A traumatic brain injury, as the name implies, is a trauma to the head that results in severe – and in some cases permanent – damage. It can occur from a slip and fall, a car or truck accident, a sports injury or for one of many other reasons. If you or someone close to you has suffered this type of injury, it’s very important that you know the signs so that you can get the medical help you need as quickly as possible.
How a Traumatic Brain Injury is Graded
There is a scale known as the “Glasgow Coma Scale” that defines the severity of a traumatic brain injury. An injury that results in a loss of consciousness lasting from 20 minutes to six hours is considered a moderate brain injury. This ranks between 9-12 on the scale. A severe brain injury, on the other hand, results in a loss of consciousness that lasts more than six hours. It ranks between 3-8 on the scale.
Traumatic Brain Injury Impacts
However, a person doesn’t necessarily need to lose consciousness in order to suffer what’s considered a traumatic brain injury. If someone has experienced some sort of impact to the head and then exhibits issues such as slurred speech, talks very quickly or very slowly or has trouble talking at all, he or she must get medical attention as fast as possible. People with this type of injury may also show several other types of symptoms. For example, they may have a loss of hearing, a ringing in the ears, a partial loss of eyesight, difficulties discerning touch and temperature, or a diminished sense of taste or smell.
Please don’t delay if you have any reason to suspect you or someone else has suffered a traumatic brain injury. Get to a doctor immediately, and then talk to attorney Todd Durham. If the injury occurred due to someone else’s negligence, Todd may be able to help you obtain compensation. Call (214) 222-4000 or contact us online to learn more.
