If you are involved in a serious accident in your car, on the playing field, or in your workplace, one of the foremost priorities should be ensuring that your brain is uninjured. Brain injuries are very serious and could be potentially fatal, but they can often be missed by people who are not medical professionals.
You may feel or appear fine after such an incident, but symptoms of a TBI may not appear until some time has passed. Even if you are not exhibiting any symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, you may want to visit a doctor as soon as possible to make sure that there is no hidden trauma.
Here are some tips and information about TBIs from our experienced personal injury attorneys at the Gilbert Law Firm, serving clients throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Traumatic Brain Injuries in Washington
Given the many health crises in the world at the moment, it is easy to forget how serious of a problem traumatic brain injuries can be. But The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 61,000 TBI-related deaths occurred in the United States in 2019, or 166 every day.
The most common cause of traumatic brain injuries include:
- Falls
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Assaults
Signs of a Traumatic Brain Injury
Unlike a broken limb or deep cut, a traumatic brain injury or TBI may not be visible. If your head collides with another object, your brain may impact the inside of your skull, producing swelling, bleeding or tissue damage. Whiplash can even lead to a TBI.
It isn’t always easy to distinguish between initial discombobulation following an accident and the symptoms of a brain injury, so you should pay close attention to someone you suspect is injured.
You should immediately call for emergency medical help if you recognize the following signs:
- Loss of consciousness for minutes or hours (You should monitor anyone who has lost consciousness even for a few seconds, but a longer period of blackout may signal more damage to the brain.)
- Bleeding from the ears
- Persistent or worsening headache
- Repeated vomiting or ongoing nausea
- Seizures or convulsions
- Inability to rouse from sleep
- Slurred speech
- Weakness in the arms or legs
- Expanded pupils of the eyes or different levels of dilation in either eye.
- Mental confusion or agitation
- Lack of coordination
- Ringing in the ears
- Loss of sense of smell or taste
If you think someone has suffered a traumatic brain injury, you should not try to move them. Call 911 and wait for emergency medical personnel to arrive. If you witnessed the injury, you should try to describe the incident, so that EMTs can apply the most appropriate response technique.
Recovering from a TBI
Treatment for brain injuries varies depending on the severity of the injury, and patient history. While mild traumatic brain injuries may only require rest and mild analgesics to treat headaches, people with prior brain trauma may struggle more with recovery.
A more serious traumatic brain injury may require surgery to remove a blood clot or skull fragments, relieve pressure on the brain or cut away damaged brain tissue. In many serious cases of TBI, there is a long period of rehabilitation.
Luckily, personal injury attorneys are available to help you file a personal injury claim or a personal injury lawsuit to help you receive compensation for your medical bills and get back on your feet.
Contact a Washington Attorney to Discuss Your Personal Injury Claim
If you live in Washington or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest and have suffered a traumatic brain injury or whiplash due to someone else’s negligence, The Gilbert Law Firm is here for you. Our attorneys have decades of combined experience litigating brain injury cases, and we work with the best doctors in the country to make sure their clients get the care they need.
If you suffer a brain injury as a result of the negligence of another person, we will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Disclaimer: The blog published by the Gilbert Law Firm marketing team for informational purposes only and is not considered legal advice or a substitute for legal advice. There is no attorney-client relationship between the reader and the blog publisher. Readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel on any specific legal questions concerning a specific situation.
