Brain injuries can cause lifelong suffering for accident victims

Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, affect millions of people in this country every year. Typically, this type of injury occurs as a result of some sort of impact to the brain. A majority of brain injuries are caused by a blow or a jolt to the head or an object going through the skull. Motor vehicle accidents and slip and falls are some of the most common causes of brain injuries.

Doctors will use the Glasgow Coma Scale Test and CT and MRI scans to determine whether someone has sustained a brain injury. Doctors will also ask questions to see if anyone noticed any symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms of a brain injury include numbness, dizziness, slurred speech, severe headaches or vomiting. Symptoms generally appear soon after the injury occurs, but sometimes will not appear until later.

Treatment of a brain injury varies depending on the severity of the injury. In some cases, rest and over-the-counter pain medication is enough. However, in many cases, the victim will have to undergo therapy and rehabilitation to return to their pre-injury status. Sadly, some people who sustain a TBI will never fully recover from their injury and will continue to suffer for the rest of their lives.

In addition to physical suffering, Pittsburgh residents with TBIs may be facing thousands of dollars in medical treatment and rehabilitation costs. Filing a medical malpractice, product liability or negligence lawsuit against those responsible for the injury may allow the victim to recover damages that will help pay some of these bills. Brain injuries are serious and those suffering from them deserve to be compensated.

Source: FindLaw, “Brain Injury Symptoms and Diagnosis,” accessed on Sept. 15, 2015