TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
A “traumatic brain injury” can
occur to a person who is seriously injured in an accident,
for example an auto accident or fall. When this type of injury
occurs, the brain’s normal function is impaired due
to a neurological injury. The injury can occur when there
is an obvious and visible trauma to a person head or when
there is no visible injury but the brain has suffered a “closed
head injury.”
The symptoms of a brain injury are extremely varied and
can include cognitive problems and a reduction in perceptual
skills. An injured person's behavior, personality or emotional
balance can be affected. A person may have difficulty processing
information, communicating, concentrating, and learning and
remembering information. Other physical symptoms can include
difficulty walking, loss of balance and coordination, and
loss of strength and motor skills.
In addition, it is not unusual for a person with a brain
injury to suffer from sleep disorders, paralysis, headaches,
seizures, tremors and extreme mental or physical fatigue.
Special testing can diagnose the problem and focus on the
person's symptoms. Diagnostic tests such as an MRI can visualize
the problem by revealing the structure of the brain. A neuropsychologist
can perform testing to determine what areas of the brain
have been injured. The proper experts are critical in diagnosing
a brain injury and the permanent problems a person may have
sustained.
Brain and neurological injury can occur to children who
suffer from lead paint poisoning when they grow up in apartment
buildings and homes built before 1960. In these buildings,
lead paint was used and the chips and dust from the paint
is a great danger to children. Even if the building has been
repainted many times children can be exposed to residual
chips and dust. The exposure of children to lead can cause
brain injury. A blood test to determine a child’s blood
lead level is necessary if a parent suspects a child has
been exposed to lead.
With experienced legal help victims of traumatic brain injury
can be fairly compensated for their injuries.
Helpful Links:
Brain Injury Association of America
http://www.biausa.org/
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