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Heads Up: Vehicle Accidents Are The Leading Cause of Traumatic Brain Injury, a Serious Medical Condition With Long Term Consequences; and it Can be Difficult to Diagnose

This article discusses some basic information about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), a serious medical condition that can cause long term consequences and disabilities, and which vehicle accidents is the leading cause of. In addition, diagnosis of a TBI can be difficult, and many people feel "just fine" after an accident causing bleeding in the brain and it isn't until later when they begin to not feel so well and they can then deteriorate quickly into a coma. For this reason, it is important to be assessed by a physician immediately after an accident if a head injury is suspected.

This article gives some general information about TBI and is not meant to be used as a medical diagnostic tool, but rather to give basic information about a serious condition that can cause long term problems and that can be fatal. It is important to note that even "mild" TBI or MTBI can cause long term disabilities.

The leading cause of TBI is motor vehicle accidents of all types (car, truck, motorcycle, scooter, ATV, bicycle, etc). In vehicle crashes, brain injuries are common in side impact crashes (T-Bones), head on crashes, and rear-end accidents, due to the brain being forced to quickly stop motion causing it to slam into and then ricochet against the hard skull bone. A person does not necessarily need to be traveling at a high rate of speed to sustain a brain injury, nor do they have to hit their head on the steering wheel or the windshield.

Basically, what occurs in the brain after this type of trauma to the head is similar to what happens to a thumb that is hit with a hammer,...it bleeds inside and swells up, however, unlike the thumb, and other tissues in the body, the skull is not able to expand and swell in response to the build up of blood within, so it presses on the delicate brain tissue causing damage to the brain itself.

Listed below are some symptoms a person with TBI after an accident may display.

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Change in memory, or memory loss
• Change in vision
• Problems with balance or coordination
• Lack of concentration
• Change in emotions - depression, anger, impulsiveness, anxiety
• Difficulty in word finding
• Fatigue
• Changes in sleep
• Seizures

It is very important to not rely on pain levels to assess if a person has injured their brain or not, but rather look at their ability to think clearly. In addition, an injured person may not recognize that they are suffering from TBI, so it is important for the injured person to rely on family and close friends to help determine if changes are occurring.

Remember, traumatic brain injury a serious medical condition with potential long term consequences and it should be evaluated ASAP by a medical doctor who may order diagnostic testing such as a CT scan to more clearly evaluate the situation and see if there is any bleeding in the brain.

For more information:
How can traumatic brain injuries be prevented?

The Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon and Associates strongly believes that public education is the first step in the prevention of an accident or in the recovery from one.  

They are experienced personal injury attorneys, trial lawyers, negotiators and litigators that have been proudly working to get accident victims the justice they deserve for over 30 years in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Inverness, and the rest of North Central Florida and North Florida. Accidents involving a car crash, truck wreck, and motorcycle, bicycle, or pedestrian accidents, dog bites, slip and falls and medical malpractice are all included in their practice.

Based on Jeffrey Meldon's, founder of The Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon & Associates, over 30 years of helping accident victims get justice and a fair shake from the insurance companies he has written the consumer guide book, The Seven Biggest Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Florida Accident Case.  You can request your free copy right now, or contact his office for your complimentary copy sent to you today.

Contact the Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon at (800) 373-8000 or (352) 373-8000 immediately if you have been involved in a serious auto, truck or motorcycle accident.  They are in your community, have the experience and resources required to work towards obtaining a fair settlement for you, and are there to help you.

Mr. Meldon's Office proudly handles accidents that occur on all roads and in the areas including: I-75, I-10, I-95, U.S. Route 301, U.S. Route 441, State Road 40, State Road 26, State Road 24, Archer Road, Main St, and University Avenue.  Our law firm has  been representing accident victims in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Inverness, Palatka, Crystal River, Daytona Beach, Interlachen, Spring Hill, Dunnellon, Bunnell, Live Oak, Starke, Jasper, Cross City, Perry, Trenton,  Leesberg,  Lake Butler,  Tavares, Chiefland, Bronson, Brooksville, The Villages and the counties of Alachua, Marion, Columbia, Citrus, Volusia, Sumter, Levy, Lake, Bradford, Flagler, Hamilton, Dixie, Gilchrist, Union, Hernando, Suwannee, Union, and Putnam since 1971!

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