Contact Houston Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys at Khattar Law, PC
Injury to the brain can be life-altering. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can impact your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and, depending upon the severity of the injury, the impairments can last a lifetime.
If you or a loved one has experienced a brain injury, contact one of the Houston brain injury lawyers at Khattar Law, PC today by calling 210-923-1234 contact us online for a free case evaluation.
Signs and Symptoms of Brain Injury
Brain injury can only be conclusively diagnosed by a competent medical professional. However, a number of signs and symptoms can be indicative of a potential traumatic brain injury.
Mild traumatic brain injury symptoms can include:
- Headaches
- Short-term loss of consciousness
- Mild confusion
- Difficulty thinking clearly
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Disruption in sleep patterns
- Behavioral changes
- Difficulty in recall
- Concentration problems
Although even the previous symptoms should be taken seriously, moderate and severe brain injury often also includes the following:
- Chronic headaches
- Persistent vomiting
- Seizures
- Convulsions
- Inability to wake from sleeping
- Sustained dilated pupils
- Slurred speech
- Weakness, especially in the legs and arms
- Numbness or tingling in the extremities
- Declining coordination
- Significant mental confusion
- Excessive restlessness and agitation
- Coma
- Death
Types of Traumatic Brain Injury in Houston
Traumatic brain injury occurs when physical damage is caused to the brain by a sudden impact against the head or sudden jolting which shakes the brain inside the skull.
Traumatic brain injury from an impact is generally divided into two primary medical categories: closed and penetrating. Both types of brain injury can be severe and result in serious long-term health issues.
- Closed brain injury. The first category of traumatic brain injury is a closed head injury and includes injuries caused by blunt impact to the head. These impacts cause a rapid movement of the brain, propelling it into the hard bone of the skull. This sudden jarring can bruise or tear brain tissue and blood vessels.
- Closed brain injury. The second category, penetrating head injury, involves a puncture or penetration of the skull or cranium. Bullets and other fast-moving objects commonly result in penetrating brain injuries.
One of the most serious forms of traumatic brain injury is diffuse axonal injury (DAI). Typically, a closed brain injury, diffuse axonal injury is the result of scattered lesions over a widespread section of the brain and the tearing of the axons, the long connecting fibers of the brain. This common head injury is difficult to detect, even with the use of computer tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
Brain injuries can be further divided into primary and secondary injuries.
- Primary brain injury refers to an injury where the damage incurred is primarily at the time of impact.
- Secondary brain injury is where damage to the brain develops over a period of time following the injury.
Impairments as a Result of Traumatic Brain Injury
Because the brain is central to the healthy functioning of all of our bodily systems, brain damage can result in a wide array of impairments both long and short term. Most common impairments stemming from traumatic brain damage can be categorized in one of the following general areas: cognition, sensory processing, communication, and behavioral.
- Cognitive impairments are those that deal with thinking, memory, reasoning, and information processing. The most common cognitive problem resulting from brain injuries is memory loss. This can take the form of loss of old memories or an inability to form new memories. In extreme cases, sufferers can experience post-traumatic amnesia (PTA).
- Sensory impairments, most commonly vision problems, also result from traumatic brain injuries. This can take the form of a loss of hand-eye coordination or an inability to recognize the objects seen. Other common sensory impairments following a brain injury are tinnitus or ringing in the ears, a persistent bitter taste in the mouth, the continual perception of a noxious odor, or skin discomfort such as tingling or itching.
- Communication impairments such as aphasia are common following brain injuries. Aphasia, the inability to understand or express speech, can be fluent or nonfluent. Fluent aphasia is where victims cannot recall words or create complete sentences, whereas nonfluent aphasia refers to a delay in speech. Alternatively, some victims of brain injury suffer from dysarthria, where the sufferer knows the correct words and syntax but lacks the muscle control to speak the sounds properly.
- Behavioral impairments are unfortunately quite common following a serious traumatic brain injury. This can take the form of a wide range of psychological disorders including depression, anxiety, paranoia, irritability, loss of inhibition, violent tendencies, egocentrism, addiction, and abuse issues.
Treatment and Care of Traumatic Brain Injury
Whatever the cause, the top priority following any suspected brain injury is obtaining a prompt medical diagnosis. This typically begins with a neurological exam, evaluating a broad spectrum of brain functions including: cognitive function, motor function, sensory perception, coordination, vision, and reflexes. Subsequently, a doctor may recommend diagnostic imaging tests such as a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for a fuller picture of the damage.
Certain brain injuries can be addressed through surgical intervention to remove blood clots, repair skull fractures, stop a brain bleed, or relieve pressure from accumulated fluid on the brain.
Many brain injury patients benefit from rehabilitation therapies including physiatrists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, social workers, and vocational counselors.
How a Houston Brain Injury Lawyer Can Help You?
If you are looking for legal advice regarding a traumatic brain injury in Houston, TX, please contact the experienced lawyers at Khattar Law, PC. Call us at 210-822-4595 and fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation and get help as soon as possible.