TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES ATTORNEY IN FORT COLLINS & BRIGHTON, CO

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is trauma to brain function from impacts to the head. The whiplash effects can exist even without the head contacting something else, and it often comes up in motor vehicle accidents. Even a “mild” traumatic brain injury can be debilitating.

Most injured people show some degree of emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physical symptoms.  These symptoms, whether alone or in combination with others, can produce degrees of functional disability.

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Symptoms of a concussion can include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, the feeling of having your “bell rung”, difficulty organizing things, blurred vision, tired eyes, light sensitivity, headaches, ears ringing, feeling sad, feeling anxious, being easily irritated, anger, feeling tired all the time, trouble with memory, attention, or concentration problems, having self-control issues, being bothered by sounds, being easily confused or overwhelmed; thinking, reading, moving or speaking slower than normal, decision-making problems; problem-solving problems; sleep changes (including excessive sleep or lack of sleep), changes in sexual interest, alienation, and isolation. 

The injured people and their spouses and families are affected.  Frequently, everyone in the family must pitch in to help. At a minimum, the emotional problems affect everyone.   People suffering from such injuries often find life can be stressful and even more complicated, which in turn affects the immune system. The spider-web of complications extends outward in a variety of ways.

Treatment for Brain Injuries

Getting help early on is essential. The determinations are clinical in nature, meaning you need medical professionals to look at what is said, and what might be objectively available, to make a determination. There is no magic yes/no boxes to check, just probabilities based on medicine. Your medical records will reflect the incident, or so you hope. Rarely does a victim know he or she lost consciousness. They just cannot remember the incident, and sometimes the immediate time before and after.  A CT scan or MRI does not generally produce much without any obvious bleeding.

For the best medical support, an injured person may need a physiatrist, neuropsychologist, cognitive rehabilitation therapist; and/or behavior analyst.  Sometimes vocational rehabilitation specialists could be required. These medical providers help diagnose the condition and its severity, help provide tools to help patients recover, and can suggest a path of treatment.   While the brain is complex, science and technology today are improving too.   The doctors of 20 years ago are frequently painfully out of touch with recent trends.

For example, old school clinicians still regularly recommend that patients lay low and avoid activity. The modern trend, validated by many experts, is to recommend re-integration as soon as possible. Putting together a team to help recovery is important.

There are clinicians in Colorado who can help you diagnose and find the treatment and tools to help stabilize your new reality. There are providers who accept health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and will work on lien.  Whatever your preference or need, the important thing is to not be misinformed by concerned, but uninformed general practitioners. You will be better off knowing what is going on and why you are feeling the way you do, then take the steps to get yourself back to functional living as soon as your body and mind permit.

How an Attorney Can Help

We help clients navigate the legal system. Due to the complexity of the injury, diagnosis, and prognosis, victims of motor vehicle collisions and slip-and-fall accidents require fair representation.  Insurance companies are loath to pay compensation for TBI because they know that these injuries are catastrophic.   

Brain injuries don’t go away. They can linger and cause damage to other body systems, affect your relationships, and impact basic activities.  Examples of this include trouble finding your keys, searching for words when speaking, or any of another myriad of issues.  These injuries can affect your ability to function at work, alter how you live your life, and affect the people around you.