What’s the Difference Between a TBI and a Concussion?

A traumatic brain injury is one of the most severe possible effects of an accident, where a sudden force or a piercing of your skull damages your brain. Many types of injuries fall under the umbrella of a traumatic brain injury, and this category of injury can refer to practically any type of harm to your brain. There is no such thing as a mild brain injury because of the capacity for lasting damage, and you should take any brain injury seriously because your actions can affect your ability to recover.

Brain injuries can range from a concussion (which can cause permanent brain damage in itself) to something even more severe. No matter what type of brain injury you have suffered, the responsible party has an obligation to pay for all of the costs associated with it when you can prove that they were to blame for what happened. You may receive a significant amount of money, which you will need for your medical care and to pay for other expenses for your injuries. Not only that, but you also have the legal right to money for all your injuries’ effects.

Even when encountering serious injuries, you still cannot afford to take your eye off the legal process. The one step you can take towards receiving full compensation for the accident is contacting a brain injury lawyer. A brain injury lawyer will aggressively work on your behalf in dealing with the insurance company that does not want to pay you fully. One of the best things about hiring a brain injury lawyer is that it does not cost you money from your own pocket. You only pay for a brain injury lawyer when they win your case.

In reality, there is no difference between a concussion and a traumatic brain injury. There are just different gradations of severity when you are dealing with brain injuries. Still, you must handle all brain injuries with extreme vigilance and care because they can lead to permanent effects in your life. Fifty percent of people who suffer a moderate to severe TBI will experience further declines in their health within five years after their injury.

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How Traumatic Brain Injuries Occur

Traumatic brain injuries can occur in many contexts, including:

• Deprivation of oxygen in a drowning incident or carbon monoxide poisoning (even though there is no actual trauma to the head, loss of oxygen can have a similar effect on brain tissue)
• Car accidents
• Slip and fall accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Truck accidents
• Physical attacks

The Different Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Brain injuries range in severity. Some types of traumatic brain injuries include:

• Diffuse axonal injuries: This is the most common type of brain injury. In diffuse axonal injuries, the brain shakes and rotates in the skull, causing fibers to tear. They often occur in transportation-related or sports accidents.
• Coup-contrecoup injuries: Here, the brain slams violently into the skull and then bounces in the head to where it hits against the other part of the skull.
• Penetrating brain injuries: An object can penetrate the skull and go into the brain. These are always severe brain injuries.
• Hematomas: The brain injury causes a buildup of blood in the brain. Pooling of the blood in the brain can lead to tissue death over time if you do not seek medical treatment.

It Is Never “Just a Concussion”

When you have suffered a concussion, you may not even realize the full effects of it at first. Some symptoms may not appear until weeks after your initial injury. Your brain is in a vulnerable state partly because of the chemical imbalances.

In other words, you have never suffered “just a concussion.” If anyone tries to tell you that a concussion is a minor type of brain injury, they are vastly understating the severity and risks. Any time that there is some damage to your brain, there is always the possibility that you may never fully recover. Further, there will always be an increased degree of vulnerability to any future brain injuries. Subsequent concussions may become worse because there is already a predisposition to serious injury due to “second impact syndrome.”

All Brain Injuries Are Serious

Any type of injury to your brain is extremely serious, even if you do not have a lasting injury. There is always the possibility that you may not fully recover from your brain injury or you will deal with symptoms of the injury for quite some time.

For example, recovering from post-concussion syndrome may last for a lengthy period. Many concussion patients will experience symptoms for at least seven to ten days after the accident, while some may deal with the effects of their injury for months in the future. In rare cases, post-concussion syndrome may last for years, and the effects of a concussion can be even more lasting if it was not your first one.

Your brain is one of the most delicate parts of your body, and an injury can cause you to lose some critical functions in your daily life. The brain does not recover like other parts of your body because once brain tissue dies, it does not regenerate. Although you can recover from some types of brain injuries, others may be permanent. You may need to relearn how to do some crucial activities with your brain injury if you can even accomplish this at all.

You Must Be Extremely Careful with Any Brain Injury

If you are dealing with any brain injury, you must be extremely careful because what you do in the immediate aftermath of a brain injury can impact your chances of making a full recovery. If you have been in an accident, you must be on the lookout for symptoms of a brain injury, even if there was no actual impact on your head.

Symptoms of a brain injury may include:

• Lack of concentration
• Mood changes
• Sleep disturbances
• Balance problems
• Sensitivities to light and sound
• Nausea

Seek Immediate Medical Attention After a Brain Injury

If you notice any brain injury symptoms, you should seek medical attention immediately and not wait for an appointment with your doctor. Instead, you should get treatment at an emergency or urgent care facility. It is also best to remain off your feet to the fullest extent possible because physical activity can exacerbate brain injuries. Brain injuries stand much more of a chance of becoming permanent if you delay medical treatment. Not only will your physical condition worsen, but you can also jeopardize your legal case because you failed to take steps to mitigate your damages.

Get Help from a Brain Injury Lawyer

Then, you should contact a brain injury lawyer as soon as possible. Of course, it may be challenging to focus on the legal process when you have suffered an injury that can leave you with memory or concentration deficits. If you cannot contact a brain injury lawyer on your own, have a family member do it for you so they can at least work to protect your legal rights.

If you have suffered a brain injury in an accident, you may have the legal right to substantial financial compensation. Your brain injury will affect you significantly, certainly in the short run and perhaps for the rest of your life. You need to fight for every dollar you deserve because you will undoubtedly need it. Not only may you face steep medical bills, but you may also be unable to work because of your brain injury.

More than half of people who have suffered a brain injury (including concussions) are not working two weeks after their injury, and 17 percent of them will not be working a year after the injury. Some brain injury victims get to the point where they cannot work again at all.

How Much Is My Brain Injury Case Worth?

Your brain injury compensation may include the following:

• Medical expenses
• Lost earnings
• Cost of care to help with the activities of daily life
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Embarrassment and humiliation

Even the medical expenses necessary to treat a brain injury can reach well beyond $1 million throughout your lifetime. Then, you calculate your pain and suffering damages as a multiple of your medical expenses. These damages can be up to five times your medical expenses and, in some cases, even more. A brain injury attorney must devote a great deal of effort to calculating your damages because a brain injury settlement is your only chance to receive full compensation for what happened to you.

Your Brain Injury Attorney Is Here to Fight for You

When you hire a brain injury lawyer, they will fight for you to receive total and fair compensation for what happened to you. There are many steps in the legal process that you must go through before receiving any money. It takes considerable time to get paid for your injuries, especially given the size of the check you may receive. You have limited capacity to do anything on your own when you have suffered any injury. Still, your limitations are even more pronounced when you have suffered any injury to your brain.

Thankfully, you do not have to immerse yourself in the details of your case. All you need to do is entrust them to your brain injury attorney, who will work for you to receive a full settlement check for your injuries. Here, “full” means you get paid every dollar you deserve. Of course, you still need to make decisions in your case if you can, and you can do that with the help of your brain injury lawyer. If your health permits it, you may also have to participate in your case by answering questions in a deposition. However, you do not have to worry about things like investigating your accident or dealing with the insurance company when you hire a brain accident lawyer.

When you hire a brain injury attorney for your case, they will wear many hats. They are the investigator whose job is to uncover evidence you can use to prove fault in your case. They are your spokesperson when dealing with the insurance company, fighting to protect your legal rights. Your brain injury lawyer is also your counselor, ensuring you know about the legal process and what you may face. When facing an uncertain future after someone else’s actions have injured you, reach out to a brain injury lawyer to discuss your case and learn whether you have the legal right to financial compensation.

You Do Not Need to Worry About the Cost of a  Brain Injury Lawyer

You may worry about the cost of hiring a brain injury lawyer to guide you through the legal process. However, it is essential to know that you do not need to worry about the cost when seeking legal representation for your brain injury case.

Many brain injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if they win your case. This arrangement allows you to pursue your claim without worrying about upfront costs or hourly attorney fees. It also gives your lawyer an added incentive to work hard on your behalf, as their payment depends on the outcome of your case.

Hiring a brain injury lawyer ensures that someone will protect your rights and increase your chances of receiving the full and fair compensation you deserve. Reach out to a brain injury lawyer today to discuss your case and explore your options. Remember, you have the right to compensation for the damages you have suffered, and a personal injury attorney can help you seek the justice you deserve.

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