Brain Injury Awareness - Coping with Traumatic Brain Injury for Friends and Family

Brian O Sutter Brain Injury

Whether the cause was a car accident, sports injury, or any other kind of accident, the negative effect of brain injury can have on an individual and their family cannot be overstated. Nearly every aspect of life can be harmed by even a minor brain injury, from physical health problems to long-term psychological problems. If left undiagnosed and untreated, TBI can cause long-term problems that can lead to loss of income, severe physical health issues, loss of memory, destructive personality changes and more. The resulting financial strain and stress that can arise from undiagnosed and treated brain injuries can alter the lives and futures of entire families. If you or someone you love is suffering from headaches, impaired motor functions, unusual emotional behavior, problems with speech, memory, or other strange symptoms after a head impact they should be brought to a qualified medical professional immediately.

Getting An Brain Injury Accurate Diagnosis Early Is Critical

Knowledge is key to dealing with a hidden illness such as brain injury, after a crash, and because TBI is often not outwardly visible, it is essential to have a fully qualified medical professional with access to the latest brain scan equipment test the injured person before taking any further steps. In fact, due to the nature of brain injuries where micro-tears in tissue are a possibility, it may take multiple types of brain scans for the doctor to determine the full extent of the injury.

Examples Of Brain Scan Types Include:

MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) MRI Scans are a safe and painless test that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed images of the brain and can detect a wide variety of problems. CT Scan (computed tomography scan) Often called a CAT scan, the CT scan uses x-rays and a computer to produce images of the brain and can even produce 3-d images. In fact some Ambulances today can be equipped with small CT scanners to respond to cases involving head trauma. PET Scan (positron emission tomography) With PET scans a tracer fluid is injected into the body and the scan can help your doctor to see how well your organs and tissues are working by imaging the tracing fluid as it moves through the body and can measure a wide variety of things from blood/oxygen flow to sugar consumption by cells and much more.

A Medical Diagnosis Is Essential For Treatment, Recovery, and Compensation

Understanding the nature and severity of damage to the brain after an accident will be essential for the treatment and recovery from the injury. However, the importance of evidence such as brain scan images goes far beyond the health issues. Even a diagnosed and treated TBI can result in long-term hardship and having medical evidence of a hidden illness such as brain injury will be crucial for your lawyer to get the maximum amount of financial compensation during any accident injury settlement, or brain injury compensation trial. This money will be needed by the patient for everything from loss of income to long-term therapy and ongoing care.

Brain Injury Symptoms Divided by Severity:

Symptoms of brain injury and TBI can vary a lot in variety and severity. For example, if your loved one is suffering from headaches, confusion, dizziness, fatigue, a change in sleep, and behavioral patterns they are probably suffering from mild traumatic brain injury and need treatment for it. However, if they have all these and the following: vomiting, debilitating headaches, seizures, loss of coordination, and more, they may have a severe traumatic brain injury and require immediate medical attention.

Mild Brain Injury Symptoms

Headache
Nausea and Vomiting
Fatigue or Drowsiness
Problems with speech
Dizziness or loss of balance
Sensory Problems
Sensitivity to light and or sound
Loss of consciousness
No loss of consciousness by dazed or disoriented
Concentration/Memory Issues
Mood changes or mood swings
Feeling depressed/ anxious
Difficulty Sleeping
Sleeping More than Usual

Severe Brain Injury Symptoms

Severe TBI Symptoms can appear within the first days of injury and require immediate medical attention by a brain injury specialist. If your loved one is suffering from the following they may have a severe traumatic brain injury.

Loss of consciousness from several minutes to hours
Persistent headache or headache that gets worse
Repeated vomiting or nausea
Convulsions or seizures
Dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes
Fluid draining from eyes
Can’t sleep or wake up from sleepy
Weakness
Loss of coordination
Confused, agitated, slurred speech and coma

Advice for Those Reluctant To Get Medical Treatment

It is important that you ask your loved ones to visit a doctor if they report any of the symptoms listed above after a prior injury. Brain injury symptoms may look a lot like mental illness in some cases, and often in cases where the TBI was caused by a sports injury, the patient is sometimes worried about the social stigma that they are weak for going to a doctor, and they should just “tough it out”, or are worried if they are diagnosed with a brain injury they will lose their job and not be able to get another. This stigma will cause some injured people to be reluctant to get a medical diagnosis, which can be a critical mistake. As with most medical problems, the earlier you act and get help, the better it’ll be for your loved ones, your family, and friends. Don’t think that delaying things will help, or the symptoms will “just go away” on their own. Help your injured family member or friend, by dispelling that attitude right now, and get them to seek treatment before or they risk permanent long-term problems.

The High Cost Of TBI On Families

TBI Can Have A Lasting Financial And Emotional Impact on Children and Family Members. Brain Injuries and Traumatic Brain Injuries can have a devastating impact on entire families and require the care and attention of trained medical professionals. Most families don’t have the financial resources to deal with a brain injury on their own, the medical expenditures can easily be overwhelming and include expensive long-term care and medical treatment from therapists and neurological specialists. Families with children and young adults, this can be especially devastating, as children’s developing brains are especially fragile to the devastating effects of traumatic brain injury. For families with college-age students, the professional and financial futures of students can be in jeopardy, as the TBI suffered by any family member can create a heavy financial burden, overwhelming the family’s ability to pay for tuition, living expenses much less the medical bills, unless they get proper financial compensation. The effects of TBI are even more profound for younger children who are still developing. The best action for parents is to do their best to prevent young children from being at risk of head injury to begin with. Discourage reckless behavior for your child. Making sure that children wear a helmet while playing sports, are belted incorrectly in car safety seats or seat belts, and drive defensively. If a child or adult never gets injured then there's no need for treatment and large medical expenses.

March Is Brain Injury Awareness Month

Brain Injury is a serious neurological disease of which 5.3 million children and adults in the U.S suffer from this permanent injury-related disability. March is Brain Injury awareness month, now is the time to lend your support especially if you or a loved one is suffering. There are many ways you can help the cause. Speak Out - Sharing enlightening posters on social media and reminding people about symptoms and conditions of the acquired alignment. Discussing the ways brain injury and traumatic brain injury can be treated is one of the if not the best ways to contribute to the cause. Knowledge is power so get out there and educate people. Know The Facts - This is similar to the last point but knowing the real-world consequences of brain injury is essential to dealing with it effectively. Brain Injury is a serious disease that is just as widespread as many other mental-borne illnesses. At least 3.6 million people sustain a brain injury every year and can affect anyone. There are a wide variety of symptoms that can easily be mistaken for other conditions and ailments. How You Can Help - For brain injury awareness month, there are a plethora of creative things you can do to help the cause. Use the #MoreThanBrainInjury to raise awareness, advocacy, and funding. Supporting TBI research & Awareness - This month there is no time like now to donate to a brain injury-related charity. You can donate to BIAA for as much as you want in order to help the efforts behind research and treatment.

Help Spread The Word

Brain Injury Awareness month is the perfect opportunity to assist in the cause of identifying and treating individuals affected with traumatic brain injury as well as assisting those who can’t help themselves. This is the perfect time to participate in something greater than yourself and to help those who can’t help themselves, it is essential for those affected that you help in any way you can by raising awareness or even help with fundraising for researching better treatment. Donating to your local hospital or children's hospital or a national organization is an excellent way to help get the ball rolling. Starting a local fundraising effort in your local area at your church, school or other local organization is another excellent way to assist, as you can encourage people in your local area to donate to medical organizations, or help care for people. Don’t delay, this is a serious problem that needs attention. Millions of people suffer each year from this illness, any kind of help will go a long way towards making the world a better place for us all. Each person that is given live-saving brain injury treatment will go on to improve life for others. Every dollar raised for brain injury awareness month can help improve life. If you or a member of your family have suffered a TBI or brain injury because of someone else’s negligence contact Attorney Brian Sutter of All Injuries Law firm. We will fight for you the financial compensation you need to recover after a serious injury and long-term care. Call us today at (941) 625-4878 or chat with our legal team for your free case review.