March Is Brain Injury Awareness Month: What You Should Know March 7, 2023.

March Is Brain Injury Awareness Month: What You Should Know

Up to three million individuals suffer concussions, according to the National Safety Council and the Brain Injury Research Institute. For teenagers and young adults, most unintentional concussions happen while playing sports like football, basketball, soccer, and cheerleading.

Concussions from sports injuries are just one method whereby you or a loved one can suffer a brain injury, though. Car accidents, slips and falls, and workplace injuries are also common causes of traumatic brain injury.

Misconceptions concerning traumatic brain injuries abound, even though the first mention of a brain injury dates back thousands of years. Brain Injury Awareness Month, which occurs each year during the month of March, is an appropriate time to dispel these myths and misconceptions with facts.

Prevalence of Brain Injuries in the United States

Millions of Americans suffer a brain injury each year. The Brain Injury Association of America estimates that at least 2.8 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury annually. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) refers to a brain injury that is not the result of a hereditary, degenerative, or congenital issue like Alzheimer’s disease.

While many brain injuries are mild or moderate in severity and will resolve over time, severe TBIs can leave the victim with permanent disabilities or limitations. A brain injury attorney can assist victims and their families in recovering compensation when a TBI is the result of another’s negligence.

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, about 5.8 million Americans, or just under 1.8 percent of the population, suffer from permanent disabilities brought on by a severe brain injury. 

In these situations, a brain injury lawsuit brought with help from a brain injury lawyer is often necessary to ensure the victim and their family have enough resources for the victim’s long-term care and treatment.

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury in Adults and Children

You might think it is easy to know when you or your child has suffered a brain injury. That is not always the case, however. 

While losing consciousness can be a telltale sign that your brain has sustained injury, not all TBIs result in you losing consciousness. Remaining awake and aware of your surroundings does not mean your brain did not suffer trauma or that any trauma you sustained is inconsequential.

If you are involved in an accident or incident wherein you strike your head and lose consciousness for any period of time, you are likely to have sustained a brain injury. Other symptoms that brain injury lawyers often see include:

  • A persistent or recurring headache that will not go away or that worsens with time
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Clear fluid that drains from your nose and your ears
  • A deep sleep from which you are not able to easily awaken
  • Seizures and convulsions
  • Sensitivity to light, blurred vision, or a ringing sound in your ears 

Behavioral and cognitive changes are also common in both mild and severe brain injuries. These might include feelings of confusion, unusual agitation or combativeness, feelings of depression or anxiety, and memory problems. 

The more intense these symptoms, the more likely it is that the brain injury is severe. For example, losing consciousness for several minutes or hours is indicative of a severe injury, whereas a momentary loss of consciousness is more suggestive of a mild TBI.

Medical Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injuries

Another misconception about TBIs is that people, especially children, can simply “walk it off” after a TBI and fully recover without the need for medical attention. 

While this may be true in some cases, it is impossible for you to know the severity of your TBI without medical tests and imaging. Starting appropriate medical treatment quickly is essential to obtaining the best outcome in your case.

Depending on your case, treatment might consist of any of the following:

Rest and Recuperation

If your traumatic brain injury is mild in severity, you may need nothing more than rest from your daily activities. Your doctor will advise you on what limitations you should follow while you recover from your TBI. 

You may be restricted from strenuous physical activities or activities that require a great deal of concentration and focus. Violating these restrictions can make your TBI worse and prolong your recovery period.

Medications

Depending on your symptoms, you may be prescribed various medications to help control the physical, behavioral, and cognitive effects of your injury. These can include antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications to treat depression and anxiety, anticonvulsants to reduce the likelihood of seizures, and stimulants to improve your attention.

Medications should be taken as prescribed and you should not stop taking prescribed medications without first speaking with your doctor.

Surgeries

In more severe TBI cases, you may need one or more surgeries to address the immediate dangers of your TBI. Surgery can help relieve any pressure or swelling you have inside your skull or remove pieces of skull fragment from inside your skull cavity. 

While these procedures are expensive and complicated, brain injury lawyers can help you recover financial compensation to pay for them when another person’s carelessness led to your TBI.

What a Brain Injury Law Firm Can Do for You and Your Family

You may wonder what a brain injury lawyer can accomplish on your behalf. After all, a brain injury attorney’s involvement in your case cannot undo the harm you suffered or lessen your symptoms. 

However, if your TBI came about as the result of another person’s careless actions, your legal counsel can help you recover financial compensation so you are not left bearing the costs of your TBI yourself.

With a brain injury attorney’s help, you can receive damages to cover your past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and other economic and non-economic harm you sustain. After reviewing your case, your brain injury lawyer can advise you as to what compensation you might reasonably expect.

If you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident and diagnosed with a brain injury, Mellino Law Firm wants to talk with you. Contact our office and request to speak with our caring and talented brain injury legal team about your options and rights.