TBI & Head Injury Cases

Traumatic Brain Injury & Head Injury Cases   

Each year, about 1.5 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI). That's 8 times the number of people diagnosed with breast cancer and 34 times the number of new cases of HIV/AIDS each year.  An estimated 5.3 million Americans—2% of the U.S. population— currently live with disabilities resulting from TBI. 
 
Among children and young adults, TBI is the type of injury most often associated with deaths from unintentional injuries.  Estimated TBI rates for African American children ages 0 to 4 are about 40% higher than those for white children.   Approximately 1 in 4 adults with TBI is unable to return to work one year after injury.
 
TBIs requiring hospitalization cost the nation about $56.3 billion each year. Included in this cost are decreased tax revenues and increased welfare costs that result when injured persons or their caregivers are unable to return to work. 

Symptoms of Brain Injury 
“I just don’t feel like myself.” 
The type of brain injury called a concussion has many symptoms. These symptoms are usually temporary, but may last for days, weeks, or even longer. Generally, if you feel that “something is not quite right,” or if you’re “feeling foggy,” you should talk with your doctor.

Here are some of the symptoms of a concussion:

• Low-grade headaches that won’t go away
• Having more trouble than usual: 
• Remembering things 
• Paying attention or concentrating 
• Organizing daily tasks 
• Making decisions and solving problems 
• Slowness in thinking, acting, speaking, or reading
• Getting lost or easily confused
• Neck pain
• Feeling tired all the time, lack of energy
• Change in sleeping pattern: 
• Sleeping for much longer periods of time than before 
• Trouble sleeping or insomnia 
• Loss of balance, feeling light-headed or dizzy
• Increased sensitivity to: 
• Sounds 
• Lights 
• Distractions
• Blurred vision or eyes that tire easily
• Loss of sense of taste or smell
• Ringing in the ears
• Change in sexual drive
• Mood changes: 
• Feeling sad, anxious, or listless 
• Becoming easily irritated or angry for little or no reason 
• Lack of motivation  

Young Children  - Although children can have the same symptoms of brain injury as adults, it is harder for young children to let others know how they are feeling. Call your child’s doctor if your child seems to be getting worse or if you notice any of the following:

• Listlessness, tiring easily
• Irritability, crankiness
• Change in eating or sleeping patterns
• Change in the way they play
• Change in the way they perform or act at school
• Lack of interest in favorite toys
• Loss of new skills, such as toilet training
• Loss of balance, unsteady walking   

Older Adults  - Older adults with a brain injury may have a higher risk of serious complications such as a blood clot on the brain. Headaches that get worse or an increase in confusion are signs of this complication. If these signs occur, see a doctor right away.

Getting Better
"Sometimes the best thing you can do is just rest and then try again later.”

How fast people recover from brain injury varies from person to person. Although most people have a good recovery, how quickly they improve depends on many factors. These factors include how severe their concussion was, what part of the brain was injured, their age, and how healthy they were before the concussion.

Rest is very important after a concussion because it helps the brain to heal. You’ll need to be patient because healing takes time. Return to your daily activities, such as work or school, at your own pace. As the days go by, you can expect to gradually feel better.

If you already had a medical problem at the time of your concussion, it may take longer for you to recover from your brain injury. Anxiety and depression may also make it harder to adjust to the symptoms of brain injury.

While you are healing, you should be very careful to avoid doing anything that could cause a blow or jolt to your head. On rare occasions, receiving another concussion before a brain injury has healed can be fatal. Even after your brain injury has healed, you should protect yourself from having another concussion. People who have had repeated brain injuries, such as boxers or football players, may have serious problems later in life. These problems include difficulty with concentration and memory and sometimes with physical coordination.

Tips for Healing - Adults

    Here are a few tips to help you get better:

• Get plenty of sleep at night, and rest during the day.
• Return to your normal activities gradually, not all at once.
• Avoid activities that could lead to a second brain injury, such as contact or recreational sports, until your doctor says you are well enough to take part in these activities.
• Ask your doctor when you can drive a car, ride a bike, or operate heavy equipment because your ability to react may be slower after a brain injury. 
• Talk with your doctor about when you can return to work or school. Ask your doctor about ways to help your employer or teacher understand what has happened to you.
• Consider talking with your employer about returning to work gradually and changing your work activities until you recover.
• Take only those drugs that your doctor has approved.
• Don’t drink alcoholic beverages until your doctor says you are well enough to do so. Alcohol and certain other drugs may slow your recovery and can put you at risk of further injury.
• If it’s harder than usual to remember things, write them down.
• If you’re easily distracted, try to do one thing at a time. For example, don’t try to watch TV while fixing dinner.
• Consult with family members or close friends when making important decisions.
• Don’t neglect your basic needs such as eating well and getting enough rest. 
   
   
  Tips for Healing - Children
• Parents and caretakers of children who have had a concussion can help them heal by:
• Having the child get plenty of rest.
• Making sure the child avoids activities that could result in a second blow or jolt to the head . such as riding a bicycle, playing sports, or climbing playground equipment . until the doctor says the child is well enough to take part in these activities.
• Giving the child only those drugs that the doctor has approved.
• Talking with the doctor about when the child should return to school and other activities and how to deal with the challenges the child may face.
• Sharing information about concussion with teachers, counselors, babysitters, coaches, and others who interact with the child so they can understand what has happened and help meet the child’s needs. 

Where to Get Help
Help for People with Brain Injuries

“It was the first time in my life that I couldn’t depend on myself.”

There are many people who can help you and your family as you recover from your brain injury. You don’t have to do it alone. Show this brochure to your doctor or health care provider and talk with them about your concerns. Ask your doctor whether you need specialized treatment and about the availability of rehabilitation programs. Your doctor may be able to help you find a health care provider who has special training in the treatment of concussion. Early treatment of symptoms by professionals who specialize in brain injury may speed recovery. Your doctor may refer you to a neurologist, neuropsychologist, neurosurgeon, or specialist in rehabilitation. 
   
 
Help for Families and Caregivers
“My husband used to be so calm. But after his injury, he started to explode over the littlest things. He didn’t even know that he had changed.”

When someone close to you has a brain injury, it can be hard to know how best to help. They may say that they are “fine” but you can tell from how they are acting that something has changed.

If you notice that your family member or friend has symptoms of brain injury that are getting worse or are not getting better, talk to them and their doctor about getting help. They may also need help if you can answer YES to any of the following questions:

• Has their personality changed?
• Do they get angry for no reason?
• Do they get lost or easily confused?
• Do they have more trouble than usual making decisions? 

You might also want to talk with people who have experienced what you are going through. The Brain Injury Association can put you in contact with people who can help. 
  
Resources for Getting Help
“I thought I was all alone, but I’m not. There are lots of people out there who understand what I’ve been through.”

Several groups help people with brain injury and their families. They provide information and put people in touch with local resources, such as support groups, rehabilitation services, and a variety of health care professionals.

Among these groups, the Brain Injury Association (BIA) has a national office that gathers scientific and educational information and works on a national level to help people with brain injury. In addition, 44 affiliated state Brain Injury Associations provide help locally.

These problems don't all manifest themselves at once. In fact, initially perhaps only one or two areas are affected. Memory and organizational skills may be left intact and somehow the victim suffers only emotional problems. Sometimes, tasks may be performed accurately, however, not without the victim suffering from constant fatigue. The damage can be subtle, but no less serious. Usually it takes a family member or close friend to recognize it. Furthermore, much of this is undetectable by MRI, CT Scan, or several of the other traditional means of diagnosis.  Victims of brain injury who were injured as a result of the negligence of another should hire an attorney familiar with brain injury cases.  A lawyer who handles brain injury claims should work closely with neurologists and other medical providers as well as the client and his or her family to provide the needed background information necessary to produce an accurate diagnosis. If you would like a free case evaluation, fill out the form below.  An attorney will review your claim and may contact you to discuss your rights.

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