The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are more than 2.8 million people a year who require emergency room care, hospitalization, or suffer death from a traumatic brain injury a year in the United States. The CDC states that of those suffering a traumatic brain injury, over 250,00 people required hospitalization, and over 56,000 people died. In this article, we will address some of the questions that our traumatic brain injury attorneys discuss with their clients. In particular, we will discuss how a traumatic brain injury is defined as well as the differences between a concussion and a traumatic brain injury. We will also cover the types of symptoms typically associated with a traumatic brain injury and the typical recovery time for a traumatic brain injury.
The evolution of recognizing traumatic brain injury has changed quickly over the last decade. At one point in time, doctors were reluctant to diagnose someone as having a traumatic brain injury for fear of stigmatizing the patient. Likewise, first responders, athletic trainers, and even parents of children would dismiss an injury as simply “you got your bell rung.”
The CDC now has a definition that is widely accepted as universal. A traumatic brain injury is defined as a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or other penetrating injury. Separating the mechanics of how it occurred, the definition whittle down to simply was there a disruption of normal function. Whether the disruption was mild or severe, or short-term or long-term, it is still a traumatic brain injury by definition.
There is no difference between a concussion and a traumatic brain injury, but rather a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury. Concussions are generally categorized as “mild” brain injury and generally result in only a temporary effect on the brain, with most symptoms resolving in a matter of hours or days. However, just because a concussion’s symptoms tend to disappear in a matter of days, most people are more susceptible to further and worse injury if they have another concussion within a few weeks or months of the first.
For simplicity of understanding the severity of a concussion, they are generally graded on a scale of I, II, or III. A conclusion that does not result in any loss of consciousness and amnesia is absent or present for less than 30 minutes is generally considered a grade I concussion.
A concussion that results in loss of consciousness for five minutes or less, or amnesia for between 30 minutes and less than 24 hours, is generally characterized as a grade II concussion. A concussion that results in loss of consciousness for more than five minutes or amnesia for more than 24 hours is generally considered a grade III concussion.
Besides the obvious symptoms such as loss of consciousness or amnesia that we are familiar with, there are many other symptoms of traumatic brain injury that may not come on right away. Sometimes symptoms may not even be noticed for days or months after the injury. By the very nature of the symptoms, some people are not even aware, but rather their friend and family may notice. Symptoms associated with traumatic brain injuries typically fall in four basic categories: thinking/remembering, physical, emotional/mood, and sleep.
Symptoms related to thinking/remembering may include the inability to think clearly, struggling to concentrate, trouble remembering new information, or simply feeling “slow.” Physical symptoms from a traumatic brain injury usually manifest themselves in headaches, blurry vision, nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light or noise, balance problems, or fatigue. The most common emotional or mood indicators of a traumatic brain injury often seen are irritability, sadness, excess emotions, and a sense of nervousness or anxiety. A change in sleep habits can also be a telltale of a traumatic brain injury.
For a mild concussion, a tremendous amount of people can be symptom-free within 24 – 72 hours. Symptom-free, however, does not mean you should return to full activity. You should consult a physician about what activities you should return to and at what pace, even if you are symptom-free.
For those that have a more severe traumatic brain injury, fortunately, the vast majority will reach full recovery within three to six months after the accident. Less than 5% of those that suffer a traumatic brain injury have symptoms that last more than six months, but unfortunately, many who see symptoms lasting that long never have a full recovery.
If you suffered an injury to the head, you should seriously consider seeking medical advice to determine the severity of your traumatic brain injury. The Eason and Tambornini traumatic brain injury attorneys highly recommend that when seeking medical advice, give serious consideration to taking a close friend or relative with you, as they may have noticed behavior differences that you do not. If you have been in an accident and are still suffering symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, please contact one of our Eason and Tambornini traumatic brain injury lawyers in Sacramento for a free consultation.
