Traumatic Brain Injury – What You Need to Know

Few things are more chilling than finding out that you or someone you love is suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Because the effects of a TBI vary wildly from person to person and depend on the part of the brain injured, it can be difficult for doctors not only to diagnose but also to treat. Long term prognosis is especially difficult to determine, and an injury that one person is able to overcome becomes insurmountable for another.

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, of the 1.4 million who sustain a TBI each year in the United States 50,000 die, 235,000 are hospitalized, and 1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department. Sadly, an unknown number of people with TBIs are never seen in an emergency department nor do they receive any medical care, so the true number of those suffering is unknown.

What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

According to the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as “a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. The severity of such an injury may range from "mild," i.e., a brief change in mental status or consciousness to "severe," i.e., an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury. A TBI can result in short or long-term problems with independent function.”

What are the Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Some traumatic brain injuries have obvious symptoms and are easy for doctors to diagnose. For example, victims that experience coma or seizures after an accident or traumatic event are often diagnosed with a TBI. Unfortunately, it isn’t always this easy. There are a myriad of ways that a less serious brain injury can manifest itself, and if the symptoms are subtle it can be weeks or years before doctors are able to determine the problem. Often doctors aren’t the ones to notice a potential brain injury, instead friends and family members notice changes in the way the injured person acts or changes in their physical condition.

Doctors often use the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) rating to classify brain injuries for acute medical and trauma patients. The scale measures eye, verbal, and motor responses separately and ranks a patient’s response level for each. The scores for the three responses are tallied, and a value is assigned. The lowest possible score on the GCS scale is a 3, which means that the patient is in a deep coma or is deceased, and the highest score on the scale is 15, which means that the patient is fully awake.

• Mild brain injury (GCS score greater than or equal to 13): the symptoms of a mild injury include: loss of consciousness, loss of short-term memory (events immediately before or after the accident), or an altered mental state such as dizziness, disorientation, or confusion. Typically symptoms last less than 30 minutes. Most patients who have suffered a mild brain injury will not have any major functional deficits, however there may be some subtle long-term impacts like headaches or cognitive or memory problems.
• Moderate brain injury (GCS score between and including 9 to 12): includes memory loss after the accident that lasts for longer than 30 minutes but less than 24 hours. Also includes patients that suffer a skull fracture from the accident. Patients suffering from a moderate brain injury may suffer from long-term physical or cognitive deficits, and the success of their recovery will depend on the area of the brain that was affected by the accident. Patients will often need rehabilitation to counter the effects of a moderate brain injury.
• Severe brain injury (GCS score less than or equal to 8): patients with a severe brain injury lose consciousness or suffer from post-accident amnesia for more than 24 hours after the accident. These kind of brain injuries can be life threatening, and patients that survive such injuries often suffer from long-term physical and cognitive impairments. The long-term prognosis for patients with severe brain injuries can vary from a vegetative state to more minor impairments, where the person can function with help. Most patients with this kind of serious injury will require extensive rehabilitation.

Diagnosing a brain injury

If a brain injury is suspected, it is important that you or the person you’re worried about see a doctor as soon as possible. Not only can the doctor attempt to diagnose the problem, but they can ensure that the patient receives the help and treatment they need to hopefully recover. There are a number of different tests that can be used to try and detect a brain injury, however the difficulty in making a diagnosis will depend on the severity of your injury. Tests like ultrasounds, CT scans, or MRIs can diagnose a more severe brain injury. This is because in these cases doctors can easily view damaged parts of the brain and conclude that indeed trauma has occurred.

It is more challenging for doctors to diagnose a mild brain injury. Tests that may clearly show brain damage in a person with a severe injury may not reveal any obvious damage in patients with only a minor injury. Another less invasive option for mild brain injuries is neuropsychological testing, which uses standardized tests in an attempt to measure the extent and severity of a brain injury. In addition, doctors can make use of brain imaging tests like a PET scan or QEEG, which may offer more conclusive results.

If you or someone you love has suffered from a traumatic brain injury, then the Serpe Firm wants to hear from you. We believe it is important to defend brain injured clients to ensure that they can go on to live normal lives, or at least not be left with financial worries after a tragic accident. Please contact The Serpe Firm today and let us work with you to help you recover from the devastating effects of your medical mistake so you can get your life back on track and get the compensation you deserve.

Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, P.C.
580 East Main Street, Suite 310
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: 757-233-0009
Fax: 757-233-0455