Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, can be serious and even life-threatening for Florida residents. Because TBI is used as an umbrella term to refer to anyone who’s had a substantial head injury, someone suffering from a TBI might have had a mild injury or more severe head trauma.
What Causes TBI in Adults and Children?
TBI is caused by any blunt force impact to the head. This can happen during falls, accidents or external forces directed to the head.
The severity of head injuries isn’t always apparent right after an accident. It can take a couple of hours or even days for the full extent of head injuries to become noticeable. Some common symptoms of TBI are:
– Dizziness
– Headaches
– Slurred speech
– Slowed motor functions
– Bruising around the area of impact
Even among patients who show one or more of these symptoms, the severity of a traumatic brain injury is hard to pinpoint without a medical evaluation. With most moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries, there are long-lasting effects on the patients.
What Are Some of the Long-Lasting Impacts of TBI?
Most patients who suffer traumatic brain injury report headaches or dizziness even 12 months after their initial injury. Some TBI patients report problems maintaining their sleep schedule or regulating their emotions.
While the long-term impacts of TBI can be mild, the consequences of a traumatic brain injury that doesn’t receive timely medical attention can be severe. Traumatic brain injuries can lead to internal bleeding within the brain, which can lead to a stroke or even worse. Some TBI patients have reported heart complications as well as pulmonary complications. Infection rates are higher among TBI patients with severe injuries.
Because TBI has such a broad spectrum of severity, adequately diagnosing and finding problems related to head injuries can be difficult. If you believe that you were misled about your TBI diagnosis, it might be a case of medical malpractice.
Don’t let a misdiagnosed TBI go unchecked. Contact Burnett Law, P.A. today for a free consultation and to protect your rights.