Traumatic Brain Injuries

February 24, 2011

Traumatic brain injury, often referred to as TBI, is defined as a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain. Over 1.4 million people in the United States sustain TBI annually, with an estimated 12-15,000 New Jersey residents being affected each year according to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research. The leading causes of TBI continue to be motor vehicle accidents, falls, and assaults.

Despite the growing number of people who are injured each year, TBI is often called the "silent epidemic" as public recognition continues to be low. This is further complicated by the fact that the effects of brain injury are often invisible and go unnoticed, leaving the victim to suffer in silence. TBI is a complex injury which often results in a variety of physical, cognitive, psychological, behavioral and social impairments.

The signs and symptoms of impairment caused by TBI depend on the area of the brain affected and may include the following:

- anxiety, nervousness
- behavioral changes
- difficulty controlling urges (disinhibition)
- impulsiveness
- disorganization
- inappropriate laughter
- irritability
- blurry or double vision (diplopia)
- depression
- difficulty concentrating or thinking
- difficulty finding words or understanding the speech of others (aphasia)
- difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
- dizziness
- headache
- loss of coordination and balance
- difficulty walking or standing
- loss of memory
- muscle stiffness or spasm
- seizures
- sleep difficulties (more or less sleep than pre-injury)
- slurred and/or slowed speech
- tingling, numbness, pain, or other sensations
- sense of spinning (vertigo)
- weakness in one or more limbs, facial muscles, or an entire side of the body

Many victims of TBI work with a group of doctors including neurologists, physiatrists and neuropsychologists and undergo a variety of tests and treatments in the road to recovery. At Keefe Bartels, our experienced brain injury attorneys work as a team with your family, caregivers, and staff of doctors to help you get the care and treatment that you need in addition to the compensation that you deserve. Having won significant verdicts and settlements for clients in similar situations, our lawyers will serve as your voice and help you hold accountable those who caused you or your loved one's traumatic brain injury. For more information or to speak with an experienced New Jersey traumatic brain injury lawyer contact Keefe Bartels, LLC today.

Keefe Bartels, LLC headquarters is located at 170 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701 with additional offices located at 127 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 and 56 Ferry Street, Newark, NJ 07105. For more information about our New Jersey personal injury lawyers, please visit the firm's website at http://www.keefebartels.com