When a person experiences a traumatic brain injury (TBI), it can sometimes be difficult to demonstrate how they have been affected. Injuries to the brain are not always as outwardly obvious as other types of bodily harm, and in many cases, symptoms do not make themselves fully known until a significant amount of time has passed. Emotional issues can be especially difficult to prove since they may not be as recognizable as physical or neurological issues such as headaches, blurred vision, or difficulties with balance and coordination. However, mood disorders can be just as debilitating as other issues related to brain injuries. Brain injury victims should receive the proper medical treatment and work with an attorney who can help them determine how they can pursue financial compensation to address how they have been affected.
Mood Disorders and Emotional Trauma Resulting From Brain Injuries
A traumatic brain injury can have a variety of emotional effects, including:
- Depression – While feelings of sadness and loss may be normal after a serious injury, serious depression can become overwhelming, affecting a person’s ability to return to normal activities, complete tasks at work, or enjoy their everyday life. In addition to causing a person to feel negative about themselves, depression may also lead to changes in appetite, difficulty sleeping, social withdrawal, and thoughts or actions of self-harm or suicide.
- Anxiety – A person may feel fear or nervousness out of proportion to the situations that evoke these emotions. This may be triggered by stressful or unfamiliar situations, and a person may also struggle to adjust to unexpected changes in plans or activities. In many cases, anxiety can make a person feel overwhelmed and affect their ability to think and concentrate.
- Mood swings – A person may have trouble regulating their emotions and acting appropriately in different situations. They may be unable to control when they laugh or cry or find that their moods change suddenly and unexpectedly.
- Irritability – Brain injuries may cause a person to have a short temper, leading them to become angry very easily and out of proportion to a situation. In some cases, this anger may lead to violent, destructive outbursts in which a person breaks objects or harms other people.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – For many people who have been through a frightening or life-threatening situation such as a car accident or dog bite, multiple emotional issues can combine to affect their overall health and well-being. PTSD can involve avoidance of situations similar to a person’s injury, flashbacks in which they re-experience the injury, and a numbed emotional state that may affect a person’s ability to work and maintain personal relationships.
Contact Our Appleton, WI Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys
Even though serious brain injuries are not always as obvious as other types of injuries, they can be just as harmful. At Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd., we can help you gather documentation to demonstrate how a TBI has affected your life, ensuring that you will be able to recover compensation. We will also work to gather and preserve evidence showing that someone else was responsible for your injuries, and we will help you hold a negligent person or organization liable for your damages. Contact our Green Bay brain injury lawyers at 920-739-7366 to arrange your free consultation.
Sources:
https://www.brainline.org/article/emotional-problems-after-traumatic-brain-injury
https://www.headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/effects-of-brain-injury/emotional-effects/