The Effects of a Traumatic Brain Injury Explained

If you or someone you know has sustained a brain injury, they should contact us immediately. Our brain injury lawyers can give you advice in a free consultation about whether to pursue damages for the injury.

Brain Injury Side Effects

• Damage to blood vessels –  Blood vessels in the brain can sustain damage during a brain injury. When that happens, strokes and blood clots are a possibility.
• Infection – Skull fractures or injuries that penetrate the skull can tear the layers of tissue that surround the brain to protect it. When these tissues are torn, germs and bacteria are able to get in and cause an infection. When this happens, if treatment isn’t provided right away, the infection can spread to other parts of the nervous system.
• Headaches – Headaches that occur frequently are pretty normal after a distressing brain injury. They could begin after about a week after the injury and could persist as long as a few months.
• Vertigo – Many individuals have dizziness, or vertigo, terrible brain injury. Often, any of these symptoms may stick around for a couple of weeks to a few months after a distressing brain injury.

When a combination of these signs last for a prolonged time period, this is usually referred to as post-concussion syndrome. When a brain injury occurs at the base of the skull, it can damage the nerves that are coming from the brain. Cranial nerve damage can cause:

• Paralysis of facial muscles or losing sensation in the face
• Loss of or transformed sense of odor
• Loss of or transformed sense of taste
• Loss of vision or double vision
• Swallowing issues
• Dizziness
• Ringing in the ear
• Hearing loss

Cognitive Side Effects

Many individuals who have suffered a serious brain injury will experience modifications in their thinking or cognitive abilities. Traumatic brain injury can result in problems with a lot of abilities, consisting of:

Memory	Knowing
Reasoning	Judgement
Attention or Concentration	Beginning or Finishing Tasks
Analytical	Multitasking
Organization	Planning
Decision Making

Language and communications issues are common following distressing brain injuries. These problems can certainly cause conflict and frustration for people with a terrible brain injury, as well as for those who provide care for them, friends, and their family.

Major terrible brain injuries (TBI) have an extensive result on those who endure them. Not only do they create issues instantly following the TBI, they leave an enduring effect on simply every element of their lives– from physical and psychological well-being to overall quality of life. They also pose special long-lasting challenges, even when compared with mild TBI (referred to as concussion) or post-concussion syndrome.

Other Common Brain Injury Symptoms

These might include:

Problems with self-discipline	Absence of awareness of capabilities
Risky habits	Trouble in social situations
Verbal or physical outbursts	Consistent ringing in the ears
Problem recognizing objects	Impaired hand-eye coordination
Double vision or blind spots	A bitter taste, a bad odor or difficulty smelling things
Skin tingling, discomfort or itching	Difficulty with balance and being dizzy

Psychological modifications might include: Depression, stress and anxiety, state of mind swings, irritability, absence of compassion for others, anger, and insomnia. Research studies have shown that those who have serious or multiple traumatic brain injuries will be at increased risk of degenerative brain function.

A degenerative brain disorder can cause gradual loss of brain functions, including: Alzheimer’s disease, which mainly causes the progressive loss of memory, Parkinson’s disease, a progressive condition that triggers movement issues such as trembling, rigidness and slow motions, and Dementia pugilistica– usually associated with repeated blows to the head in career boxing, which triggers symptoms of dementia and movement issues.

Steps You Can Take to Avoid Potential Brain Injuries

Follow these suggestions to lower the risk of brain injury:

• Use seat belts and be sure airbags are in working order.
• Children should always be in the back seat of the car and secured in a child safety seat, that is appropriate for their size and age.
• Don’t drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, even prescription medications which can sometimes hinder driving ability.
• Use a helmet while riding a bike, skateboard, bike, snowmobile or an ATV, or all terrain vehicle.
• Also wear suitable head security when playing any contact sport such as baseball, skating, skiing, riding a horse, or snowboarding, to name a few.

The following tips can help older adults avoid falls around the house:

• Set up handrails in restrooms
• Put a nonslip mat in the bathtub or shower
• Eliminate rugs
• Set up hand rails on both sides of staircases
• Enhance lighting in the house
• Keep stairs and floors clear of mess
• Get regular vision examinations
• Get routine exercise

The following tips can assist children avoid head injuries:

• Set up security gates at the top of a staircase
• Keep clutter and mess off stairs
• Put guards in the windows to prevent accidental falls
• Keep a nonslip mat in the shower or bathtub
• Only go to playgrounds that have mats or other products on the ground that absorb shock
• Make sure location rugs are safe and secure
• Don’t let children play on balconies unattended

About the Author

Angela Zervos
Angela has spent more than 20 years of her legal career fighting for personal injury victims – and against big insurance companies. As a true trial lawyer, she takes on a wide variety of personal injury claims, including those involving motor vehicle accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, medical malpractice, traumatic brain injuries, and wrongful death. Prior to starting her own law practice, Angela secured more than $80 million in settlements and jury verdicts for her clients – a 90 percent success rate since 2002. Her efforts on behalf of her clients have resulted in numerous accolades. For example, Angela maintains a “Superb” 10.0 rating from AVVO, an “AV Preeminent” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and she is ranked among the Top 100 civil trial lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers Association. Zervos & Calta, PLLC serves the entire Tampa Bay area – including Pinellas County, Pasco County, Hernando County, and Hillsborough County – from offices in Tarpon Springs, Spring Hill, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg.