If you or a loved one has experienced a head impact or other injury, you may have more to worry about than a bruise or lingering headache. If the victim in the injury has been experiencing strange symptoms, you or your loved one may have suffered a traumatic brain injury. Yet are you aware of what exactly a traumatic brain injury is, what symptoms to watch for and how common brain injuries are in New York?
The New York State Department of Health defines a traumatic brain injury as an injury caused by application of external force to the skull or brain. These injuries can be permanent, because your brain cannot heal in the same manner as other injuries. Traumatic brain injury from impact or strike damage can be caused by negligence, motor vehicle accidents, unsafe conditions at work or on public premises, reckless behavior or many other situations. Over 400 traumatic brain injury incidents occur in New York state daily, with over 2,000 fatalities per year.
Brain damage from brain injuries can result in significant lifestyle changes and poor quality of life, with consequences ranging from loss of independence to brain death or fatality. If you suspect you or someone else has been involved in an incident that resulted in traumatic brain injury, you may be able to recognize it by specific symptoms. The most obvious symptom is a headache, but you may also suffer persistent fatigue, nausea, light and noise sensitivity, vision problems, unconsciousness, excessive sleep or dizziness. Any of these symptoms may be cause for concern.
This information is intended only as a reference and should not be used as legal advice.