If you slipped and fell at one of our famous Las Vegas casinos or buffets, at the grocery store, or at a business, you may have thought nothing of it if you just hit your head. You may not have experienced any symptoms of an injury until days or weeks after the accident. Unfortunately, you may have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) – a common and devastating injury that many slip and fall victims develop. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are one of the leading causes of traumatic brain injury, accounting for 40 percent of these injuries from 2006 through 2010. In 2010 alone, TBI resulted in 2.5 million emergency room visits, hospitalizations, or death.
What Is Traumatic Brain Injury?
Traumatic brain injury is caused by a blow, bump, or jolt to the head that interferes with the normal functioning of the brain. A person can suffer a mild injury that temporarily affects his mental state, such as a mild concussion, or a severe injury that causes permanent changes to his thinking, memory, ability to move, vision, hearing, or personality. There are two types of TBI:
Penetrating injuries.
When a sharp object punctures and enters the brain, for example if a person falls on a sharp object, this area of the brain can be injured.
Closed head injuries.
These occur when a person experiences a blow to the head in a car accident, slip and fall, or sports-related injury.
Both types of TBI can cause the following injuries to a person’s brain:
- Bruised brain tissue
- Bleeding inside the brain
- Large or small lacerations in the brain
- Nerve damage caused by lacerations
- Secondary damage like swelling, fever, seizures, or neurological chemical imbalances
Ten Signs You May Have a TBI
The symptoms of traumatic brain injury can be subtle, and the person may not show any physical signs that he has been injured. He may not even associate his symptoms with his slip and fall accident since it can be weeks before they emerge. Signs that an accident victim is suffering with TBI include:
- Experiencing chronic headaches or neck pain
- Having sudden difficulties remembering things, concentrating, or making decisions
- Becoming slower at thinking, reading, or speaking
- Becoming confused
- Feeling fatigue, unmotivated, or a lack of energy
- Experiencing mood changes like anger or sadness for no apparent reason
- Feeling light-headed, dizzy, or unbalanced
- Feeling nauseous
- Experiencing a sensitivity to light, sounds, or other distractions
- Developing blurred vision, loss of taste or smell, or ringing in the ears
Have You Been Injured In A Henderson Slip and Fall Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall you need to speak with an experienced slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Henderson office directly at 702.405.6000 to schedule a free consultation with our slip and fall attorneys.