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Common and rare signs of TBIs

On Behalf of | Apr 7, 2021 | Brain Injuries

Vehicle accidents in Virginia can have serious consequences, such as traumatic brain injury. TBI occurs when the head hits a hard surface from the accident impact. TBIs include several types, such as concussions and penetrating injury, and they produce various symptoms.

Common TBI symptoms

A common sign of a TBI includes loss of consciousness, which varies by the severity. For example, a concussion may cause a loss of consciousness for about 30 minutes, but loss of consciousness does not have to occur.

Moderate TBIs often cause a loss of consciousness over 30 minutes but not more than 24 hours. More serious injuries often cause a longer loss of consciousness and hematoma, which is a blood clot on the brain tissue surface.

Mild TBIs could cause confusion in the patient for about one day. Some other common TBI symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, pupil dilation and balance issues. Sometimes, TBI signs are not immediately apparent after an accident because of adrenaline, so it’s important to seek medical attention.

Less common TBI symptoms

Many mild TBIs can heal on their own with proper treatment, and long-term effects rarely occur. However, some people experience post-concussion syndrome, which includes symptoms such as agitation, concentration issues, headaches, dizziness and not feeling themselves. Another rare condition from a TBI is locked-in-syndrome, which only allows the person to move their eyes.

Long-term effects may include slurred speech, changes in behavior, issues solving problems, executive function issues such as planning and problems remembering new information. Some prolonged physical symptoms include paralysis, seizures, appetite changes, reduced control over bowels and fatigue. They may experience anosmia, meaning reduced smell or loss of smell, reduce taste or loss of taste or bad tastes in the mouth.

Serious brain injuries can alter a person’s life. Some personal injury cases settle out of court, but insurance companies don’t always cooperate or make a low-ball offer. Injured parties may want to sue the at-fault driver for damages and hire a lawyer to negotiate on their behalf.

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