Also, our law firm is available for referrals to assist other attorneys or law firms in screening, litigating, and settling traumatic brain injury cases; and in assisting in maximizing your client's recovery.
Signs and Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury
The attorneys at Bennett and Zydron, P.C. are committed to assisting you with protecting your legal rights. Please review the signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injury.
The following symptoms can occur within minutes, hours, or days after a concussion:
Headaches
Dizziness
Nausea or vomiting
Drowsiness
Whiplash, neck pain
Memory loss, amnesia
Vision problems
Ringing in ears, hearing problems
The following symptoms can occur in the weeks and months after a concussion:
Headaches
Dizziness
Feel tired
Move slowly
Trouble falling asleep
Nightmares
Feel frustrated
Impatience
Irritability or short temper
Feel sad or blue
Misplace things
Lose train of thought
Think slowly
Poor concentration
Forget if you have done things
Forget what you have read
Forget names or phone numbers
Trouble following instructions
Trouble following conversations
Trouble coming up with the right word
Signs and Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
HEADACHES:
People who have suffered a concussion or a traumatic closed head injury often experience more headaches after the injury or accident. Pain can be felt in the temples or forehead. Sometimes the pain will start at the back of the head and extend to the front of the head. Individuals may have episodes of very sharp pain (like being stabbed) in the head which last between several seconds and several minutes. Dizziness may also be ongoing.
MEMORY:
Short term memory problems can be caused by a traumatic brain injury. Individuals who have suffered a head injury often complain that they seem to forget what people have told them just minutes earlier. They also have difficulty remembering what they have just read and have to ask the same questions over and over. People who have traumatic brain injuries have to write everything down, so they won’t forget it.
WORD-FINDING:
Traumatic brain injuries can cause people to have difficulty coming up with the right word to say. The injured person knows what they want to say, but but just can't seem to “spit it out.”
FATIGUE:
A traumatic brain injury often causes individuals to become more tired, both mentally and physically. Emotional and/or stressful situations can increase the fatigue even more. Work and travel can be exhausting for the brain injured individual. Fatigue can also increase because of changes in sleep patterns caused by a closed head injury. It is not uncommon for a brain injury patient to wake up throughout the night and early morning or have difficulty getting back to sleep.
DIFFICULTY WITH CONCENTRATION:
Traumatic brain injury causes significant problems with one’s ability to concentrate. Those who have suffered a closed head injury are easily distracted and find it hard to stay focused. They often lose their place if interrupted during a task. Noisy or crowded places are overwhelming. Driving is very difficult in that brain injured individuals become overwhelmed by traffic and can forget directions.
ORGANIZATION:
Organizational skills are difficult for an individual with a brain injury. A traumatic brain injury makes it difficult for an individual to get organized or complete a task. The person may leave out a step in a recipe or started multiple projects without ever completing them. One’s ability to multi-task becomes impaired.
EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES:
Those suffering from a brain injury become more easily irritated or angry. They cry or become depressed more easily and more often. Depression, sadness, frustration, loneliness, and mood swings can result from a brain injury. These emotional changes seem to come on quickly and effect relationships.
BALANCE DISTURBANCE:
Balance difficulties can arise from a traumatic brain injury. Signs and symptoms can include losing balance in the shower or going down steps. Individuals may have to sit in the shower or may require assistance when walking.
IMPULSIVITY:
Poor decision making is often a trait of brain injury survivors. Following a traumatic brain injury, you may find yourself making poor or impulsive decisions without thinking. This might be manifested in relationships, at work, or shopping binges, etc.
ADDITIONAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF TBI
Periods of disorientation
Problems remembering conversation or becoming lost during conversations
Difficulties problem solving
Slowing thought processing
Difficulty finding right word and slowed ability to communicate
Learning takes longer and it is difficult to remember recently learned material
Poor initiation and motivation
Impaired concentration and ability to pay attention
Depression, sadness, and loneliness
Changes in sense of self and in relationships
Loss of life roles/Altered life roles
Increased frustration and irritability
Avoidance of crowds
Fear, anxiety and worry about future and/or cognitive functioning
Shoulder pain or swelling; limited range of motion in shoulder
Limited ability to reach, lift or carry things
Numbness in fingers
Tendency to drop things
Decreased grip strength; poor grip on the left
Use non-dominant hand to clean
Limited use of arm; Need to hold arm when walking
Difficulty cutting food or folding sheets
Difficulty standing, bending, twisting, kneeling, stooping, or climbing
Foot pain and swelling with ambulation/walking
Changes in expressive and receptive language skills
Difficulty with bicycling, skiing, diving, weight lifting, hiking, backpacking, and kayaking
Difficulty with gardening, yard work, laundry, cooking, household chores, and home repairs
Bowel difficulties/involuntary evacuation
Low tone and volume to voice
Shaking of head or hands
Difficulty with self-care tasks such as hair care, grooming, and dressing
