Traumatic brain injuries can affect anyone in West Virginia under certain circumstances. Whether a TBI occurs as a result of a motor vehicle accident, hard fall, sports-related impact or physical assault, it’s important for victims and their loved ones to recognize signs suggesting that the brain has been seriously injured. While some symptoms may appear immediately after a TBI occurs, others may not become evident until days or weeks after the injury.

With a mild traumatic brain injury, symptoms may include a brief loss of consciousness, headaches, temporary confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting or difficulty with speech. Some victims have issues with fatigue, drowsiness and balance. Another sign of a TBI is sleeping more than usual. Some sufferers also experience sudden sensitivity to light, blurred vision, a persistent ringing in the ears and an altered sense of taste or smell. Mood changes and memory difficulties are among the cognitive symptoms that may be associated with TBIs.

Moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries may include the above symptoms along with others suggesting a more serious brain-related injury. Convulsions or seizures, an inability to be woken up from sleep, clear fluid drainage from the ears or nose, increasingly worsening headaches and slipping into a coma are among the more serious TBI symptoms that may be experienced. Some victims also exhibit erratic or unusual behavior or profound confusion. Infants and young children not able to verbalize symptoms may persistently cry, become increasingly irritable or have a change in their eating, nursing or sleeping habits.

Not every instance of brain trauma requires attention from a lawyer. However, if it’s believed that someone else’s negligence may have contributed to a TBI, an attorney may be able to put together a personal injury case. Responsible parties might include the driver of another vehicle, the manufacturer of sports equipment that failed to provide sufficient protection for the wearer, a business owner who failed to maintain their sidewalk or an individual who physically assaulted a TBI victim.