TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) is a term frequently found in the medical records of car accident victims, but its meaning is often misunderstood. Confusion stems from the broad definition of the term, which encompasses many degrees of severity, and the nature of brain injuries themselves. TBIs can make a variety of mental processes more difficult, including the ability to understand information. It can take time for people who have sustained a TBI to fully grasp what has happened to them. In severe cases, it may be impossible.
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury is any kind of injury that interferes with the way the brain normally works. TBIs can range from mild (concussion) to severe (oxygen deprivation). TBIs may or may not involve loss of consciousness or obvious visible trauma. The most stereotypical symptom of TBI is memory loss, but there can be many other effects as well, including physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral. TBIs can cause personality changes and decreased functioning that can be very distressing to victims and family members.
Differences between a Mild TBI and a Moderate to Severe TBI
Mild TBI
Mild TBI is another name for a concussion. Concussions are caused by the stereotypical bumps on the head, but can also be caused by an impact anywhere on the body that results in the head and brain moving back and forth rapidly. This movement can cause the brain to bounce or twist inside the skull, stretching and damaging brain cells, and/or producing impactful changes in the brain’s chemistry. TBIs have a lot of variety in their symptoms, recovery time, and effect on a person’s life and well-being. These variations can often be attributed to the area of the brain that is injured. For most TBIs, multiple distinct areas of the brain are affected.
The term “mild” is often used by medical professionals because they are not usually directly life-threatening. However, that does not mean a “mild” TBI isn’t a serious injury that requires medical attention.
Moderate to Severe TBI
Moderate to severe TBIs are more life-threatening than mild TBIs. Severe TBIs are linked to thousands of deaths a year in the United States, and those who survive often live with long-term or lifelong health problems that greatly interfere with daily life.
A moderate to severe TBI greatly affects an individual’s medical, societal, and economic future. Not only are they incredibly costly to treat, but one can also lose wages from being unable to work, as well as having to live with what are often compared to the symptoms of a chronic disease.
How TBIs Have Been Diagnosed in the Past
There are two traditional methods of diagnosing TBIs: CT scans and medical evaluations. Both are somewhat problematic. CT scans lack the detail necessary to identify anything but the most obvious kinds of TBI. Medical evaluations can be inaccurate because patients (like athletes or military personnel) are often motivated to appear healthy to avoid being sidelined. Unfortunately, these same groups are at a higher risk than the general public of being injured again. A medical evaluation performed by a trained neuropsychologist is likely to yield the most accurate result.
How TBIs Are Diagnosed Today
Technology has recently created new methods of identifying TBI: The Banyan Brain Trauma Indicator, the EyeBOX, and DTI and SPECT scan imaging. The Banyan Brain Trauma Indicator is a blood test that measures certain proteins that are predictive of TBI with good accuracy if administered within 12 hours of the injury. The EyeBOX, which tracks patients’ eye movements, is effective if used within one week of injury. Perhaps most promising, however, are new types of imaging that can pinpoint areas of damage by measuring neurological activity: Diffuse Tensor Imaging (DTI) and Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) Scans. These images can identify brain injuries years after they have occurred.
Identifying Damage Years Later
The ability to identify damage years later is important because about half of the people who suffer even a mild TBI will experience long-term functional limitations and/or neuropsychological symptoms that they may not be able to recognize immediately. In helping these patients, traditional medical treatment often falls short. One recent study demonstrated the tendency of emergency departments to usher TBI patients out the door without an adequate explanation of what has happened to them. This study revealed that more than half of mild TBI patients received no follow-up care or even educational materials at discharge from the emergency department.
That is a shame, because TBI is treatable with neurological and cognitive therapies, rehabilitation techniques, and medications. Even just finding out that a TBI has occurred can be very helpful to an injured person by increasing self-reflection. That person can now say, for example: “Wait a minute, that mood is just my TBI, that’s not me.” Knowing you have been injured is the first step to healing.
We Can Help You Get Compensated
If you have suffered a TBI due to another’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for past and future medical care, lost wages, and more. Call us today for a free consultation with our trusted personal injury staff. We want to help you.
Blog Disclaimer:
Nothing on this blog is intended as legal advice. For legal advice, contact a personal injury lawyer directly.