What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Falls and motor vehicle accidents are leading causes of traumatic brain injuries
How a TBI permanently impacts the lives of accident victims in North Dakota
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year. As a result, 275,000 people are hospitalized and over 1.3 million people are treated and released for their TBI in hospital emergency departments. Falls are the leading cause of TBI-related injuries and motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of TBI-related deaths. The Head Injury Association of North Dakota reported that approximately 13,000 people in North Dakota live with a TBI-related disability.
A traumatic brain injury is caused by a sudden blow, jolt or bump to the head that disrupts normal brain function. Depending on the type of accident and injuries, minor symptoms of a TBI – such as a concussion – include dizziness, headaches, and temporary loss of consciousness. Severe symptoms include permanent memory loss, coma, paralysis, and in extreme cases, people die as a result of a traumatic TBI.
The aftermath of a head injury is life-altering and drastically impacts your future, especially if you have to live with long-term health issues. While North Dakota has tough concussion management laws in place to protect youth athletes from traumatic brain injury, concussions still happen as a result of slip and fall accidents, car and pedestrian accidents, and other situations that cause serious head trauma.
If you suffer a blow to the head, symptoms of a traumatic brain injury don’t always show up immediately. Even if you feel okay on the day of your injury, symptoms can show up days, weeks or even months later so it’s important to seek medical care as soon as possible.
In a personal injury lawsuit, you need to gather as much evidence as possible after a head-related accident, including detailed medical documentation of your injuries. Make sure your medical care provider gives you a thorough physical exam and that your doctor orders x-rays (to check for skull fractures), MRI and a CT scan.
Follow your doctor’s orders for after care and treatment of your TBI. Ask a family member or your roommate to watch and assess your symptoms in the following days and weeks after your head trauma. If your symptoms worsen, seek immediate medical attention. For mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI), such as concussions, most patients make a full recovery within six weeks. Depending on the diagnosis from your doctor, you can face months or even years of medical treatments and physical therapy. In severe cases of TBI, the brain is permanently damaged and you can’t perform daily tasks that require basic motor and processing skills such as talking, walking, brushing your teeth, or even driving your car.
The long term impact of TBI also drains your finances and causes extreme distress for you and family members, especially if you can no longer work and earn an income. If you are permanently disabled, the cost of medical care is astronomical, including expensive medications, physical therapy, and 24, 7 care by a nurse or a rehab facility.
As an injured victim, you are entitled to fair and full compensation for your loss of independence, and pain and suffering. The traumatic brain injury attorneys at Larson Law Firm, P.C. are ready to take on the legal battle for you. Our compassionate and trusted legal advisors guide you every step of the way through the claims process. By working with us, we ease your stress and worries so you can concentrate on your health and recovery process. To schedule your free consultation today, contact us online or call our Minot office at 701-484-4878. If you are unable to drive to our office, we make personal home and hospital visits.