What Is Considered a Serious Brain Injury? 

An injury to the head should always be a cause for concern. Trauma to the brain can affect a person’s ability to think clearly, express themselves, move their bodies, and manage their emotions. If the injury is particularly serious, it may prevent the person from working or living life as they used to before the accident occurred.

Those who have received serious brain injuries in accidents that were not their fault have the potential to claim significant compensation for their losses. Understanding a serious brain injury can help you know what steps you should take to pursue the money you need.

How Do Brain Injuries Happen?

The Brain Injury Association of America notes two types of brain injury: non-traumatic and traumatic. Non-traumatic brain injuries result from a lack of oxygen due to infection, heart attack, stroke, tumor, or near drowning. These types of injuries are sometimes called “acquired brain injuries.”

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are the type that tends to occur in accidents, as external factors cause them. This can include instances in which a person’s head:

• Strikes or is struck by an object or surface
• Suffers a sudden, violent shaking or jolt
• Is penetrated by a foreign object

These types of injuries often occur in accidents such as:

• Automobile accidents
• Slip and falls
• Falls from heights
• Medical negligence during delivery and birth
• Sports and recreation

What Are the Signs of a Brain Injury?

If you have suffered a blow to the head or if an accident has caused a sudden jolt to your body, it is crucial that you seek medical attention as soon as you can. If you notice any of the following symptoms, you may have received a mild TBI:

• Headache
• Confusion
• Lightheadedness
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision or heavy eyes
• Strange taste in the mouth
• Fatigue
• Altered sleep patterns
• Mood or behavioral changes
• Concentration or cognitive issues

A mild TBI may or may not cause a brief loss of consciousness.

If a person has any of the above symptoms in addition to any of the following symptoms, they may have received a moderate-to-severe TBI:

• Persistent or worsening headache
• Persistent nausea or repeated vomiting
• Seizures or convulsions
• Inability to wake up
• Dilation of one or both pupils
• Slurring of speech
• Weakness or numbness in limbs or extremities
• Loss of coordination
• Agitation or restlessness

It is essential that you seek immediate medical treatment if you notice any of these symptoms. Waiting too long can increase the likelihood that brain damage may become irreversible. 

How Can I Tell if My Child Has Suffered a TBI?

It is not uncommon for children to receive head injuries while they are playing sports or engaged in other activities. This is particularly true if they have not been provided with proper protective equipment.

Children who have suffered a TBI may not be able to recognize some of these symptoms themselves. Be sure to pay attention to these signs in your child’s state or behavior after they have hit their head. You should also look out for uncontrollable crying, loss of interest in usual activities, and changes in their eating or sleeping habits.

Contact an Experienced Virginia Beach Brain Injury Lawyer

Suffering a brain injury in an accident can turn a person’s life upside down in an instant. If this has happened to you or someone you love, you deserve to recover compensation for losses you have incurred as a result of an accident caused by someone else. The experienced personal injury attorneys at Invictus Law can help fight for your interests. Call us today at 757-317-5125 or contact us online to discuss your legal options.