Brain Injuries — What to Look For

Brain injuries lead to approximately 50,000 U.S. deaths and 230,000 hospitalizations each year, and yield annual medical and rehabilitative costs of more than $76 billion. Nearly half of all brain injuries result from motor vehicle crashes. Another major source of brain injuries are contact sports, such as football.

Need for medical advice

Even seemingly minor brain injuries can result in debilitation or death. All brain injury victims should seek immediate medical help following the injury, as it is not often possible for the victim or their family to determine the full scope of potential danger.

Mild brain injuries

Typical characteristics of mild brain injuries include:

• Headaches, nausea and vomiting
• Memory difficulties
• Loss of consciousness for up to a few minutes
• Balance and dizziness problems
• Sensory disruptions such as blurry vision or ringing of the ears
• Mood swings
• Anxiety or depression
• Increased fatigue or restlessness

Moderate or severe brain injuries

Severe brain injury, symptoms can include:

• Increased periods of unconsciousness
• Longer periods of unconsciousness
• Aggressive behavior
• Extreme headaches
• Dilated pupils
• Coordination and speech issues
• Vomiting and seizures
• Loss of strength to the extremities
• Fluids draining from your nose or ears (if you have suffered a skull fracture)

Children’s symptoms

Children who suffer brain injuries may be harder to diagnose, primarily because they lack sufficient communication skills to properly report their injuries. Therefore, following a fall or other accident, adults should always be on the lookout for tell-tale signs of brain injuries among children. These include unusual irritability, mood changes, sleep disruption and unexplained depression.

Given the overlap between different types of brain injuries, it can be difficult for brain injury victims and their families to accurately assess their full scope of damages. The experienced personal injury attorneys at Cunningham & Mears, PC can provide you with the perspective you need to achieve maximum compensation for your brain injury.