Head injuries affect more than a million people each year. While many recover fully, others face lasting physical and emotional challenges, explains Bradley Wright of local solicitors Edwards Duthie Shamash
A traumatic brain injury is an injury to the brain caused by trauma to the head. The potential causes include falls, accidents at home or work, road traffic accidents or assaults.
More than one million people suffer a head injury each year. Many of those will have minor symptoms and no lasting effects but, unfortunately, others will be left with traumatic brain injuries that can be life-changing.
Mildly traumatic brain injuries may affect your brain cells temporarily, but more serious injuries can result in bruising, bleeding and other physical damage to the brain that can result in long-term complications or even death.
Some signs or symptoms may appear immediately after the traumatic event, while other physical and psychological effects may appear days or weeks later.
Signs of potential brain injury include headaches, tiredness, balance problems, vomiting, vision and speech problems, low mood, concentration issues and seizures.
There are a number of steps you can take to reduce the risk of accidents that could cause brain injury, including wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle, wearing a helmet while riding a bike, wearing head protection when playing contact sports and even making sure you have a non-slip mat in the bath or shower, or handrails, if necessary.
The effects of traumatic brain injuries differ from person to person, obviously depending on how severe the injury was and what part of the brain was damaged. After serious injuries, many people are left with severe symptoms and may be transferred to a specialist brain injury rehabilitation unit. However, if the patient is judged to be able to return home straight from hospital, the patient and their family should be given contact details of the hospital’s neurological rehabilitation team so they have someone to contact in the future.
A discharge meeting should be held with the hospital before a patient is sent home. Close family members, along with the hospital and rehab staff, should attend. All remaining difficulties the patient has should be considered by the hospital, including any physical, psychological and cognitive issues. It is vital that the patient and their family have been advised on how to manage the patient’s continuing problems and that the hospital has provided a satisfactory explanation as to his or her continuing need for rehabilitation and how this will be met.
Edwards Duthie Shamash is located at 149 High Street, Wanstead, E11 2RL. For more information, call 020 8514 9000 or visit edwardsduthieshamash.co.uk
