Causes and Consequences of Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries From Accidents in Ohio

Doctors use the terms “mild traumatic brain injury” and “concussion” interchangeably. They will also shorten this to mTBI in notes and patient sheets.

Whatever the name, the most the most important thing to understand that is that a concussion is a serious injury. The “mild” part of the name indicates only that the person may recover at some point. Still, symptoms can persist for months or longer, and the impacts on a person’s life can be severe.

A Common, Debilitating Injury

Research cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that nearly 4 million Americans visit emergency rooms for treatment of mild traumatic brain injuries each year. Children account for about one-quarter of those ER visits, and accidents are a frequent reason.

To quote the CDC directly, “Falls and motor vehicle crashes were the first and second leading causes of all TBI-related hospitalizations (52% and 20%, respectively).” Motorcycle riders, pedestrians and bike riders are particularly prone to suffering concussions. Concussions occur when a person takes a blow to the head, has their head snap back and forth violently, or slam their head on to a hard object like the ground. Helmets can do a very good job of preventing fractures and lacerations, but they cannot stop a person’s brain from slamming into the inside of the skull.

When a concussion does occur, a person will experience a mix of the following symptoms:

• Headaches
• Dizziness and loss of balance
• Nausea and vomiting
• Blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light and noise
• Ringing in the ears
• Sleepiness (especially in children)
• Slurred speech
• Mental confusion and difficulty concentrating
• Listlessness and changes in behavior (again, especially in children)
• Irritability

Often, people who suffer concussions briefly lose consciousness, report “seeing stars,” and find it difficult to remember details about the moments leading up to their injury.

Some symptoms may not develop until hours or days after a fall or car crash. Around one-third of people will continue experiencing some concussion symptoms at three months after their initial injury. Those long-term problems make it hard for students to study and learn, and for adults to do their jobs.

Securing Insurance Settlements for Concussions Can Be Tough

People who suffer mild traumatic brain injuries rarely fracture their skulls or experience structural damage to their brains. The fact that a person with a concussion does not immediately appear to be injured leads many, including insurance claims adjusters, to dismiss symptoms as being no big deal or, ironically, “all in your head.”

Any person who has struggled to recover, however, can attest that the problems created by a concussion are quite real. Partnering with an understanding and experienced Ohio traumatic brain injury lawyer may be the only way to convince others of this. A lawyer will know how to collect, organize and present medical evidence, as well as how to obtain testimony from experts and people who know his client enough to describe the ways in which the brain injury negatively affected their friend or family member.

You can schedule free consultation with an Ohio traumatic brain injury attorney by calling Heit Law at (614) 898-5300 or connecting with Corey Heit online. From his offices in Westerville, Heit handles all types of personal injury cases in and around Columbus.