West Virginia residents often incur traumatic brain injuries when they are involved in car accidents or serious falls. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that over half of TBIs are sustained in those two types of events. TBIs can range from mild to severe, and a concussion is a synonymous term for a mild TBI.

A TBI is a sudden blow to the head that disrupts normal brain functioning. Some people experience a temporary loss of consciousness when they sustain a TBI, even if it is just a concussion. Immediately noticeable symptoms can include confusion, trouble focusing and disorientation. If the injury is severe, the victim may continue to experience the initial symptoms along with others such as depression, irritability and fatigue. Mild symptoms usually resolve in days or weeks while serious ones could take much longer.

Each year, about 50,000 people die as a result of a traumatic brain injury while about 280,000 of these patients require hospitalization. Though early detection is key to a successful recovery, not every person who screens positive for a mild TBI actually has one. Patients who were diagnosed with a TBI should have ongoing screening tests to confirm or negate the initial diagnosis.

Even though the initial symptoms may seem mild, a seemingly minor concussion can result in delayed brain damage. A person who has incurred such an injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident caused by the negligence of another driver may want to have legal assistance in pursuing compensation with past, current and expected future losses.