On behalf of Ludwar Law Firm posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Friday, June 12, 2015.
Pedestrians who are struck by motor vehicles in Alberta are particularly vulnerable to all sorts of bodily injuries. Among the worst of those injuries is a traumatic brain injury.
A TBI is a condition that is best detected early rather than later. However, following a serious accident, it is not uncommon for doctors to miss the signs of a TBI while they are rushing to treat an accident victim's more pressing wounds. For this reason, victims and the families of victims who were involved in a serious accident will want to keep a vigilant watch for any symptoms of a TBI in the weeks that follow the incident.
Health care professionals look for the signs and severity of a TBI by administering special cognitive tests. They might also perform a CT scan or an MRI to evaluate the condition of a patient's brain. Nevertheless, these tests do not always provide conclusive evidence. Therefore, it may be necessary for the victim's involvement in reporting symptoms of a TBI before the condition is actually detected.
The mildest type of a TBI is called a concussion. Symptoms of concussion could include nausea, neck pain, ringing ears, tiredness and dizziness. Meanwhile, moderate a TBI and severe a TBI could have more serious symptoms, like repeat vomiting and nausea, seizures or convulsions, not being able to wake up from sleep, worsening or persistent headaches, numbness and weakness in the limbs, dilated pupils and slurred speech. If any of these signs or symptoms are noticed, seek medical attention immediately. The sooner a TBI is treated, the better the patient's level of recovery will be.