Auto Accidents

Workers Compensation

Social Security

Storm Damage Claims

Call Now For A Free Consultation

(941) 625-4878
Attorney Referrals
& Co Counselor
Contact All Injuries Law Firm

Traumatic Brain Injury In SW Florida Can Be Challenging To Diagnose

Residents of Punta Gorda, Ft. Meyers, and other SW Florida locales are always at risk of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, no matter where they are. TBI, as the name suggests, is a severe injury that is sustained to the head. Unlike other injuries, such as a broken bone, TBI can be a challenge to diagnose and, in some cases, may even be refuted by insurance companies as a legitimate injury in cases where compensation is on the line.
But what about TBI makes it such a challenging medical condition?

Your Brain Is Your Control Center


Injuries to specific organs usually have single consequences or easily understood effects. A broken leg means difficulty with mobility. An amputated arm implies a loss of dexterity. A lung injury or illness means difficulty breathing. One cause typically leads to a single effect.

This is not the case with traumatic brain injury; the reason for that is the brain itself. Unlike other organs, which serve a single purpose, the brain is the literal nerve center of the entire human body. It sends the autonomic signals that keep the heart beating or the kidneys filtering. However, it also sends voluntary signals that allow us to walk or play a musical instrument. On top of that, it also receives and interprets incoming signals, deciphering light into our eyes as sights and vibrating air into our ears as sounds. As if that wasn’t enough, the brain is also the repository for consciousness, enabling our ability to remember, reason, speak, and even experience emotion.
Because of all this, an injury to the brain can have numerous effects, which is why TBI creates many diagnostic challenges.

Symptoms


TBI can cause a range of symptoms in an injury victim, including:

• Unstable emotions with unpredictable mood swings
• Inability to concentrate
• Loss of fine motor control
• Seizures of convulsions
• Vertigo, dizziness, or nausea
• Blurred vision
• Ringing ears
• State of confusion/disorientation
• Sexual impotence

And many others. This is one of the major issues with the diagnosis of TBI is that there is so much overlap between TBI symptoms and other possible medical conditions. Sexual impotence, for example, can also be attributed to anxiety and other mental illnesses. Loss of fine motor control may result from aging or a neurological disorder, such as Parkinson’s disease. It may take some time to narrow down a symptom to the cause being TBI.

Diagnosis


Many different techniques are used to diagnose whether traumatic brain injury is at play. These methods include:

Neuroimaging scans
Glasgow coma scale
• MRI & CT scans
• Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)
Disability Rating Scale

Depending on what a doctor finds during an initial exam. Medical experts must be given the leeway to conduct multiple exams as required.

Disputing A Diagnosis


In some cases, an insurance company may challenge a suspicion of TBI simply because it is easy to minimize. This is especially true when there is no visible physical injury. Even tripping and falling may cause TBI without necessarily fracturing or penetrating the skull, but some insurance companies may claim that because there is no scarring or fractures, TBI is an unlikely culprit and that a migraine or stress-related headache is a more reasonable medical conclusion.

If you or someone you know in Fort Meyers, Port Charlotte, or other parts of SW Florida is the victim of a traumatic brain injury because of a person or business’s negligence, get help, especially if there is a dispute with insurance about proper compensation. Talk to an experienced traumatic brain injury lawyer to determine your next steps and get the appropriate compensation owed to you by the responsible parties and the insurance companies involved. Get both the justice and the financial support that you deserve.

Featured Video