Any time a person suffers an injury to their head, neck, or spine, they should receive immediate medical care. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 69,473 people died from traumatic brain injuries in a recent year. And many of those deaths could have been prevented with immediate medical care following the injury.
Head injuries can be life-threatening but awfully deceiving at the same time. It may take many hours or even days for the symptoms of serious brain damage to emerge. With that said, even if an individual does not appear to be in an emergency situation, emergency care can potentially save their life.
A brain bleed, for instance, can be caused by trauma to the head. And though it can be rapid and accompanied by extreme pain and other obvious signs of injury, it can also be slow, with only a few mild symptoms appearing at first.
What Causes the Brain To Bleed?
Sports injuries, auto accidents, or slip and fall incidents caused by someone else’s negligence can all lead to an injury that causes brain bleeding. In some cases, the head injury causes what is known as a subdural hematoma. In others, it can cause something known as an intracranial hematoma.
In the event of a subdural hematoma, blood collects under the dura mater (the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord), applying dangerous pressure to the brain. An intracranial hematoma also results in pooling blood that causes pressure, but it is caused directly by a damaged blood vessel in the brain.
Nevertheless, both types of hematomas are life-threatening and may require surgery to treat. Without medical care, a person experiencing either condition could die.
Symptoms of a Brain Bleed
There is a period of time after a person sustains a brain injury known as the “lucid interval.” During this time, a victim may not experience any warning signs of a hematoma or other brain injury, but eventually, symptoms will begin to arise. In some cases, the lucid interval can be so extended that some people don’t relate their symptoms to their head injury.
In any case, signs of a brain bleed include the following:
- Dizziness
- Headaches that get worse with time
- Confusion
- Unequal pupil size
- Drowsiness
- Slurred speech
- Paralysis on the side of the body opposite the injury to the brain
- Lethargy
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
It is important to remember that the severity of symptoms does not necessarily indicate the severity of a person’s injury. Experiencing no or only mild symptoms within the first few days or even weeks after a head injury does not mean you have only a mild injury. You could have a slow bleed that just isn’t causing obvious warning signs yet.
What To Do After a Head Injury
No matter how it occurred, whether as the result of a car accident, a pedestrian accident, or a fall, it’s vital that you seek medical attention as soon as possible after sustaining a head injury. Even if you don’t feel your injury warrants a ride to the hospital in an ambulance, call your medical professional as soon as possible.
Research has found that those who sought medical care within one week after their head injury recovered faster and experienced fewer complications. Follow all medical recommendations and keep up with your future appointments to ensure your condition is carefully monitored.
Receiving medical care after a head injury is also important if you decide to pursue a legal case as a result of your personal injury. You have a better chance of a successful lawsuit or settlement when you have a complete record of your actions after the incident, including seeking medical care.
Contact the Chicago Personal Injury Law Firm of Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys for Help Today
For more information, please contact the experienced Chicago personal injury lawyers at Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys today. We offer free consultations.
We proudly serve Cook County, Will County, Kendall County, and its surrounding areas:
Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys – Chicago Office
10 S La Salle St STE 1230, Chicago, IL 60603
(312) 726-1616
Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys – Joliet Office
195 Springfield Ave, Joliet, IL 60435
(815) 726-1616