BRAIN INJURY

Brain injury cases can be extremely complex. For that reason, you need our experience and expertise. Anyone can sustain a brain injury. When the head is hit, the brain bounces around inside the skull potentially wreaking havoc to the fragile tissue. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can seriously affect a person's ability to reason, it can affect them physically and it can affect them psychologically. Some of the effects include:

• Ambulation - being able to get around on their own
• Balance - feeling unsteady on their feet
• Coordination - a feeling of being "all thumbs" or not being able to do multiple things at once like you used to
• Fine Motor Skills - needle work can become clumsy, or even tying bows on your shoes can be difficult
• Strength - no longer able to move the chair to vacuum or lift stacks of paperwork or books
• Endurance - many people find they can't walk as far or climb the stairs like they used to
• Memory - remembering events clearly or recalling names of people you know can become a problem
• Language - some people experience trouble in speaking, forming words properly
• Information Processing - it may take longer to understand concepts or situations you are in
• Coping - difficulty accepting and dealing with having a disability

While TBI can be caused by many situations, the most common is when the head strikes an object such as a wall, the ground, etc. Other causes include lack of oxygen for an extended period, poisoning and infection.

Some brain injuries are considered "Mild Traumatic Brain Injury" (MTBI). MTBI characteristics include one or more of the following:

• Brief loss of consciousness
• Loss of memory immediately preceding or following the injury
• Any alteration in one's mental state at the time of the accident

In many MTBI cases, the individual may appear normal on the surface, yet they have continuing functional problems. Long-term affects can include Postconcussion Syndrome (PCS), cognitive and personality changes.