When is “Just a Bump on the Head” a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Personal injury law and science are allowing us to better understand that minor blows to the head may not be so minor when it comes to an individual’s ability to function.

As a result, our personal injury office is screening almost all injury cases for unusual symptoms, which require further investigation.

Recent media has highlighted advances in brain injury detection. The Jeff Brooke Team has put these developments to work for our clients. In recent cases, we have proven that our brain injury clients deserve far more compensation than might have originally been expected because their “minor” injuries weren’t so minor after all.

Why the sudden interest in these cases? New research has shown that even so-called minor trauma to the head may not be as insignificant as previously believed. Fortunately, much of the research in this field is being done in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and we have been able to call upon important expert witnesses at Virginia Commonwealth University and other institutions for their advanced insight into this area.

While the science is evolving, it is now known that even head injuries that do not result in the loss of consciousness can cause permanent disruptions to the neural pathways in the brain. In many cases, these neuro pathways are slow to heal or never heal. We are particularly interested in cases of prolonged or chronic memory loss, loss of consciousness (even temporary), problems with balance, mood changes, visual or audio disruptions, etc.

Families or injury victims who recognize any of these symptoms (even from mild to moderate accidents) should first report these symptoms to their healthcare providers. Access to these providers can be difficult and a competent personal injury counsel may be needed to arrange a referral to one of the experts mentioned above.

In any event, ignoring the signs and symptoms can be devastating both to the health of the accident victim and to their personal injury case. If you believe that you or someone you know may have been the victim of a traumatic brain injury, please do not hesitate to contact us for further advice. The Jeff Brooke Team is experienced in representing traumatic brain injury victims in Virginia.