved one suffers a traumatic brain injury, it’s necessary to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. Wayne Parsons Law Office is committed to this ideal of justice by representing your rights in court. Contact us today if you want to better understand your rights and legal options.