By definition, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when your head impacts a hard object or surface with sufficient force that your head and neck violently jerk back and forth and your brain consequently does the same thing inside your skull. The impact can result from you hitting your head or something hitting it.
Given that falls are the number one cause of traumatic brain injuries, your job as a construction worker puts you at high risk, since so much construction work is done at significant heights. For instance, every time you work on a roof, on scaffolding or from a tall ladder, you run the risk of falling and suffering a TBI.
Possible TBI symptoms
One of the main problems with TBIs is that you may not realize you have one. You may believe that you suffered only a minor bump to your head. While this may be true, you do not know for sure. Your “bump" could be much more serious, even though you exhibit no immediate symptoms.
TBI symptoms may take a while - up to a month after your injury - to appear. Consequently, be on the lookout for warning signs such as the following:
- Difficulty seeing properly
- Difficulty hearing properly
- Difficulty speaking properly
- Difficulty maintaining your balance
- Difficulty thinking or remembering
- Difficulty controlling your emotions
Necessity for medical treatment
Your wisest course of action any time you suffer a head injury is to seek immediate medical attention. A head trauma specialist needs to assess your injury, run appropriate tests and begin immediate treatment if he or she determines that your “bump" actually amounts to a traumatic brain injury. The sooner you begin receiving treatment, the greater your chances of minimizing the damage your brain suffered.
Unfortunately, even with the best medical treatment, your TBI may have long-term negative consequences that could temporarily or permanently disable you. In fact, a serious TBI could leave you homebound and requiring daily care.
If you suffer a head injury because of someone else’s negligence, talk to a New York construction accident lawyer about your options. You may be owed significant compensation for your medical care, lost income and other costs resulting from the injury.
