Leading Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms

• Traumatic brain injuries or TBIs are sometimes harder to diagnose than other sorts of injuries that can be confirmed more objectively, but there are a number of symptoms that could allow you to identify them.
• Different traumatic brain injuries have different symptoms, however, and failing to recognize them in a timely manner could be highly detrimental to your health as well as to any TBI claim you might have.
• To get the compensation you deserve for your TBI symptoms, reach out to Hensley Legal Group, PC, which has had proven success with major injury cases, like a $25 million verdict* for an ambulance accident.

*SPECIFIC CASE RESULTS. NO TWO CASES ARE EXACTLY ALIKE.

Traumatic brain injuries or TBIs are among the biggest threats to Indiana’s health and well-being, responsible for 17,846 TBI-related emergency room visits and 4,442 hospitalizations throughout the state in 2023 alone. Yet unlike broken bones and other injuries that can be seen with the naked eye or an x-ray, TBIs can be harder to diagnose, relying heavily on self-reported symptoms that are highly subjective in nature.

Nonetheless, the fact that traumatic brain injuries are comparatively “invisible” doesn’t mean that they aren’t harmful, so it’s important to watch out for TBI symptoms in the hours, days, or weeks after an accidental injury to the head.

Failing to notice a symptom in a timely manner could hinder the healing process as well as any TBI claim you might have, but you can overcome these obstacles with help from the traumatic brain injury lawyers at Hensley Legal Group, PC, a dedicated Indiana personal injury law firm whose experienced attorneys have been fighting on behalf of the wrongfully injured since 1998.

Hensley has been named one of the Best Law Firms in the United States by Best Lawyers® in recognition of its proven history of success with major injury cases, such as:

• $25 million for an ambulance accident.
• $8 million for a delivery truck crash.
• $5.5 million for a semi-trailer collision.

Attorneys at the firm have also been honored with inclusion in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Super Lawyers, America’s Top 100 Attorneys, and the National Trial Lawyers’ lists of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers and the Top 40 Under 40, and they’d be equally honored to have the chance to get you justice.

To learn why more and more Hoosiers every day are choosing to hire Hensley, schedule a free case review with a knowledgeable Indiana traumatic brain injury attorney by calling us at (317) 472-3333, chatting with us online, or filling out our contact form now.

Different TBIs Have Different Symptoms

Modern medical professionals view traumatic brain injuries less as strictly delineated conditions with narrowly defined effects and more as illnesses that fall on a spectrum of intensity that runs the gamut from mild to moderate to severe.

Every traumatic brain injury is unique, but certain kinds of injuries tend to cluster in certain parts of the TBI spectrum. For instance, concussions are the most consistently mild traumatic brain injuries, while other TBIs are more likely to be categorized as moderate or severe, such as:

• Contusions
• Diffuse axonal injuries
• Penetrations

Different traumatic brain injuries have different symptoms, and they can show up on different timelines too, though the symptoms for severe TBIs are generally much more obvious and appear much sooner than milder TBI symptoms.

The following are the most frequent symptoms of some of the leading brain injuries, along with information about when they might surface.

Concussions

The most common traumatic brain injury by far is the concussion, a TBI that usually happens when a sudden jolt or blow moves the head rapidly back and forth, thereby knocking the brain against the inside of the skull.

Because they are rarely fatal or visible, concussions are almost uniformly classified as mild head injuries, and diagnosing them can be challenging, but a host of symptoms that could indicate a concussion might emerge either right away or more gradually.

Examples of concussion symptoms that may appear within the first few minutes of an accident include:

• Brief loss of consciousness
• Headache
• Mental “fogginess” or confusion
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Loss of balance
• Blurring or doubling of vision
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)

These symptoms can grow more pronounced as time passes, and they may eventually be joined by additional symptoms, such as:

• Erratic mood or behavior
• Anger, irritation, anxiety, or depression
• Sleep disruptions
• Light or noise sensitivity
• Diminished memory or concentration

While about 90 percent of concussion symptoms are “transient” and typically resolve by themselves within 10 to 14 days on average, a segment of patients may develop post-concussion syndrome.

The symptoms of post-concussion syndrome are similar to the symptoms of a standard concussion, like persistent headaches, chronic fatigue, impediments to concentration and memory, emotional and psychological disturbances, and insomnia. However, post-concussive symptoms could linger for much longer, sometimes indefinitely, and the physical and financial toll they might take can be devastating.

Contusions

Often though not always accompanying a concussion, a contusion is a bleeding injury of the brain. The damage inflicted may depend upon the size, position, and duration of the bleed, but most contusions are on the moderate-to-severe end of the TBI spectrum.

The more serious a contusion is, the more pronounced the symptoms for it may be and the faster they may arrive, though once again the timing of those symptoms could vary. In the minutes or hours directly after an accident, contusion symptoms might include:

• Loss of consciousness
• Headache
• Drowsiness
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Weakness
• Slurred speech
• Imbalance
• Localized tingling or numbness
• Swelling

The swelling may expand over the next 24 to 48 hours, and other symptoms could be exacerbated because of it, with progressively worsening headaches, drowsiness, confusion, and weakness, a declining level of consciousness, or a heightened risk of seizures.

Although contusions can stabilize relatively quickly and recover over the course of days or weeks in the absence of complications, during which anti-seizure drugs and cranial monitoring may be prescribed, surgery could be required if a contusion won’t stop bleeding.

Diffuse Axonal Injuries

A diffuse axonal injury occurs when connections in the brain are torn by vigorous agitation or rotation of the head, with the location and length of the tearing influencing the extent of the damage.

Diffuse axonal injuries can be confirmed objectively through CT scans and MRIs, but keep in mind that those tests might not be ordered if patients and their families don’t report the symptoms, which admittedly aren’t that subtle when a diffuse axonal injury is severe and may include:

• Immediate loss of consciousness and/or coma
• Inability to awaken
• Abnormal breathing or posture

In contrast, a mild or moderate diffuse axonal injury could mimic a concussion, with symptoms like:

• Headache
• Confusion
• Impaired memory or thinking
• Inattention
• Poor balance

But make no mistake, the long-term consequences of diffuse axonal injuries can be dire, with many patients suffering:

• Concentration difficulties
• Prolonged fatigue
• Continued memory concerns
• Emotional changes

Moreover, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes that a diffuse axonal injury can “break down communication among nerve cells in the brain” and release “brain chemicals that can cause further damage.” As such, it’s imperative that you don’t put off getting properly diagnosed if you display any of the symptoms listed above.

Penetrations

The most universally severe traumatic brain injury is the penetration injury, in which a sharp object punctures the brain.

Unsurprisingly, brain penetrations may be the easiest TBIs to diagnose. Frankly, it would be pretty tough to miss a tool or glass shard sticking out of somebody’s skull, or the headache and massive bleeding that such an injury would clearly produce, although there are other symptoms that may arise, such as:

• Loss of consciousness
• Confusion
• Weakness or paralysis
• Problems with vision or speech
• Seizures

The one “positive” aspect of a brain penetration is that almost nobody would delay seeking medical attention for it, but receiving the necessary care in time can be another story. Around 70 to 90 percent of patients die before they can get to a hospital, and about half of the patients who complete the trip die shortly afterward.

Anyone who does manages to survive this critical window of time may still be met with a wave of secondary symptoms like:

• Cerebral edema
• Intracranial pressure
• Increased bleeding
• Fevers and infections

Most penetration injuries are combatted surgically, and a range of therapies may be recommended too, including:

• Neurorehabilitation therapy
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Psychological therapy
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy

Despite these and other medical interventions, though, a penetration injury patient might not be able to avoid being temporarily or permanently stricken with:

• Partial or total paralysis
• Neurological and cognitive defects
• Recurrent seizures
• Altered personality

The economic costs associated with issues like these can be as profound as the issues themselves. Fortunately, compensation may be available when other parties are to blame for your TBI, and it will primarily come from their insurance companies, but they might not hand your check over without complaint.

How Insurers Can Oppose Your TBI Claim

There are many ways for insurers to oppose your TBI claim, though they can be broadly grouped into attacks on one of two elements: causation or damages.

An attack on causation will cast doubt on the degree to which an insured defendant caused the accident that injured you or the degree to which the accident caused your traumatic brain injury, and an attack on damages will cast doubt on the extent or maybe the existence of your TBI.

Whereas a causation-based attack could be deployed in practically any sort of personal injury case, traumatic brain injuries may be especially well suited to damages-based attacks, at least with regard to “invisible” TBIs like concussions (but much less so with regard to penetrations).

In taking a damages-based approach, an insurance adjuster might argue that you’re embellishing or falsifying your own symptoms, or that they’re proof of another illness rather than a TBI, particularly if:

• You weren’t treated promptly;
• You didn’t mention your symptoms when you were treated; or
• Your symptoms took time to make themselves known.

Any adjuster who is unable to disprove that you have a traumatic brain injury might instead insist that your injury isn’t as bad as you’ve claimed or that it won’t have the impact on your future prospects that you’re projecting.

Tactics like these can reduce the odds of getting fairly compensated for a TBI, but you can tip the odds in your favor by teaming up with the skilled Indiana traumatic brain injury lawyers at Hensley Legal Group, PC.

What to Expect from Our Indiana Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys

Once retained, our Indiana traumatic brain injury attorneys will carry out a thorough investigation, identify the root causes of your TBI and the defendants who may be liable for it, and establish valid claims and/or file suit against them within the time allotted by law.

Our firm will then move swiftly to amass the evidentiary materials needed to support your allegations and refute every baseless attempt to dispute your claim, coordinating our efforts with experts in their fields when warranted.

After putting together a rock-sold case against all of the defendants, Hensley’s tenacious Indiana traumatic brain injury lawyers will enter into comprehensive talks with their insurance carriers in order to secure a settlement that reflects the totality of your damages.

Though TBI cases can be concluded amicably during negotiations, we are more than willing to take your case to trial if the defense refuses to act in good faith, unlike many of our competitors, who seldom venture into a courtroom.

And if our seasoned Indiana traumatic brain injury attorneys can fully convey everything that your TBI has taken from you to a sympathetic jury, the verdict awarded might even be large enough for you to start becoming whole again.

Hensley’s Indiana Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers Will Be Here for You

Hensley Legal Group has been tirelessly advocating for the innocent victims of negligence for over a quarter century. If you’re struggling with a TBI you sustained in Indiana through no fault of your own, just know that Hensley’s Indiana traumatic brain injury lawyers will be here for you.

You can call us at (317) 472-3333, chat with us online, or fill out our contact form for a complimentary consultation with an accomplished Indiana traumatic brain injury attorney at our firm.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the leading traumatic brain injuries?

There are various kinds of traumatic brain injuries or TBIs, and they exist on a spectrum that ranges in intensity from mild to moderate to severe.

The number one traumatic brain injuries are concussions, which are almost always diagnosed as mild. Other leading TBIs tend to be more moderate or severe, such as contusions, diffuse axonal injuries, and penetrations.

Are traumatic brain injuries hard to diagnose?

Unlike injuries that can be seen with the naked eye or an x-ray, many traumatic brain injuries are harder to diagnose because the process relies heavily on subjective, self-reported symptoms.

However, some TBIs can be confirmed through diagnostic imaging, like diffuse axonal injuries, while other traumatic brain injuries may be obvious to anyone looking at them, like open head wounds with brain penetration.

How soon do traumatic brain injury symptoms appear?

Different traumatic brain injuries have different symptoms that show up on different timelines, but severe TBI symptoms generally appear much sooner.

For instance, the symptoms for a mild TBI like a concussion might emerge only gradually, whereas the symptoms for a severe TBI like a penetration injury could surface right away and be nearly impossible to miss.

What are the most common TBI symptoms?

The most common TBIs are mild concussions, and the symptoms most commonly associated with them include:

• Brief loss of consciousness
• Headaches
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Loss of balance
• Blurring or doubling of vision
• Ringing in the ears

These symptoms could worsen over time or be joined by additional symptoms, such as erratic mood or behavior, light and noise sensitivity, or sleep disruptions, and patients who develop post-concussion syndrome may have to endure TBI symptoms for much longer or even indefinitely.

Do I have an Indiana traumatic brain injury case?

You may have grounds for an Indiana traumatic brain injury case if other parties are responsible for your TBI, although you could face stiff opposition from their insurance companies.

Insurers might cast doubt on a defendant’s liability for an accident, the accident’s connection to your TBI, or the TBI itself. Fortunately, you may be able to overcome these tactics by partnering with the seasoned Indiana traumatic brain injury lawyers at Hensley Legal Group, PC.