5 Myths About Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a major cause of serious injury, disability, and death in the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1.5 million people sustain them every year. Even though they happen so frequently, there is still a lot of misunderstanding about them. This makes it harder for people who have suffered TBIs to get the care and treatment they need, which is why it’s important to get rid of these myths. Here, we’ll debunk 5 myths about traumatic brain injuries.

Say Goodbye to These 5 Myths About Traumatic Brain Injuries

1. Traumatic brain injuries are always caused by blows to the head.
2. Concussions are not serious brain injuries.
3. Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury always show up right away.
4. If you don’t have a headache, you must not be injured.
5. Traumatic brain injuries don’t cause Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Traumatic brain injuries are always caused by blows to the head

This isn’t true. While traumatic brain injuries are often caused by blows to the head or by falling and hitting the head, you can also sustain a TBI if your head is violently shaken forward and backward causing the brain to bounce against the skull. One example of when this can happen is from whiplash in a rear-end car accident. The strong impact of a vehicle behind you hitting your car can make your neck and head move quickly back and forth. People can also suffer traumatic brain injuries when objects pierce their skull.

Concussions are not serious brain injuries

Even though concussions are called “mild” traumatic brain injuries, they are still very serious. While they aren’t usually life-threatening, in rare cases they can cause dangerous blood clots in the brain. The majority of people who experience concussions recover from them completely. But a percentage of people don’t, especially if they’ve had more than one. These people can have long-term problems with memory, concentration, depression, and other issues that may require lifelong care.

Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury always show up right away

Sometimes symptoms of a traumatic brain injury show up immediately and sometimes they don’t. Some symptoms might not show up until days or weeks later. This can be dangerous, because if symptoms are subtle, they may not be connected to the injury, which can cause it to grow worse and possibly lead to deadly complications. If you’ve been in an accident in which you suffered trauma to the head, don’t wait to get checked out closely by a doctor, even if you aren’t showing any common symptoms of brain injury.

If you don’t have a headache you must not be injured

While headaches are very common symptoms of traumatic brain injury, you can still have a TBI even if you don’t have headache pain. In fact, studies have shown that headaches are more common after mild brain injuries than in cases of moderate and severe TBIs. What this means is that if you’ve been in an accident and hit your head or had other impacts to it, you should get medical treatment, even if you don’t have a headache or any other “typical” signs of brain injury.

Traumatic brain injuries don’t cause Alzheimer’s or dementia

According to the Alzheimer’s Association website, studies have linked moderate and severe brain injuries to a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. One study showed that people who experienced moderate TBIs had a 2.3 times greater risk of developing dementia. Individuals who had severe traumatic brain injuries had a 4.5 times greater risk.

Dementia, which requires ongoing and often very expensive care, can show up years or even decades following a traumatic brain injury.

How Traumatic Brain Injuries Happen

There are a variety of ways how head injuries happen. Falls are the leading cause of head injuries and traumatic brain injuries. These include falls from heights or falls from slipping or tripping. Motor vehicle accidents are another common cause of traumatic brain injuries. Participating in sports can also result in blows and falls that lead to injuries. Victims of violent acts may also experience head injuries.

However your injury or that of your family member happened, it’s highly important to get medical care right away. With proper medical care, the physical impacts of injuries can be reduced.

It can also be important to speak with an attorney if the accident or incident that caused your TBI was due to another’s negligence (or intentional actions). An attorney who focuses in personal injury law may be able to help relieve the financial impact of your injuries through a legal claim.

Medical and therapeutic treatment of brain injuries is extremely expensive. When physical and mental functions are damaged, TBI sufferers may need assistance just to complete the routine tasks of everyday life—family members can’t always be available, so this assistance may need to be paid for. And people with the most serious injuries may need 24-hour skilled nursing care for the rest of their lives.

How Does a Legal Claim for a Traumatic Head Injury Work?

In a legal claim, your attorney will pursue fair compensation from the negligent party for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Typically, your attorney will try to negotiate a fair settlement with the negligent party’s insurance company. If that party denies responsibility or the insurance company won’t make a fair settlement offer, the case may go to a trial if that is in line with your goals and wishes.

Get Help from Experienced Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers

If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident or other incident caused by negligence, we can help you explore your legal options. Our skilled attorneys at the accident and injury law office of Terry Bryant in Houston understand the true cost of serious brain injuries. We may be able to help you get compensation to pay for the losses you’ve suffered because of another party’s negligent behavior or actions. Call our law firm today at (713) 973-8888 to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced and compassionate lawyers.