A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, can have lasting or even permanent effects on a victim. Moderate to severe TBIs can cause long-term brain damage that may alter the way an individual thinks, feels and functions. Although each patient is unique, every traumatic brain injury should be taken seriously. For information about filing a potential brain injury claim after an accident in Denver, contact the Denver brain injury lawyers at Manning Law for a free consultation.
Motor Function Deficits and Physical Effects
How a traumatic brain injury affects a victim depends in part on the area of the brain injured. Different regions of the brain are responsible for specific abilities, such as speech, comprehension, muscle movement and communication. Some brain injuries result in changes to a victim’s motor skills, physical health and muscle function. These injuries can result in:
- Loss of motor skills
- Trouble balancing
- Lack of coordination
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle spasticity
- Chronic headaches
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Changes in sensation
- Partial or total loss of vision
- Effects on hearing or tinnitus
- Sleep disorders, insomnia or fatigue
- Trouble with thermoregulation
- Physical paralysis
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Chronic pain
- Seizures
The physical symptoms of a traumatic brain injury may last a few weeks with a mild concussion to the rest of a victim’s life with a severe brain injury. In some cases, treatments such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and rehabilitation can allow a victim to regain some or all of lost or altered motor function.
Cognitive Disability
A traumatic brain injury can also affect a victim on a mental or cognitive level by damaging the brain’s cells. Common cognitive effects of a TBI include:
- Difficulty thinking or remembering
- Confusion or disorientation
- Brain fog or being easily distracted
- Taking longer to complete thinking tasks
- Reduced mental processing speed
- Challenges completing tasks
- Trouble concentrating or a short attention span
- Short-term or long-term memory loss
- Problems with executive functions
- Decreased ability in school
Damage to the brain’s tissues can also put a victim at risk of cognitive declines and dementia later in life, including Alzheimer’s Disease.
Difficulty Communicating With Others
If the left hemisphere of the brain is injured, idea articulation and speech production may be altered. This could affect a victim’s ability to communicate with others, such as:
- Physical difficulty talking
- Slurred speech
- Talking too fast or too slow
- Perseveration, or the persistent repetition of a word
- Issues with language processing
- Trouble expressing thoughts or ideas
- Problems with reading or writing
- Missed social cues and constructs
- Trouble taking part in social activities
These issues can interfere with a victim’s ability to begin and maintain social and personal relationships with others, as well as maintain professional relationships and find gainful employment.
Personality or Behavioral Changes
Finally, a traumatic brain injury could have long-term effects on a victim’s personality, moods and behaviors. For example, brain injuries have been known to affect a survivor’s impulse control, which could lead to inappropriate actions or not knowing right from wrong. A victim may also exhibit mood swings, irritability, aggression, outbursts, depression or a lack of awareness in various scenarios.
If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury that could lead to long-term effects, contact a Denver personal injury lawyer at Manning Law for a free legal consultation. You may be entitled to financial compensation.
