Head-related injuries are undoubtedly among the most serious and long-lasting injuries you can suffer. Unfortunately, symptoms associated with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) often do not show up immediately. However, they could appear or manifest within a few hours, days, weeks, months, or even years after the date of the accident that led to the injury.
Because of this, you should visit a doctor as soon as possible after an accident or injury to help determine whether you have any internal injuries or TBI. Continue reading to learn more about the signs and symptoms of a head injury that are frequently delayed, as well as how these delayed symptoms could affect your eligibility for compensation if another person's negligence caused the injury.
What You Need to Know About TBI
Generally speaking, head injuries involving your brain and caused by a significant jolt, blow, or trauma to the body or head are known as TBIs, including concussions. Before we discuss the symptoms and available medical remedies for concussions (mild brain injuries) and other brain injuries, you need to understand some facts.
According to the BIAA (Brain Injury Association of America), your brain controls almost all your body's functions, including breathing, walking, talking, and sleeping. Unfortunately, the likelihood of brain healing after an injury is minimal, and most of the associated symptoms and disabilities are permanent, meaning you will have to live with them.
Due to this, there is nothing like a mild or non-severe injury when your brain is involved. According to John Hopkins Medicine, some everyday causes of TBI include falls, violence, and auto accidents.
While people with less severe or "mild" head-related injuries often heal seamlessly, for other patients, the full recovery period could be long, costly, loaded with several complications, and full of uncertainties about your ability to regain your health.
Generally speaking, a head-related injury could be extremely costly and impactful on your life. Although it depends on the severity of your injury, the average medical cost of treating a TBI can amount to up to $2 or $3 million. On top of this, a TBI can cause a permanent disability that can affect your ability to enjoy life, live independently, finish your education, and work to earn income.
Causes of Delayed Onset of TBI Symptoms Among Most People
Aside from the common headache issues, a TBI is often associated with the following possible symptoms:
- Changes in mood or behavior
- Memory issues
- Seizures
- Concussion
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Vomiting and nausea
- Sensitivity to smell or light
- Agitation or restlessness
- Slurred speech
- Sleeping little or too much
Unfortunately, for some patients, the above TBI symptoms could delay, making you believe that your injury is not serious, whereas it is. According to Flint Rehab, delays in the onset of brain or head-related injury symptoms and signs are not unusual.
In a research study of people who had no symptoms of concussions two (2) weeks after sustaining an injury, 57% reported fresh symptoms and signs of this health issue within one (1) year. Even in injury cases where these symptoms were visible immediately after sustaining a head injury, about 15% to 30% of people who suffered concussions will experience the symptoms for one year or two after this injury.
If your head injury is severe, there is a high chance that you will experience more symptoms. Some of the symptoms that are likely to manifest in the future after sustaining a head-related injury include the following:
- Cognitive symptoms like memory loss
- Emotional symptoms like anxiety and depression
- Dystonia
Potential Risks of Delayed Head Injury Treatment
Like any other health condition, delayed treatment or medical attention after sustaining a head-related injury could make the condition severe and more costly. Some of the complications that could make your head injury severe when you delay seeking the necessary medical treatment include:
- Fluid buildup in your brain, causing a condition known as increased intracranial pressure (ICP), which could further cause damage to the brain cells
- Infection caused by a penetrating head or brain injury
- Reduced blood pressure, which makes your brain lack the oxygen it needs to grow and survive
- Blood clots caused by inactivity or inability to move around after an injury
- Extreme fever, which is often due to damage to or interruption of the brain’s section that controls your body temperature
- Pneumonia because of being bedridden or staying confined in your location for an extended period after sustaining an injury
Even though there are no risks of the above complications, seeing a doctor as soon as possible is critical for medical attention after sustaining a head-related injury. Aside from receiving a diagnosis that will help your doctor know whether to anticipate new symptoms, the doctor could also provide the necessary treatment during your appointment to reduce the signs and symptoms of this injury.
Some of these treatments include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Occupational therapy or treatment to help restore and improve the skills you need to perform your daily chores
- Physical therapy or treatment to help restore and boost your motor functions, including your strength, balance, and coordination
- Psychotherapy to help reduce your injury's psychological impacts, like anxiety or depression, and improve your thought patterns
- Speech therapy or treatment if the head injury affects language centers in your brain, which helps you communicate and talk
Generally, delaying your treatments for a brain or head-related injury could increase your recovery time. According to a study of young athletes aged 12 to 22 who suffered a head-related injury, many who received immediate treatment had a faster recovery rate than others who delayed their treatment.
Additionally, patients who received immediate treatment could access several acute therapies specifically designed to alleviate any possible impact caused by a head-related injury. With adequate rest periods and a gradual resumption of daily activities and chores, most athletes returned or resumed competition within two to three weeks.
Even if you delayed seeking the necessary treatment, you would take approximately the same period to return to competition once you begin your periods of adequate rest and recuperation included in your concussion treatment plan.
Is Delayed Onset of TBI Symptoms Common Among Children?
Many believe minors or children are more likely to recover from a TBI than adults since these minor’s brains are still young, but this is untrue. Children can experience the same devastating symptoms and impacts of TBI as adults.
However, children often cannot explain their symptoms precisely, and many TBI symptoms and signs will not manifest until these minors are adults. Below are examples of delayed TBI symptoms and signs that some children experience down the road after suffering a head-related injury:
- Developmental delays
- Learning disorders
- Language and speech problems
- Anxiety
- Hyperactivity disorder/attention deficit
- Issues with joints, muscles, and bones
It is worth noting that some children can experience the above symptoms even without a brain or head-related injury. However, a head injury could increase the chances of experiencing these symptoms. Keeping a record or journal of your head injury treatment could help the child's doctor pinpoint any emerging problems caused by the TBI
How Delayed TBI Symptoms and Treatment Could Affect Your Eligibility for Compensatory Damages
When you sustain an injury due to another person's negligence, you could be eligible for compensatory damages when you file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party or his/her insurer. For instance, when you suffer TBI in an auto collision caused by a drunk or distracted driver, his/her insurance provider should pay you damages for all your losses, including pain and suffering.
If the negligent party insurer acts in "bad faith" or refuses to pay you damages after filing your compensation claim, your attorney can help file an injury lawsuit against them. When your injury attorney files a lawsuit against the at-fault party's insurance provider, a judge will decide whether you are eligible for damages and how much you should receive for the TBI.
However, your attorney must file an injury lawsuit on time to qualify for compensatory damages. Generally speaking, you have a maximum of four (4) years from the date you sustained the injury to file an injury lawsuit against the at-fault party. When you fail to file your injury claim within this deadline, you will lose your legal right to seek compensatory damages using the legal justice system.
Missing this time limit will also make the at-fault insurer refuse to give you damages for the TBI because they are not lawfully required to offer compensatory damages for expired injury claims. The issue with delayed TBI symptoms and medical treatment is that they could attract future expenses not considered when calculating the value of your injury claim.
However, with the help of your doctor, a seasoned injury attorney will consider the likelihood of future medical expenses you could incur due to the delayed onset of TBI symptoms to determine the fair value of your compensation claim.
How to Monitor the Symptoms of a Brain or Head Injury
It is critical to keep track of your TBI symptoms to know whether or not your condition is worsening. One way many people track or monitor the symptoms and signs of a head-related injury is by maintaining a journal that lists the following:
- Types of symptoms they encounter daily
- The date on which you experienced new symptoms
- Any significant or notable changes in symptoms caused by the head injury
Whenever you have an appointment with your doctor, carrying this journal or notebook with you is crucial to helping him/her know the ideal treatment you require to address the symptoms.
Why You Need an Injury Attorney When Seeking Compensation for a TBI
You cannot undermine the need for an attorney if you have an injury claim, especially for a head-related injury. A skilled and experienced injury attorney can increase your chances of winning your compensation claim and receiving adequate damages for all your losses.
Aside from communicating with your doctor to help him/her estimate and include your medical costs in your claim, your injury attorney will help you deal with the at-fault party insurance adjusters to obtain maximum compensation. If the negligent party's insurance provider is unwilling to provide maximum compensation for your losses, your attorney can take your case to court.
At trial, your attorney can prove that your head injury was due to the other party's negligence, and you deserve maximum compensation for all your losses, including possible future medical expenses. As mentioned in the above paragraph, time is of the essence if you have an injury claim.
An experienced injury attorney understands this and will prepare your claim as soon as possible to avoid losing your right to obtain compensatory damages from the at-fault party. Lastly, you will rely on your attorney for legal guidance throughout the claim process to avoid making mistakes that can compromise your eligibility for compensatory damages after sustaining a TBI.
Below are a few helpful tips to aid you in finding a reliable and trustworthy injury attorney for your unique injury case:
- Consider your prospective attorney's location and availability
- Consider your prospective attorney's qualifications and experience
- Consider your prospective attorney's reputation
- Consider your prospective attorney's cost of services
- Consider whether your prospective attorney is licensed
- Consider your prospective attorney's courteousness and communication skills
Potential Damages You Could Receive If Your Head Injury Claim is Successful
If your head injury claim is successful, you will receive compensatory damages for all the monetary and non-monetary losses caused by the head injury, including:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment in life
How much you will receive on your compensation claim will depend on the evidence your attorney has, including eyewitness testimonies to support his/her argument that you deserve maximum compensation for your losses.
Find a Reliable Injury Attorney Near Me
Considering the risks associated with the delayed onset of TBI injury symptoms in some cases, you should speak with an attorney as soon as possible after suffering a head injury. If your head injury was due to another person's negligence, a reliable attorney can help you seek compensation from the at-fault party or his/her insurance provider.
We at Jacksonville Personal Injury Attorney can offer you the legal guidance and representation you need on your case to obtain adequate compensation for your losses caused by the head-related injury. We invite you to call our reliable and credible injury attorneys at 904-800-7557 for a cost-free consultation.
