Traumatic brain injuries are a sad fact of life. They are classified, in part, by their severity. Texas residents should be aware that the moderate to severe TBIs that can accompany auto accidents can be life-changing. Although they can’t always be seen from the outside, they are serious and can have long-lasting effects.
Defining moderate to severe TBI
A moderate TBI has a very specific definition. It occurs when a head injury causes unconsciousness for more than a half hour but less than a day. A severe TBI is defined as occurring when the patient has lost consciousness for at least 24 hours. These injuries are serious, and they can involve what’s known as polytrauma.
Polytrauma, or multitrauma, means that more than one area of the body has been injured due to trauma. It’s easy to see how this can happen in a car accident. TBIs can result in changes to personality, headaches, dizziness and other symptoms. Moderate to severe TBI can even affect cognition, making it harder for people to think or complete tasks that used to be easy for them. When this level of hardship is combined with the healing process from other serious injuries, it’s easy to see how complicated recovery can be.
The timeline of recovery is also arduous. Brain injuries can have persistent effects that can last for years. Although progress is being made when it comes to diagnosing and treating these TBIs, it’s still an extremely stressful situation for both the patient and their caregivers. If the injury was caused by the negligence of another party, an attorney could be of assistance in seeking compensation for the losses that have been sustained.