Traumatic brain injury is very serious and its effects can be disastrous. Since the brain controls nearly all of the body's functions, receiving a TBI can cause a number of disabilities that can affect a person's cognition, physical abilities, and emotional functioning. Most traumatic brain injuries are the result of a serious blow to the head, sometimes resulting from the negligence or malice of other people. Several lawyers specialize in representing clients with TBI to insure that they receive the most comprehensive rehabilitation and are appropriately compensated for their injuries, especially if their injury was someone else's fault. Head injury can be relatively minor, resulting in mere bruises, cuts, and abrasions, but more severe injuries can lead to permanent brain damage. The most common sign that the brain might have been affected is the loss of consciousness combined with loss of memory after a blow to the head. The effects of a hit to the head on brain function vary based on the individual characteristics of the skull and the force of the blow. Contusions or hematomas, which cause swelling in the brain, are the most common injuries suffered from a TBI. Surgery, cooling, or medicine must be applied immediately to relieve the pressure from the skull to prevent death. The effects of head injury can be separated into three categories: physical, cognitive and behavioral. Physical disabilities lead to dysfunction in motor functions, cognitive deficits cause disorders in attention, concentration, memory, and understanding, while behavioral disabilities include agitation, irritability, impulsivity, depression, suicidal thoughts, and both verbal and physical aggression. Identifying and treating these deficits is very important to the patients and their families. Unfortunately, there are many people that don't even know they suffer from such brain damage. Many private companies have been formed offering rehabilitation services and several hospitals have specialized sections where people with TBI are treated. |
