Traumatic Brain Injuries Under Florida Law - FAQs

Symptoms of traumatic brain injuriescan be of short duration or permanent, depending on the individual, course of treatment, and extent and type of injury. Sometimes individuals believe that their symptoms are permanent but come to realize that with the passage of time, that their symptoms reduce or may go away entirely.

Survivors of traumatic brain injuries have been shown to often have, but not necessarily have, decreased life expectancy when compared to the general population.

Treatment for traumatic brain injuriesmay include rest, therapy, medication, and surgery. Mild TBIs can typically be resolved with rest and over-the-counter medications. Moderate to severe TBIs, on the other hand, often require emergency medical attention and surgeries to remove blood clots, repair skull fractures, and relieve pressure from inside the skull. Treatment usually starts at the hospital and continues in an inpatient or residential rehabilitation facility or outpatient treatment servi

Somecommon long-term effects of traumatic brain injuryinclude Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, sleep disorders, memory problems, difficulty with attention, focus, or concentration, speech difficulties, problems with planning, cognitive flexibility, abstract thinking, slurred speech, seizures, blurred vision, nystagmus, hearing loss, anosmia, and tinnitus. Certain symptoms of traumatic brain injury, such as seizures, may appear years after the impact.

Examination by a licensed medical professional is required to diagnose a traumatic brain injury. Licensed medical personnel commonly use, among other practices, the Glasgow Coma Scale, neurological exams, and imaging tests to diagnose traumatic brain injuries.

Traumatic brain injuriesare often categorized as open (skull fracture or penetration) or closed (skull impact without fracture or penetration).

Medical professionals commonly refer to a concussion as a “mild” traumatic brain injury.

Post-concussion syndrome is a condition which may follow an impact to the head. Long-term effects may include: dizziness, headaches, fatigue, noise and light sensitivity, anxiety, and irritability.

Always dial 911 and seek emergency medical attention if you or a loved one experiences a blow to the head or body that is worrisome or causes behavioral changes. Even mild brain injuries require immediate and urgent medical attention. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS),traumatic brain injury (TBI) or craniocerebral traumais the leading cause of disability and death in children and young adults in the United States.

The ability to return to work after suffering a brain injurymust be determined by a licensed medical professional.

Examination by a licensed medical professional is required todiagnose any traumatic brain injury, associated severity, and appropriate treatment.

Traumatic brain injuriescan worsen over time. However, available data indicates that most victims will experience a positive recovery.

Althoughbrain damage can be permanentin nature, not all brain damage is necessarily long-lasting or permanent.

Certain symptoms oftraumatic brain injury, such as seizures, may appear years after the impact.

Research has suggested thattraumatic brain injuries may increase the risk of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s, for some victims.

Depending on the severity of injury, the circumstances involved, the course of treatment, and the individual involved, a full recovery is possible for somevictims of traumatic brain injury.