How Can a Brain Injury from an Accident Affect You?
A moderate to severe traumatic brain injury can cause long-lasting—or permanent—effects for the victim, as well as for his or her family members. The challenges faced by a person with traumatic brain injury are always significant, requiring that the victim adjusts to an entirely new reality. Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury can result in both physical and mental disabilities. Even those patients who seem to have made a full recovery following a brain injury are likely to have long-term symptoms. Skills and abilities, which were once second nature, can be significantly lessened or even lost entirely. Those who have experienced a traumatic brain injury can find it difficult to perform cognitive tasks and may have significant loss of memory.
Even tasks that were once extremely easy—such as placing an order at a restaurant—can suddenly be difficult. There may be changes in personality; a person who was once quiet and easygoing may now be aggressive and angry. Obviously, these types of changes can be difficult not only for the patient but for family members as well. Depending on the level of brain injury, family members may have to help the patient with general day-to-day tasks, even including showering, getting dressed, eating, and brushing teeth. Motor skills and movement can be affected by a brain injury, and, despite the advances made in the treatment of brain injuries, a person with a traumatic brain injury will have his or her life changed forever.
What Are Some Types of Motor Deficits and Disabilities Experienced by Brain Injury Patients?
Some examples of motor deficits and disabilities when moderate to severe brain injury is experienced include:
- Some level of paralysis
- Uncontrollable movements
- Muscle stiffness
- Vision and hearing deficits
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty talking
- Difficulty walking
- Difficulty moving objects or carrying objects
- Loss of fine motor skills (i.e., the inability to button a shirt)
- Memory problems
- Difficulty thinking
- Social relationship difficulties
- The inability to recognize an object, based solely on touch
A patient with moderate to severe brain injury may have difficulty with social situations or activities and could experience difficulty making and keeping professional or personal relationships. The patient may also be unable to hold a job or attend school and may even have difficulty engaging in recreational activities he or she once enjoyed. Rehabilitative therapies can help those with moderate to severe brain injuries cope with the world around them. The coping strategies could include using visual aids to remember necessary things, writing a detailed list of the necessary steps needed to complete a task, and learning new ways to accomplish everyday tasks.
What Are the Physical, Cognitive, and Sensory Effects from Traumatic Brain Injuries?
There are a number of effects patients may have over the long-term, which include physical, sensory, perceptual, and social-emotional changes as well as other cognitive symptoms. Physical effects may include sleep disorders, being easily fatigued, changes in appetite, difficulty swallowing, chronic pain, loss of bladder and bowel functions, seizures, hormonal issues, and difficulty regulating body temperature. The cognitive effects can include being easily distractible, having problems with memory, being unable to focus or concentrate, slow mental processing, being unusually impulsive, persistently repeating a word, gesture, or act, difficulty processing language, and difficulty determining right from wrong or distinguishing between appropriate and inappropriate actions.
In the speech and language category, the person with a brain injury could find it difficult to express ideas or thoughts, may be unable to read and write or understand everyday language, may have slurred speech, or difficulty comprehending the written word. Sensory and perceptual effects include difficulty perceiving temperature, difficulty distinguishing between objects, difficulty distinguishing between touch and pressure sensations, and difficulty understanding information gained from hearing, sight, smell, touch, or taste. There may also be vision and hearing effects, including blurry vision, difficulty judging distance, intolerance of light, double vision, loss of hearing, tinnitus, and increases sensitivity to sound. Social/behavioral effects of a brain injury include widely fluctuating emotions, aggression, lack of inhibition, lack of motivation, depression, and irritability.
How Lee Hoffoss Injury Lawyers Can Help Victims of Brain Injury
If you or a loved one has suffered a devastating brain injury due to the negligence of another person or entity, you need solid legal assistance. The attorneys at Lee Hoffoss Injury Lawyers can help you obtain a fair settlement for your damages, including lost wages (current and future), medical bills (current and future), and pain and suffering. We have the skills and experience necessary to ensure the negligent party is held liable. Contact Lee Hoffoss Injury Lawyers today.