Your brain is a sensitive organ that controls the functions of every part of your body. Your skull protects your brain from external damage or intrusions. Because the brain is located inside the thick skull, it can make diagnosing a brain injury very tricky. Neurologists and other doctors often must use advanced technology to evaluate and diagnose brain damage.
Doctors typically utilize traumatic brain injury evaluations, consisting of CT scans and MRIs, to detect and diagnose brain damage. A traumatic brain injury evaluation can give you insight into the existence and extent of your injury and the anticipated treatment options. If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury, you should consult a doctor about whether you need a traumatic brain injury evaluation.
GJEL Accident Attorneys are here to help those with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that were caused by someone else’s negligence. Contact us today if you need help finding a doctor or scheduling a TBI evaluation. We offer free consultations with our TBI accident lawyers.
What Kind of Brain Injuries Exist?
There are two categories of brain injuries: open and closed brain injuries. An open brain injury occurs when an object penetrates the brain’s soft tissue. The soft tissue may be pierced by an external object or by the bone of the skull. A closed injury occurs when a sudden impact makes the brain collide with the skull, such as when a person’s head slams against the driver’s seat during a car accident.
How a TBI Is Diagnosed
You should see a physician anytime you suffer a brain injury, even if it seems minor. If you start seeing any of the following symptoms after a head injury, you should seek medical advice immediately:
- Loss of consciousness, no matter how brief;
- Persistent headache;
- Slurred speech;
- Restlessness;
- Vomiting;
- Nausea;
- Severe drowsiness;
- Pupil dilation; or
- Significant confusion.
A medical professional will conduct a TBI evaluation to determine the extent of the injury.
The team at GJEL Accident Attorneys helps our clients find qualified physicians to treat their injuries. We can also help schedule a traumatic brain injury evaluation. Our clients are extremely important to us, and that’s why we help our clients with not just their legal claims but also issues affecting their lives.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury Evaluation?
A traumatic brain injury evaluation occurs when a doctor diagnoses the type and severity of brain injury you suffered. A physician with experience evaluating head injuries will conduct a neurological exam to evaluate things like:
- Motor skills,
- Sensory skills,
- Hearing,
- Memory,
- Information processing,
- Reaction time,
- Speech,
- Coordination and balance, and
- Mood changes.
Depending on the extent of the injury, the doctor may use brain scans to determine the severity of the injury and whether treatment will help.
Once you see a physician, they can conduct more invasive tests to diagnose your brain injury.
There is not a single test physicians use to confirm the existence of a traumatic brain injury. Instead, the doctor will evaluate your symptoms, conduct a physical examination, and order brain imaging through a CT scan, an MRI, or both.
Physicians often use CT scans immediately after a head injury to diagnose acute brain damage that endangers the patient’s life or requires emergency treatment. CT scans will typically detect brain bleeds or swelling. The CT scan often finds moderate to severe brain damage but can miss proof of less severe brain damage.
Neurologists utilize MRIs to evaluate brain injuries more closely and detect more minor signs of damage. New MRI technology allows doctors to examine brain structure damage and measure remaining brain function after an injury. The MRI can help identify areas with damage, determine the severity of your brain injury, and guide medical experts on whether an operation is needed. If surgery is necessary, the MRI can provide the surgeon with navigation information to help determine the skin incision and guide burr hole placement.
Can an MRI Show an Old Brain Injury?
An MRI can typically show proof of a moderate or severe brain injury. However, a mild brain injury may not show up on an MRI. Sometimes, an MRI may help a physician with diagnosing a TBI years later. If you suffered a serious brain injury in the past, an MRI might show parts of your brain with scarring from that injury. It may also show areas of dead or injured brain tissue.
Additionally, advancements in MRI technology may allow a medical professional to enhance the images available of your brain. This may result in a doctor seeing an old brain injury not visible on the less advanced MRIs.
You should seek medical treatment if you experience symptoms of a traumatic brain injury. This is especially important if you weren’t previously diagnosed. Newly developed MRIs may provide a clearer picture of your brain injury.
Can I Recover Compensation If I Suffer a TBI?
While medical conditions cause some TBIs, others are caused by another person’s negligent or wrongful actions. If you or a loved one suffered a brain injury due to someone else’s wrongdoing, they might be liable for your financial losses. Although a minor brain injury may heal over time, severe brain injuries can result in permanent disabilities and health complications for the victim. This could mean high medical costs and lost income. As a result, you may be entitled to compensation.
The value of a traumatic brain injury claim depends on the facts and circumstances of each case. Your TBI evaluation can help outline the extent of your injuries and estimated costs of future medical care associated with your injury. Fortunately, attorneys like those at GJEL can help you determine the value of your claim and fight for your fair compensation.
Contact GJEL Accident Attorneys Today
If you suffer a TBI due to someone else’s negligence, the team at GJEL Accident Attorneys can guide you through filing a compensation claim. In addition to fighting for compensation, our team helps clients to arrange medical appointments, vehicle repair costs, and other things they may need. Our team can connect you with a neurologist or brain injury expert to conduct a traumatic brain injury evaluation.
We pride ourselves on offering clients the highest level of legal representation and working to secure the best possible outcome in each case. We know that a singular strategy will not help our clients recover the full value of their losses. That is why we take the time to get to know our clients individually to learn the intimate details of each case. We will use our personalized knowledge to tailor a strategy to your case. Contact GJEL today to schedule your free initial consultation.
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