What seemed like a minor accident quickly turned into a fatal brain injury not long after actress Natasha Richardson fell and hit her head in a ski resort in Canada. The actress managed to joke and talk with friends immediately after the incident; however, she started to experience head pain soon after she returned to her room. She succumbed to brain injury arising from hemorrhage or internal bleeding. Doctors refer to this occurrence as “talk and die” syndrome.
Symptoms of Brain Injury
A head injury can be mild or serious, depending on the damage inflicted on the skull, brain and surrounding tissues. Initial symptoms for mild and serious brain injury are very similar, often with very little external signs of tissue damage and bleeding. Thus, patients with brain injury can experience:
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Sleep problems and
- Fatigue
Why You Should Not Ignore a Head Injury
Where brain injury is mild, your symptoms may disappear with immediate medical attention and you may be able to resume your usual tasks without any difficulty. The problem with head injury, however, is that signs of external injury can mislead accident victims into thinking that they are fine – and consequently they do not seek further tests and treatment.
In many cases, the force exerted upon the head can result in brain bleed that does not manifest outward physical symptoms. In the meantime, the internal bleeding can push against the brain, causing it to swell and further limit blood flow to it. When this happens, you may experience symptoms such as nausea, glossy eyes, sudden sleepiness and severe headache.
Immediate treatment which includes emergency surgery is vital because the damage can progress quickly and become irreversible.
Long Term Therapy for Brain Injury
Even after treatment for minor and serious brain bleed, patients may later develop memory issues, depression or difficulty in completing routine activities. Extended periods of physical and cognitive therapy may be required in order to regain optimum brain function.
If you or a loved one is involved in an auto accident, slip and fall accident, motorcycle or bicycle accident, it’s important to undergo screening for brain injury even when you don’t exhibit signs of external injuries. Your Las Vegas, Nevada brain injury lawyer can also help you obtain compensation in an amount sufficient to cover your medical expenses, costs for therapy, lost time from work and pain and suffering.
