A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a condition that can cause severe mental and physical impairments to an individual. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1.5 million people suffer from TBI every year in the United States, and 50,000 people die as a result of TBI.

If you or a family member has suffered from a TBI, you should seek out the help of a brain injury attorney as soon as possible. Experienced TBI lawyers understand the complexity of these injuries. They will look at your case and help determine if the injury was caused due to the negligence of another.

There are a number of factors that can cause TBIs, but here are some of the most common ones:

Individuals in car accidents can receive serious head trauma resulting in TBI. This can occur when the head is slammed violently against an object such as concrete or the interior of the car. The force of the neck jerking from a sudden stop can also cause the brain to slam against the inside of the skull.

Gunshot wounds are another common cause of some of the most severe brain injuries. While most individuals who receive gunshot wounds to the head succumb to their injuries, a small number survive. Of that number, about 50% are left with a TBI.

The CDC reports that slip and fall injuries cause the most number of TBIs. In many cases, this happens to elderly people. This can take place when a person falls down stairs or even slips when doing household activities.

TBI can be mild or severe. If it is mild, this means that you may have lost consciousness for a short period of time. You may exhibit signs of disorientation, confusion, and even mood swings. While this is classified as mild, it can still be devastating to the individual.

If your TBI is severe, this often means you have been unconscious for a longer period of time after an accident. You could have a penetrating skull injury. You will also have a higher level of cognitive deficits and even lapse into a coma. The TBI could affect the function of your limbs, speech, and even ability to think clearly.

There’s no doubt a severe form of TBI can be devastating to a family. There is no clear way to know how or when the person will recover. This is why you need to find a brain injury attorney. An attorney can help you explore your options and help you better understand what you and your family are up against.

Due to the invisible nature of traumatic brain injuries, victims only rarely receive prompt treatment for their physical and cognitive impairment. Not uncommonly, victims’ early medical charts are devoid of any mention of “head injury” or “cognitive impairment.” It is only later, if they are lucky, that a healthcare professional validates the injury, and treatment finally ensues.

As with most misunderstood injuries, society and “old school” health care practitioners, are apt to label the TBI victim a malingerer or worse. Because victims of traumatic brain injury appear outwardly just as they did before the injury, it should come as no surprise that many victims describe their post-injury experience as including progressive social isolation in addition to alienation from even immediate family.

Victims of TBI often experience mental symptoms that can affect how they process information at the speed they would have prior to the injury, and a limited range of subject matter they are able to process.

Some of the most common signs that someone has suffered a TBI include:

• Inaccurate judgment
• Lack of communication
• Inability to conform behavior
• Frustration and inability to respond in a pre-morbid (pre-injury) manner (which can trigger violent behavior)
• Headaches
• Issues with smell and taste
• Difficulty with memory and recall

“Left to fend for themselves, the victims of traumatic brain injury, already confused by their inability to be the people they were prior to the injury, now face the daunting task of demonstrating that an injury they do not understand and cannot comprehend is producing the confusion they cannot communicate” – Dr. Antoinette R. Appel

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) often have severe and long-term physical consequences. A traumatic brain injury often involves a strong concussive force or an object penetrating the skull, resulting in loss of consciousness, brain hemorrhage, coma, cognitive impairment, and other negative effects. The brain is a complex organ that is still not well understood by medical professionals. However, there have been several studies that point to a correlation between behavioral/mental health changes and TBIs.

Types of behavioral and mental health problems that may result from a TBI include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Temper outbursts
• Irritability
• Bipolar disorder
• Personality changes

There are a variety of behavioral and mental health issues that may affect TBI patients. While not all patients exhibit such personality changes, others are severely affected by their brain injury. Each patient’s situation is different, and an experienced physician can recognize signs of behavioral and mental health disorders and provide safe and effective treatment methods to the patient.