TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY CASES IN WISCONSIN
There are many technical definitions as to what constitutes a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A traumatic brain injury is any trauma to the brain that interferes with the normal functioning of the brain.
Often the trauma will result from a direct blow to the head. For example, a car or truck accident can result in a TBI where the victim’s head comes into contact with the side window or seat rest as a result of the force of impact between the vehicles. However, direct contact to the head is not required. A car or truck accident where the victim’s head moves backward and then forward or from side to side may cause a serious brain injury even where the victim’s head does not come into contact with anything inside the vehicle. The brain is fragile. It can be damaged by any sudden backward and forward movement or movement from side to side in what we commonly refer to as a whiplash injury.
What Protects the Brain
The brain is a fragile part of our anatomy and its proper functioning can easily be disturbed. The brain itself is surrounded by a bony layer called the cranium. In between this bony layer and the brain are layers of tissue that help protect the brain called the meninges.
Within the brain itself is a watery fluid that helps to protect the brain when there is trauma of any kind to the head.
When you understand how complex the brain is, it is easy to understand how even relatively minor trauma from a car or truck accident can disturb the normal functioning of the brain and result in what we refer to as a traumatic brain injury.
Did Your Doctor or Lawyer Miss Your Traumatic Brain Injury From a Car or Truck Accident
Broken bones and other injuries that show up on an x-ray or scan can be serious but they are often easy to diagnose. There are times when damage to the brain, especially where there is a direct blow to the head or a long period of unconsciousness, can show up on a sensitive medical scan.
All too often a TBI from a car or truck accident does not show up on any type of medical imaging. Many times no imaging of the brain is done following a car or truck accident. Instead, the focus is on attending to any fractures, performing surgery where necessary and physical therapy. Emergency room personnel are often inadequately trained to properly diagnose a traumatic brain injury following a Wisconsin car or truck accident.
Signs You May Have a Traumatic Brain Injury from Your Wisconsin Car or Truck Accident
If you suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in a car or truck, the symptoms will be obvious. Your memory and/or speech will be altered. You may notice significant changes in your personality and chances are good that you suffered a prolonged period of unconsciousness following the car or truck accident.
However, most traumatic brain injuries from a car or truck accident fall in the moderate to mild categories. There may be only a slight period of unconsciousness following the accident or no period of unconsciousness at all. Often our clients tell us that they do not recall whether they lost consciousness from the crash.
Often it is an accident victim’s family or friends who are first to notice signs that you may have suffered a traumatic brain injury. They will not call it a traumatic brain injury. Rather, they will tell you that you are acting differently or that your speech is different or that you are not remembering what they told you a day or two ago. These are all signs that you may have suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of your car or truck accident without knowing it. Other symptoms indicating that you may have suffered a mild or moderate traumatic brain injury as a result of a car or truck accident include:
- Headache
- Memory problems
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty finding the correct word when talking
- Difficulty with spatial awareness
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Difficulty driving
- Feeling more tired than usual
- Change in personality even if the change is minimal
- Change in mood or affect
- Loss of balance
- Dizziness
- Impaired hearing or a feeling of ringing in the ears
- Unusual taste in your mouth
- Changes in your mood or a feeling of depression
There are many more symptoms of a traumatic brain injury following a Wisconsin car or truck accident. If you notice any change in your mood, memory or personality, or if your friends or loved ones notice a change in you, you may have suffered a traumatic brain injury. This requires the attention of both your doctor and your lawyer.
Can an Accident Victim Suffer a Traumatic Brain Injury Even if There is no Loss of Consciousness
YES, an accident victim can suffer a traumatic brain injury even where there is no loss of consciousness. This is especially true following a car or truck accident. In a car or truck accident there may be no direct blow to the head and in some cases the victim’s head may not come into contact with anything inside the vehicle. However, depending upon where on your vehicle the impact occurs, your head can be thrust backward and forward or from side to side. The movement of the head alone can cause damage to the internal aspects of the brain and can even cause a brain bleed.
What to do if you Believe You Suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury in a Wisconsin Car or Truck Accident
Many times an accident victim does not realize that he or she did briefly lose consciousness following a car or truck accident. If you have been in an accident and have any of the symptoms listed above, or you are just not feeling like yourself, see your doctor as soon as possible. If a friend or family member noticed any change in you following the accident, try to have that friend or family member with you when you see your doctor. A friend or family member who knows you well may be able to provide your doctor with information about symptoms that you did not even realize you had. The more information you can provide your doctor with the more accurate your doctor’s diagnosis will be.
Ask your doctor if he or she is experienced in diagnosing and treating traumatic brain injuries following a car or truck accident. If not, immediately ask for a referral to a doctor experienced in treating traumatic brain injuries following a car or truck accident.
A doctor experienced in treating brain injuries may order an MRI scan and CT scan. A neuropsychological exam may be ordered. If you are having difficulty with your speech or with word association, a referral to a speech therapist can help.
Do not ignore symptoms of a traumatic brain injury following a car or truck crash. Even mild traumatic brain injuries can significantly impact your life and make simple activities of daily living difficult. If your doctor does not take your symptoms seriously, then you need to get a new doctor. If your lawyer does not take your symptoms seriously, you need a new lawyer.
Falls Causing Traumatic Brain Injury in Wisconsin
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that falls are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injury deaths. It is also reported that falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in general. According to the CDC, an adult aged 65 and older falls every second of every day.
Unlike motor vehicle accidents where many traumatic brain injuries result with no direct blow to the head, falls often result in blunt trauma to the head. This is why falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in the population as a whole.
Taking care of your health as you age is one of the best things you can do to prevent falls. If you suffer a head injury from a fall which you believe is the fault of someone else, seek medical attention as soon as possible and contact a brain injury lawyer experienced in handling these types of cases and who can get you the compensation you deserve.
Hire a Milwaukee Brain Injury Lawyer Who Can Handle Your TBI Case Anywhere in Wisconsin
If you suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a car or truck accident, or as a result of a fall, make sure you receive the treatment you need from a doctor experienced in treating TBI patients.
As with your doctor, it is important that your Milwaukee or Wisconsin lawyer have experience handling TBI cases. Just as an inexperienced doctor can miss a TBI diagnosis, an inexperienced lawyer can miss obtaining all the compensation you deserve as a result of a TBI injury. Our team is experienced in handling traumatic brain injuries in Milwaukee and anywhere in Wisconsin. We get to know each client individually and you never pay a cent until we obtain a recovery for you. That means no up-front costs, no court costs and no fees of any kind unless and until we obtain a recovery for you. That makes hiring us a no-risk proposition for you.
If you like what you have read, please contact us by using our Contact Form or just give us a call at 414-273-7400. You will find us easy to talk to. It would be our privilege to represent you and we will obtain the full compensation you are entitled to.