Undiagnosed traumatic brain injury (TBI) can change and endanger your life in unpredictable ways.
It happens much more often than you might imagine. Undiagnosed TBI can be the underlying cause of mental health issues that upend your life, and for which you never get proper treatment. Seizure disorders are a common result of TBI, and if you don’t know you have the injury, you can easily have a seizure when you are behind the wheel. TBI often goes unrecognized because of misconceptions about what it takes to injure your brain.
Myth: I Never Lost Consciousness, So I’m Fine
False. You can suffer very serious repercussions from TBI, even if you never lose consciousness. Something else to consider. If no one was around to witness what happened, you don’t really know if you lost consciousness or not.
Myth: You Can’t Get a Concussion Without Hitting Your Head
Wrong again. A sudden jolt to the body is all it takes to bruise your brain. The forces in a car accident or a body blow when playing sports can cause your brain to slam into the inside of your skull. Always get checked out after an accident, even if you think everything is fine. Read about Coup, Contrecoup and Coup-Contrecoup injuries here.
Signs of TBI
So, maybe you did get checked out, and they sent you home. You still need to be on the lookout for signs of TBI and seek medical attention if you experience them. Brain injuries can continue getting worse in the first hours and days after injury. Some tell-tale signs are:
- Fatigue or drowsiness
- Memory problems, which can manifest as repeating yourself in conversation and may only be noticeable to others
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Confusion or disorientation
- Nausea or vomiting
If you have believe you suffered TBI as a result of someone else’s negligence, Shaw Cowart LLP is here to help. Please, call us today at 512-499-8900 right away, or email us to schedule your free consultation.