What are the Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury?

September 8, 2023 | Personal Injury

Traumatic brain injuries can result in long-term physical and cognitive deficits for victims, but they can be hard to notice right after an incident occurs. It is imperative for anyone who sustains a blow or bump to the head or body to seek immediate medical care, even if they do not feel any signs or symptoms of a brain injury. Here, we want to review the main signs and symptoms of a brain injury, as well as some of the main causes of these injuries.

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms

Many people are not aware that concussions are considered mild traumatic brain injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These types of traumatic brain injuries typically have the same mechanisms of injury as more severe injuries, but the bump or blow to the body or head may not be as impactful. Even though most individuals recover from a concussion within a week or two, they can still experience brain injury symptoms, including the following:

  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness or balance issues
  • Drowsiness or fatigue
  • A ringing in the ears
  • Sensitivity to light or sound
  • Mild mood changes or mood swings
  • Concentration or memory problems

Moderate to Severe Brain Injury Symptoms

Moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries will have the same general symptoms as mild traumatic brain injuries, but there will likely be additional physical and cognitive deficits. These injuries are critical and must be treated by a medical professional immediately. Prompt medical care can be the difference between a person making a recovery or sustaining long-term disabilities. Some additional symptoms associated with moderate to severe TBIs include the following:

  • Headaches that worsen over time
  • Seizures or convulsions
  • Severe vomiting or nausea
  • Dilation of one or both pupils
  • Fluid draining from the ears or nose
  • An inability to wake up
  • Numbness or tingling in the fingers or toes
  • Loss of coordination
  • Extreme confusion
  • Combativeness, agitation, or other unusual behaviors
  • Slurred speech

We do want to point out that the signs and symptoms of brain injuries often take hours or even more than a day to appear. Even if individuals do not notice any symptoms of a brain injury right after sustaining a bump or blow to the head or body, they should still seek medical treatment right away.

How do These Injuries Occur?

Traumatic brain injuries can occur in a wide variety of ways. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Slip and fall incidents
  • Defective product incidents
  • Sports injury incidents
  • Assaults
  • Swimming pool accidents

This is certainly not a complete list of how traumatic brain injuries occur, but anyone who sustains an injury caused by the negligent actions of another party should reach out to an attorney immediately. A Seattle traumatic brain injury lawyer can help examine the facts of the case and determine the best steps moving forward to help a victim recover compensation. Some of the types of sensation that may be available include coverage of medical bills associated with the injury, lost wages if a victim is unable to work, as well as various types of pain and suffering damages.