Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can be deeply unnerving, primarily due to the challenge of diagnosing it accurately. Frequently, mild TBIs go unnoticed as the injuries can be elusive to identify and evaluate. Common causes of these underdiagnosed TBIs can be vehicular accidents, sports-related injuries, or mishaps at work.
Research suggests that while a majority of mild TBI symptoms may gradually disappear, approximately 15% of sufferers could continue experiencing persistent, incapacitating symptoms. In many instances, due to a lack of comprehensive medical examination or an oversight by medical professionals, individuals fail to associate their ongoing physical, mental, or emotional alterations with a past head injury they assumed they had recovered from.
TBI-Inducing Injuries
Frequent culprits for TBIs include concussions and whiplash injuries. These often occur when the head forcefully collides with a hard object like a car or the ground, or is jerked violently forwards or backwards. Given the initial difficulty in detecting minute changes to the brain, it is not uncommon for individuals to believe they have sustained a minor or temporary injury, only to manifest severe emotional or cognitive changes later on.
Manifestation of Changes
Most subtle alterations post-TBI tend to show up as shifts in mood, personality, or cognitive capabilities. Often, these changes may first be identified not by the individual experiencing them but by family members, friends, or colleagues.
As these changes often surface after a lapse of time post the incident, they may not be immediately connected to the past head injury, making TBI a less obvious suspect. Alongside emotional and cognitive changes, physical symptoms may also emerge. These can include balance issues, alterations in sexual capacity, and in some instances, the onset of epilepsy.
In conclusion, TBIs are often complex and elusive, making them difficult to diagnose and treat. If you suspect you or a loved one has suffered a TBI, it is important to seek professional advice. If you require legal assistance, feel free to contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707.
