A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the result of a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury. What separates a TBI from a typical head injury is that TBIs disrupt the normal function of the brain, whereas other types of head injuries may result in nothing more than surface wounds.
TBIs are a serious public health threat in Oklahoma and throughout the United States, as they contribute to a substantial number of deaths and cases of permanent disability and Oklahoma city personal injuries. Though there are several activities that may cause a TBI-such as playing sports, falling, or rough housing-one of the most common causes of TBIs is automobile accidents.
At BDIW Law, we know just how negatively a TBI can affect a person’s future and relationships. For this reason, a traumatic brain injury attorney in Oklahoma at our firm can advocate on behalf of victims of TBIs and strive to help them recover compensation for their losses via personal injury cases.
Symptoms of a TBI
Because every person’s brain responds differently to different stimuli, the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury vary drastically from person to person. This, along with the fact that symptoms of TBI do not arise until days or even weeks after the causing incident, make TBIs particularly difficult to diagnose.
Moreover, the severity of TBIs varies from person to person and may be as mild as short-term headache, nausea, and vomiting or severe as cranial nerve damage, which causes paralysis of facial muscles, loss or altered sense of taste, smell, or vision, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). That said, there are some tell-tale signs of TBI for which you can keep an eye out. Those include the following:
- Sleep problems (inability to sleep or sleeping too much)
- Fatigue or drowsiness
- Loss of balance or dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light or sound
- Feelings of depression or anxiety
- Memory or concentration problems
- Mood swings
- Loss of coordination
- Profound confusion
- Slurred speech
- Combativeness, aggression, or other unusual behavior
- Seizures
- Loss of interest in activities that one once enjoyed
- Personality changes
For those with mild TBIs, symptoms may be short-term. However, those with more severe cases may be forced to live with one or more of the many symptoms of the injury.
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SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY TODAYHow TBI Can Negatively Impact Your Life
As you can tell by the above list, moderate to severe TBI symptoms do not just create a mild inconvenience. The symptoms of a TBI have the potential to impact every aspect of your life, including your work life and your relationships.
For instance, blurred vision, loss of coordination, profound confusion, and memory or concentration problems may result in the inability of one to perform their job duties. Mood swings, competitiveness, and general personality changes may be the reason an injured party’s marriage fails, or that they lose custody of children.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for TBI. Therapy and other treatments may help manage symptoms, but as of yet, not much can be done to reverse changes. Sadly, victims of accidents that sustain TBIs must learn to cope with the symptoms and all the changes that come with them.
Types of Accidents that Cause Traumatic Brain Injuries
The type of accident that caused your traumatic brain injury will determine whether you have the right to compensation for your damages and who should be held accountable. Under the worst circumstances, multiple types of accidents have the potential to cause devastating traumatic brain injuries and head damage, including concussions, penetrating brain injuries, second impact syndrome, and more.
Some of the most common types of accidents our firm advocates against include:
- Car accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Commercial truck accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Intersection accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bus and taxi accidents
- Rideshare accidents, including Uber and Lyft crashes
- Bicycle accidents
- Slips and falls
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home neglect and abuse
- Defective product cases
- Trampoline accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
These are only a few examples of incidents that have the potential to cause severe brain injuries and damages. If you were injured in another type of incident not included above, you may still have the right to compensation for your losses. Explore your opportunities further when you contact a traumatic brain injury lawyer in Oklahoma for help.
Compensation for TBI Victims in Oklahoma
Individuals dealing with traumatic brain injuries have the right to be compensated for every single loss they experienced due to another party’s negligence. These damages are not only financial in nature, but can also describe the ways your life has been affected by the injuries you sustained.
Some examples of the economic and non-economic damages that could be awarded include
- Property damages
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and trauma
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of income and healthcare benefit
Contact an Oklahoma Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney for Help Today
If you or a loved one sustained a traumatic brain injury in an accident caused by another person’s negligence, you may have to learn to deal with the side effects of the injury.
However, you should not have to deal with the financial consequences of the other party’s negligence. Contact an Oklahoma traumatic brain injury lawyer at BDIW Law to learn more about what you can do to hold the other party accountable for their actions. You can reach us through our online contact form or by phone to get started as soon as today.
