17 Feb 2020

Head Trauma with a Slip and Fall Accident

 

A slip and fall accident can happen at any time. You can be walking along a sidewalk, in a parking lot, inside a store or business, and you slip or trip and fall on your back or facedown. While most of these injuries are minor, the potential exists for a major injury. If you hit your head, the chances of serious or long-term consequences increase.

From Minor to Major

When you hear the term traumatic brain injury or TBI, you may think of a serious head injury, loss of consciousness and obvious symptoms, such as memory loss, confusion or even a change in behavior. While these are all symptoms of a brain injury, not all TBIs look the same.

A minor TBI, such as a concussion, may not show any symptoms at all. In fact, it’s possible that you won’t realize anything has happened. It can take days or weeks for any signs of the injury to show up. In some cases, the brain heals with no indication that there was ever a problem.

On the other hand, some TBIs can have quite an impact. You may notice immediately that there is a problem. The person may become unconscious or confused and disoriented. They may have trouble speaking, thinking or even moving.

A TBI happens when the brain hits the skull because of a jarring motion, such as shaking, or when something hits the head. It can range from minor to major and have a wide range of symptoms.

Signs of Traumatic Brain Injury

While you may not experience any symptoms with a TBI, you may show some signs with a more serious incident. Some symptoms to look for include the following:

  • Loss of consciousness from just a few seconds to several minutes
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Vomiting and nausea
  • Insomnia or sleeping too much
  • Blurred vision
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Sensitive to sound and light
  • Not able to concentrate
  • Convulsions
  • Seizures
  • Slurred speech
  • Confusion or disorientation
  • Numbness in hands or feet
  • Aggressive behavior or other changes in behavior

Any changes to how a person feels or acts can be an indication of a TBI if it begins after they hit their head. These symptoms may start right away or it can take a few days for them to be noticeable.

Recovery from a TBI

Most of the time with minor brain trauma, the person will recover on their own with just some additional rest. They may take several weeks to get “back to normal”. With more serious situations, medications and other treatments may be necessary.

The majority of traumatic brain injuries will heal over time, but a few will cause permanent brain damage. In these situations, a person may need to learn ways to cope with their limitations. They may even be unable to return to their job or engage in normal activities. The person may need ongoing medical care to manage their condition.

If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury because of a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your injury. If another person was responsible through negligence, you may be able to receive a settlement for damages to pay for the cost of medical care and lost wages as well as pain and suffering.