The Devastating Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury

A Florida Injury Law Attorney, focusing on representing clients with head injuries, or traumatic brain injuries (TBI), must be confident in ensuring that the client’s symptoms are thoroughly identified and recorded in consultation with respected, experienced medical professionals including top neurological experts. Victims of TBI are much different than your average personal injury client due to the complications associated with working up the value of such claims.

The after effects of a closed head injury, or injury to the head that does not penetrate the skull, on an automobile passenger are not always immediate or obvious.  More often than not, the most useful source of information is not the injury victim, but rather those people who knew the injury victim both before and after the accident and can readily note emotional, cognitive, and behavioral changes. Professionals in the medical field and the public in general, are becoming increasingly aware that even just a “mild” concussion or mild TBI may have serious impacts on a victim’s life and future lifestyle. It was once thought that the symptoms of a closed head injury would always resolve in a few months, however, recent studies have shown that in a small number of cases, the symptoms remain for multiple years, and in some cases for life. In the May 2012 issue of Science Translational Medicine, a study was published which analyzed the direct effects and physical evidence of head injuries sustained by United States military personnel from extreme blasts. Conclusions from the study can help neurologist better understand commonly seen scenarios from sports-related concussions to head injuries resulting from automobile and motorcycle accidents. The researchers noted that even a minimal exposure to a blast can result in TBI, long lasting cognitive damages, and a wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms including depression, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and posttraumatic stress disorder.  By studying the brains of lab mice exposed to a single simulated blast, researchers were able to document evidence of a neurodegenerative disease that is found in patients who have suffered numerous concussions. The research also revealed that immobilization of the head during a blast actually helped the mice to avoid learning deficits and memory loss. The obvious inference is that it was not the shock wave from the blast that caused harm to the soldiers’ brains, but rather the sudden head acceleration and deceleration cause by the proceeding wind from the blast. Brain injury science has long understood that whiplash forces exerted in a vehicle crash or a violent football tackle can result in varying degrees of concussions despite the lack of any direct blow to the head. Keeping this in mind, researchers are starting to focus on the physical evidence from autopsy reports and animal studies while also examining the condition and function of axons, neurons, and other brain matter to construct a more clear, accurate picture of the devastation a brain injury can cause. It is extremely important to consult with a qualified Florida brain injury attorney if you, a loved one or colleague, have sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as the result of another’s negligence.  The brain injury attorneys at Dolman Law Group are available for a free consultation and case evaluation. Please contact: matt@dolmanlaw.com or call Dolman Law Group at: (727) 451-6900. Dolman Law Group is a Clearwater personal injury law firm that handles injury law claims throughout the State of Florida and more specifically in areas including; Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater Beach, Ozona, Oldsmar, East Lake, Trinity, New Port Richey, Port Richey, Largo, Pinellas Park, Seminole, Reddington Beach, Madeira Beach, Kenneth City, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg Beach, Bradenton, Sarasota, Hudson, Pasadena and Gulfport.   The injury law attorneys at Dolman Law Group remain accessible and have the resources to handle claims statewide.  If you have sustained a physical injury as a result of the negligence exhibited by an individual or entity, please consult with a qualified Florida injury law attorney.