As a Whitby personal injury law firm we understand that Traumatic Brain Injuries are debilitating, life-altering—and, unfortunately, all too common. In fact, Traumatic Brain Injuries are one of the top causes of death and disabilities and automotive collisions are the leading cause of TBIs. There are currently 5.3 million people living in the US alone with TBIs. Here in The GTA there are thousands living with it—which is why we are able to specialize as a Whitby personal injury law firm.
The good news is that risks can be mitigated and symptoms managed—but first it must be determined if someone did suffer a brain injury during a car accident.
There are a number of symptoms that can help you identify whether someone may have a brain injury:
Physical Symptoms
·Any type of seizure
·Muscle spasms
·Vision problems, including: double vision, blurred vision, partial or total blindness and low vision
·Loss of taste and/or smell
·Speech impairment, including: slowed or slurred speech
·Headaches and/or migraines
·Drowsiness/fatigue
·Problems with balance
Cognitive Symptoms
·Memory loss, short- or long-term (or both)
·A slowing of information-processing abilities
·Difficulty focusing/paying attention
·Speaking difficulties, including: having difficulty maintaining a conversation, using an appropriate tone of voice, comprehending the subtleties of conversations, difficulty distinguishing sarcasm from serious and trouble finding the right words
·Spatial disorientation
·Problems with organization
·Judgement impairment
·Difficulty or inability to interpret normal facial expressions and body-language cues
·An inability to multitask
·A sudden change in initiating activities and difficulty finishing them (without a reminder)
Emotional Symptoms
·An increased amount of anxiety
·Depression and/or mood swings
·Behaving on impulse
·Easily becoming agitated
·An increase in self-serving behaviour
·Difficulty in interpreting how behaviour affects others
How to Assess
Immediately after a car accident victims may or may not experience loss of consciousness and often feel dazed. Unfortunately, assessing symptoms immediately after an accident can be difficult as shock can mimic many of the symptoms. Even with a CT or MRI scan not all BTIs can be discovered, which is why many victims with Traumatic Brain Injuries in Whitby are released from care after no brain bleeding is detected.
It is in the coming days, weeks or months that the patient will need to be watched for any combination of the symptoms listed above.
Have a Traumatic Brain Injury in Whitby?
Conte & Associates specializes in Whitby personal injury law firm, and in helping people with serious orthopedic, brain or spinal cord injuries—and we can help. We are compassionate personal injury lawyers that will help you through the legal process to ensure that you’re taken care of while you’re healing. Not IN Whitby? No problem, we serve all the surrounding areas, including: personal injury in Oshawa and personal injury in Toronto.
