The Long-Term Physical Effects Of Traumatic Brain Injury
Brian O Sutter
Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injuries are some of the most complex and devastating injuries one can suffer. For those who experience a mild brain injury, such as those most commonly from mild whiplash in a car accident, recovery is typically simple. After a few days to several weeks, one is able to get on with their normal life. They may have to deal with some medical costs, but those are temporary and put to an end once their injury is fully healed. But what about moderate and severe brain injuries? They can be significantly more complicated and, in some cases, leave sufferers with debilitating symptoms for the rest of their lives.Any accident can lead to a traumatic brain injury. A slip and fall, a car accident, a boating accident, an accident at work—you can theoretically injure your brain at any time. When this does occur, it’s important to seek medical attention as quickly as possible and to have a skilled and experienced Florida personal injury attorney on your side. Even traumatic brain injuries that appear mild at first could be more severe than you think after you’ve sought professional medical opinion.
Moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries can leave a lasting impression for years or a lifetime. In some instances, they may even manifest in new ways as the years go on. For instance, a person with a moderate traumatic brain injury could suddenly experience dizziness a decade down the road, or they may learn that they’ve now developed chronic migraines with potentially lifelong implications. Some of the most common long-term physical effects of moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries are:
• Headaches And Migraines – New onset chronic headaches and migraines are one of the most common long-standing symptoms of a traumatic brain injury. They are common in the immediate days, weeks, and months after a traumatic brain injury, but some may never go away or develop entirely later on.
• Dizziness – In one surprising statistic, around 1/3 of individuals who have moderate or severe traumatic brain injury will suffer from dizziness for at least 5 years post-injury. In most of those cases, the symptoms subside over time and are not always constant or severe, but they can be disruptive. Dizziness symptoms can lead a person to lose their career, their mobility, and their quality of life.
• Vision Changes – The eyes are particularly affected by traumatic brain injuries. Blurry vision, double vision, and unequal movement of the eyes can be a symptom experienced up to 3 years or longer after a traumatic brain injury has occurred. Those vision changes can essentially take away one of an individual’s most important senses, deeply changing their life going forward.
• Sensitivity To Light And Sound – Even if an individual with a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury does not get migraines, they may still suffer from sensitivity to light and sound. This is a symptom that typically develops during the first 3 years after a traumatic brain injury has occurred, and as many as 25% of those with the symptom will continue to experience it for 12 or more months.
Looking at the long-term symptoms of a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury can show you just how important it is that the condition is treated with only the best possible care. It’s also easy to see how quickly a traumatic brain injury can negatively impact a person’s life. If you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident caused by another party’s negligence, contact us at All Injuries Law Firm, P.A. to see what we can do for you today.