Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is not like any other injury. Sadly, because many of the symptoms of “mild” to “moderate” traumatic brain injury are subtle and because the injury commonly avoids detection by MRI or CT scan, victims often go undiagnosed. Due to the invisible nature of the injury victims of traumatic brain injury only rarely receive prompt treatment for their physical and cognitive impairment. Not uncommonly, victims’ early medical charts fail to mention head injury or cognitive impairment.
Victims of TBI are unable to process information at pre-injury rates of speed. The range of subject matter about which an individual can think is no longer the same for a victim of traumatic brain injury. Accurate judgment becomes difficult at best. Communication is often stifled. The ability to conform behavior is sometimes impaired. Headaches are common. Memory and recall are often profoundly affected.
Brain injury can occur without loss of consciousness, direct external trauma to the head or positive findings on CT, MRI or other sophisticated diagnostic testing. One with mild traumatic brain injury has had a traumatically induced physiological disruption of brain function as manifest by at least one of the following:
- Any period of loss of consciousness;
- Any loss of memory for events immediately before or after the accident;
- Any alteration in mental state at the time of the accident, i.e. feeling dazed, disoriented or confused; and
- Focal neurological deficits that may or may not be transient, but where the severity of the injury does not exceed the following:
- Post-traumatic amnesia no greater than 24 hours;
- After 30 minutes, an initial Glasgow Coma Scale of 13-15; and
- Loss of consciousness of approximately 30 minutes or less.
Some people may not become aware of or admit the extent of their symptoms until they attempt to return to normal functioning. In such cases the evidence for mild traumatic brain injury must be reconstructed. Mild traumatic brain injury may also be overlooked in the face of more dramatic physical injury, e. g. orthopedic or spinal cord injury. The constellation of symptoms is often referred to as post-concussion syndrome.
Columbus Brain Injury Lawyer
If you or someone you know has been injured or suffered Traumatic Brain Injury or TBI, you need the assistance John Alton at 614-221-6751.