Traumatic Brain Injuries: The “Invisible Injury”
Many types of injuries are visible. When a person breaks their arm, they may be required to wear a cast for a few weeks. Severe burns also leave visible marks.
Brain injuries, on the other hand, may not be as visible without high-tech imaging equipment, therefore are sometimes referred to as “invisible injuries. You cannot always see the effects of the injury, but the damages can be severe.
After an accident, the effects of a brain injury can vary. Depending on the area of the brain affected, a person could suffer from symptoms that include:
- Anxiety
- Difficulty moving
- Confusion
- Poor memory
- Aphasia (difficulty speaking and understanding language)
- Difficulty retaining new information
- Impaired decision-making abilities
- Depression
- Behavioral changes
The invisible nature of these symptoms can make it more difficult to live with a brain injury. Even concussions can have long-term effects on a person. For instance, post-concussion syndrome can cause headaches, irritability, problems with memory, anxiety, and insomnia for weeks after the initial injury.
Is There Help for People with Brain Injuries?
The Brain Injury Association of North Carolina has multiple resources on its website that can help individuals with brain injuries. Public schools may also provide resources, such as individualized education plans (also called an IEP), for children with brain injuries. Depending on how the brain injury occurred, there may be additional options for help.
In cases where a brain injury is caused by the negligent actions of others, it may be possible to recover compensation with a personal injury lawsuit. Compensation from a settlement or verdict could help cover the costs of hospital bills, rehabilitation, home modifications, medical equipment, lost income and loss of future earnings. It might also be possible to receive benefits from workers’ compensation (if the injury occurred at work) and Social Security disability after a brain injury.
If you or a loved one have suffered a brain injury due to the negligence of another, it’s critical that you speak with a personal injury attorney as quickly as possible. Our dedicated team of attorneys and case staff is available to answer your questions and the initial consultation is always free. Contact us today at 1-800-525-7111 or complete the form below to get started with the legal process.
We have brain injury attorneys in Raleigh & Brain injury lawyers in Jacksonville as well.