Traumatic brain injuries can be some of the most devastating and life-changing results of an accident, but they are often invisible to the untrained eye. Unlike cuts of broken bones, traumatic brain injuries can profoundly affect an individual’s personality, thinking, and quality of life without any outward signs of trauma.

If you or someone you love experienced a traumatic brain injury, understanding your rights and legal options is an essential first step towards securing the compensation you need to pay for proper medical care, rehabilitation, and long-term support.

The traumatic brain injury attorney team at Robenalt Law can help you recognize and understand common signs and symptoms of brain damage and guide you through the process of pursuing a legal claim.

What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can happen when physical trauma or a blow to the head causes damage to the brain. A TBI can range in severity from a mild concussion to severe, debilitating injuries that lead to lifelong medical issues. Even a minor accident can cause a traumatic brain injury if it results in shaking of the head that causes the brain to move violently inside the skull. Signs of a TBI may be immediate or develop over time.

A traumatic brain injury is actually the result of two distinct injury events.

• The initial trauma, called the “primary impact,” occurs when the brain moves violently inside the skull. This motion can cause bleeding and bruising of the brain and tearing of delicate nerve fibers.
• After the initial trauma, the brain may experience a secondary, delayed trauma that occurs when it swells and pushes against the inside of the skull, which reduces the amount of oxygen-rich blood flowing to the brain. This “secondary injury” refers to the chemical, cellular, and vascular changes to the brain that occur after the initial trauma. The secondary trauma can evolve in the hours, days, and weeks after the initial injury.

What Are Common TBI Symptoms?

Traumatic brain injuries can present a variety of symptoms that vary significantly based on the severity of the injury and which areas of the brain were affected. Some TBI symptoms appear immediately after the traumatic event, while others emerge gradually over time. To detect a TBI, the injured individual and their caregivers must remain vigilant during the recovery period.

Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can be broadly categorized into physical, cognitive, emotional, and sensory changes, although many of these TBI symptoms overlap. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of brain damage is essential for early detection and treatment, as prompt medical attention can significantly improve patient outcomes and prevent complications.

Physical

Traumatic brain injury can cause physical symptoms like headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and extreme light sensitivity. Someone who experienced a TBI may experience extreme fatigue or persistent pain, both of which can make daily activities difficult.

Individuals who experienced a TBI may also have difficulty with balance and coordination, which can make walking, driving, or performing routine household chores challenging.

Cognitive

Individuals who experienced a TBI may have difficulty concentrating, working, studying, or even carrying on a conversation.

Emotional

A TBI can cause mood swings, irritability, or depression. These TBI symptoms occur because the brain regulates emotions. When it is injured, it can be difficult for an individual to manage their emotions and how they feel.

Sensory

A TBI can affect any of the five senses.

• Vision problems are the most common signs of brain damage. They may include blurred or double vision, extreme light sensitivity, difficulty focusing, loss of peripheral vision, or problems with eye tracking and coordination.
• Signs of brain damage involving hearing may involve ringing in the ears (tinnitus), increased sensitivity to sounds, difficulty filtering out background noise, or partial hearing loss. Some individuals may find normal volume levels uncomfortably loud or may struggle to understand speech in noisy environments.
• Taste and smell disturbances may occur when the olfactory nerve is damaged, resulting in a diminished or complete loss of smell or taste, or distorted perception in which things taste or smell differently than they should.
• Tactile (touch) sensations may be altered, and some individuals may experience tingling, numbness, or a heightened sensitivity to touch. They may have reduced ability to feel temperature changes or increased sensitivity to pain.

How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help?

Proving a legal case to recover compensation for traumatic brain injuries requires convincing a judge or jury that the defendant person or organization caused a brain injury through their negligent, reckless, or intentional conduct.

The Columbus personal injury lawyers at Robenalt Law can build a comprehensive case to establish both the existence of a traumatic brain injury and how the defendant(s) caused it. Our brain injury lawyers can:

• Gather evidence to prove the existence and cause of the TBI. This may include gathering, reviewing, and presenting medical records, imaging studies, neurological test results, and treatment documentation that demonstrates the cause and extent of the brain injury. Our team frequently works with neurologists, neuropsychologists, rehabilitation specialists, and other medical experts who can testify about the diagnosis, prognosis, and the effects of the TBI on the individual’s cognitive and physical functioning.
• Document the incident. Our team can gather evidence to prove how the injury occurred and who was at fault. Depending on the nature of the injury, this may involve gathering accident reports, witness statements, video and photographs of the scene, reports of safety violations, or an analysis of medical records.
• Calculate damages. Our team works with economic experts, life care planners, and vocational experts to project lifetime medical costs, lost earning capacity, and necessary accommodations, as well as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress to prove the full extent of economic and non-economic damages

Contact a Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney at Robenalt Law Today

Robenalt Law has offices in Cleveland and Columbus, and handles legal claims for traumatic brain injuries throughout Ohio and nationwide. Call our Cleveland office at (216) 223-7535 or our Columbus office at (614) 695-3800 or contact us online to schedule a free, confidential, no-obligation appointment to discuss your situation and how we can help.