Personal Injury Lawyer 

A mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is typically caused by a blow to the head or body. Sometimes, these personal injuries arise by simply shaking the head in an unexpected way.  Due to the lack of a generally acknowledged definition, the terms “MTBI”, “concussion,” chronic traumatic encephalopathy, brain damage and “sports-related concussion” are used interchangeably. Sometimes, that jolt causes loss of consciousness and may cause one or any combination of the following symptoms: headache, disorientation, loss of memory, nausea/vomiting, blurred vision, dizziness, ringing in the ears, mood disorders, and extreme tiredness. In more severe situations, an object, such as a bullet or shattered piece of the skull, can permeate a person’s brain tissue; this can result in bruising, torn tissues, bleeding in the brain, or even lead to death. Annually, more than 50 million people worldwide endure a traumatic brain injury.

The most frequently seen causes for emergency room visits involving traumatic brain injuries are falls, blunt head trauma, road traffic accidents, and physical assaults. Sometimes, patients’ first noticeable symptom after the initial injury is a headache. Other common cognitive symptoms a patient who has endured a MTBI may experience include problems with memory, lack of focus, trouble holding attention, and executive dysfunction. These symptoms tend to take 2-4 weeks for a patient to recover from; however, up to 20% of MTBI patients’ post-concussive symptoms persist for an extended amount of time following the trauma and require neuropsychological testing.

Those who have sustained a traumatic brain injury generally seek legal recourse when another person is partially or wholly at fault for causing the incident. It can be difficult for a personal injury attorney to litigate MTBI-related cases for a variety of reasons. Oftentimes, these injuries are overlooked because the majority of patients who experience a MTBI seem to fully recover. It is also very difficult to identify which MTBI patients will make a complete recovery and which will develop neuropsychological deficits or prolonged symptoms. Evidence has shown that the long-term effects of this type of injury can sometimes take months or even years after the original incident to become apparent; after an extended amount of time, these signs may no longer be associated with the initial MTBI which has seemed to ultimately recover. In many situations, these injuries are disregarded because imaging studies typically appear normal during the immediate post-injury time frame. If compensation is granted to victims during a MTBI case, it is determined by the severity of the injury in the long-term.

If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, call a personal injury attorney, like a medical malpractice lawyer in Cleveland, OH from Mishkind Kulwicki Law Co., LPA, immediately. Timing is crucial when presenting a case to the court so do not wait. The personal injury attorney can conduct a thorough investigation and determine if you have cause for filing a lawsuit. You may be eligible for compensation after seeking legal recourse for your case. The victim’s state of health and socioeconomic position that they would have been in if the accident had not transpired are examined to decide the personal compensation amount.