Brain injury is arguably the worst thing that could happen to a human being, because TBIs can result in a prolonged coma, vegetative state, frequent loss of consciousness, and a plethora of other long-term complications and symptoms that may make it impossible to enjoy your life and/or earn a living.
It is not uncommon for people with brain injuries to become temporarily or permanently disabled or even die. Brain injuries occur when a person’s brain is hit, shaken, or thrashed around in a car accident, pedestrian accident, slip and fall accident, or any other traumatic accident.
Open head injury vs closed head injury
Traumatic brain injuries, which often fall into two categories, open head injury and closed head injury, may lead to severe damage of a person’s cognitive, neurologic, emotional, physical, and mental abilities.
“If an open head injury is usually visible to the naked eye, because it is caused by an object piercing the skull and damaging the brain, closed head injuries are caused by blunt force trauma to the brain,” explains our Phoenix brain injury attorney from the Lorona Mead. “Since closed head injuries are not visible without the use of an MRI, X-ray, or CT scan, they are more difficult to prove and seek compensation for.”
In Arizona, more than 50 percent of all brain injuries are sustained during car accidents and other motor vehicle accidents, as well as following slip and fall accidents and violent acts.
Females experience brain injuries differently than males
And while statistics show that men are twice more likely to suffer head injuries than women, medical professionals claim that women may experience brain injury symptoms differently than men. This was the conclusion of Dr. Mayumi Prins, a professor of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, in his 2017 research paper on the topic of head trauma.
It has been proven time and time again that female and male brains differ in terms of anatomy, activity patterns, physiology, and chemistry. Also, women and men develop different brain injury symptoms due to the hormonal differences between males and females as well as differences in their upper bodies.
Researchers have also found that males are more likely than females to ignore or leave undiagnosed or untreated such concussion-related symptoms such as headaches, depression, and reduced social interaction. “Studies have also shown that women usually require more time to recover from brain injuries compared to men, which is something that should be reflected in the value of your personal injury settlement if you are a woman,” says our experienced brain injury attorney in Phoenix.
Interestingly, the research by Dr. Prins also showed that female athletes are more likely to sustain concussions when playing contact sports such as soccer, basketball, baseball, and others.
Brain injury symptoms: Seek medical attention if you notice any of them
If you have been in an accident and notice any of the following symptoms, seek medical attention as soon as possible as you might have brain injury symptoms:
- Loss of consciousness;
- Disorientation or confusion;
- Dizziness and loss of balance;
- Headaches;
- Vomiting or nausea;
- Memory problems (difficulty remembering things);
- Difficulty focusing and concentrating;
- Trouble speaking and swallowing;
- Suffering from sudden mood swings;
- Depression;
- Problems with the senses, including smell, hearing, vision, and others;
- Irregular sleep patterns;
- Severe changes in behavior;
- Weakness or numbness in the toes and fingers;
- Seizures, convulsions, or shaking;
- Coma;
- Vegetative state.
Regardless of your gender, seek medical attention if you notice any of these symptoms. If you have a closed head injury, it makes sense to consult with a Phoenix brain injury attorney from the Lorona Mead to find out your best legal strategy and recover damages. As a rule of thumb, insurance companies and their defense lawyers question the severity of a claimant’s injuries when his or her injuries are not visible to the naked eye, such as a closed head injury. Call at 602-385-6825 or fill out this contact form to get a free consultation.
