A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be one of the most catastrophic injuries a victim can suffer in a personal injury accident. Slips and falls, car and truck accidents, and violent attacks are just a few of the more common incidents that can result in traumatic brain injuries in Las Vegas. The time it takes to recover from a traumatic brain injury – and whether a full recovery is even possible – can depend in large part on the severity of the brain injury and how quickly medical treatment is obtained.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
A traumatic brain injury can be described in terms of the mechanism; that is, how the brain injury is sustained. A piercing injury occurs when the skull and brain cavity is actually penetrated by a foreign object (like a sharp tool or knife). An acceleration/deceleration injury occurs when the head is whipped violently back and forth (such as in a car accident) and the brain is thrown against the interior of the skull. A blunt force injury occurs when the head is struck by a blunt object (such as a board or a low ceiling).
A TBI can also be classified as mild, moderate, or severe based on the severity of the symptoms experienced. Some of the more common symptoms measured to assess TBI severity include post-traumatic amnesia (memory loss) and loss of consciousness. In general:
A mild TBI will result in less than one day of post-traumatic amnesia and a loss of consciousness of between zero and 30 minutes.
A moderate TBI can result in one to seven days of post-traumatic amnesia and a loss of consciousness of between 30 minutes and 24 hours.
A severe TBI can result in post-traumatic amnesia of greater than seven days and a loss of consciousness greater than 24 hours.
How Long Will It Take to Recover from a TBI?
It is impossible to predict how long it will take to recover from a TBI: generally, the more severe the TBI, the longer the recovery period. If treatment can be obtained quickly (ideally within an hour of the injury), the overall prognosis improves. Recovery can involve significant periods of physical or other therapy.
Moderate and severe TBIs may never fully resolve themselves and the victim may be left with residual effects for the rest of his or her life. It is believed that permanent disability occurs in about ten percent of mild TBIs, in about 66 percent of moderate TBIs, and in nearly 100 percent of severe TBIs. Depending on the severity of the disability, the TBI victim may require in-home healthcare services in order to continue living at home.
Contact a Las Vegas TBI Attorney for Help
If you or a loved one has suffered a TBI, you need experienced and aggressive legal counsel to assist you in recovering the financial compensation you need to pay for past and future medical expenses. The Ladah Law Firm, PLLC has helped residents throughout Nevada recover monetary damages where their TBIs are caused by another person’s negligence or recklessness. Contact us for assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling (702) 252-0055.
