Traumatic Brain Injury

In our practice we frequently handle cases involving traumatic brain injuries. Traumatic brain injury can occur in a variety of ways. It can occur when there is a rapid acceleration and/or deceleration of the brain such as in an automobile collision whiplash scenario. Traumatic brain injury can also result when the head comes into contact with another object such as in a motorcycle accident, automobile accident, or a blow to the head. This type of injury is sometimes referred to as a “closed head injury.”
Injuries that result from traumatic brain injury can be long-lasting and sometimes difficult to prove, especially when there are no outward physical manifestations of the injury. In fact, a traumatic brain injury can be sustained, with life altering results, yet routine neurological examinations, MRI’s and CT’s will be normal.
We have seen that persons who suffer a traumatic brain injury of any type may experience physical, cognitive, and behavioral problems. Physical symptoms that result from traumatic brain injury include lethergy, fatigue, headache, vision problems, and sleep disturbances. Cognitive problems include the inability to concentrate or pay attention, difficulty with memory, difficulty with planning, and trouble either understanding or producing speech. Behavioral problems resulting from traumatic brain injury include mood swings, irritability, and lack of inhibition. Many of these problems may be mistakenly attributed to depression or other disease processes, when they are, in fact, a result of some sort of traumatic brain injury. This is especially true in cases of mild traumatic brain injury since there may be little evidence of physical injury.
It can be very difficult for a person who has suffered a traumatic brain injury to recover adequate damages for their injury. It is difficult to prove the lasting physical effects of any type of traumatic brain injury to the satisfaction of a judge or jury when there are no apparent physical injuries and when neurological exams return normal results. Because of this, it is a good idea to consult with a personal injury attorney who has experience in traumatic brain injury or brain damage cases.