Living with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
“Traumatic brain injury” (TBI) probably brings to mind serious car accidents and other violent trauma to the head. But TBIs are more common than most people realize–and the term takes in more than you might know.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more than 5,000 people in the United States have died from TBIs in each month of the past two years. In some months, TBI fatalities exceed 6,000. On average, that’s more than 60,000 TBI deaths each year. But, most people who suffer traumatic brain injuries survive.
Estimates of the number of non-fatal TBIs annually vary significantly, ranging from 1 million to more than 3 million. Among those, hundreds of thousands are hospitalized.
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Many people naturally assume that the word “traumatic” describes the severity of the injury. In fact, a traumatic brain injury is an injury to the brain that occurs as a result of trauma. A TBI may be mild, moderate, or severe.
While moderate and severe TBIs typically have worse symptoms, create more limitations, and are more likely to have long-term impact, there is considerable overlap in symptoms. It’s important to know the possible signs of TBI, because some may not seem like symptoms of a head injury.
Some common symptoms of TBI include:
- Headaches
- Light sensitivity
- Sensitivity to sound
- Ringing in the ears
- Impaired hearing
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Sleep disorders
- Fatigue
- Slurred speech
- Neck pain
- Trouble swallowing
- Memory problems
- Cognitive difficulties
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability or aggressiveness
- Personality changes
- Seizures
- Balance problems
- Incontinence
- Gastrointestinal problems
Every TBI is different, and this is not an exhaustive list. If you have recently suffered a head injury or been jarred significantly–even if you didn’t hit your head–it is important to seek medical attention if you have unexplained symptoms.
How Do TBIs Happen?
Most TBIs occur through blunt force trauma, meaning that the injured person strikes their head on something or is struck in the head. However, a TBI may also be penetrating, such as a gunshot wound or a piece of metal becoming embedded in the brain during a car accident.
Some TBIs don’t involve any impact to the head. This typically occurs when a strong impact causes the head to snap forward or back. When that happens, the brain may slam against the inside of the skull and be injured, even though no outside object made contact with the head. Some examples of how this may happen include car accidents and contact sports.
Life after a TBI
Some people fully recover after a traumatic brain injury. With a mild TBI, that recovery may occur quickly, and may require no treatment except rest. But even mild TBIs may trigger ongoing symptoms, such as recurring headaches or cognitive challenges.
More serious TBIs may require various types of treatment, including surgery, medication, and physical therapy. Despite these interventions, most people who suffer moderate or severe TBIs still have symptoms after one year. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, most people with moderate TBIs recover to a significant degree, though about 25% have moderate long-term disabilities and a small percentage do not recover.
Unfortunately, most people who suffer severe TBIs either do not survive or have long-term disabilities.
In short, a significant percentage of people who suffer traumatic brain injuries will have to make adaptations to move forward. Following a TBI:
- Make sure to get sufficient sleep
- Minimize stress
- Follow through with all medical recommendations and continue to follow up with your physicians
- Get assessed for physical or cognitive therapy if you are having difficulties
- Consider mental health treatment such as counseling and medications
Seek out additional resources as needed. One good place to get information about managing various aspects of TBI is the Brain Injury Association of America (BIA). The organization has an office in Westborough, Massachusetts and another in Concord, New Hampshire. You can also find information on the BIA website.
Some people who suffer TBIs are able to return to their former employment. Others require accommodations to return, or have to seek out new types of employment. Still others are unable to return to work at all. In that case, it’s important to start exploring options for replacement income, such as Social Security disability (SSDI), as soon as possible. It typically takes 3-5 months to get a determination on an SSDI application, and most applications are initially denied.
If you’ve suffered a serious head injury in a f
Pursuing Compensation after a TBI
When you’re focused on rebuilding your life, legal matters may be far from your mind. But you should take time to understand your rights and options. For example, if you were injured at work and are unable to return to work, you may be entitled to a lump sum workers’ compensation settlement. If you were injured in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against the responsible driver and collect compensation from their insurance company.
To learn more about who may be liable for your accident and what type of compensation may be available, schedule a free consultation right now. Just call 978-459-3085 or fill out our contact form.