Head trauma, as a result of an accident, either a car accident or a job accident, produces some telltale symptoms that tell you medical attention is necessary. Sometimes you may get a bump on the head at work and feel fine, with symptoms not presenting themselves until hours or days later. Because you need to file for workers’ compensation as soon after your trauma as possible, it’s imperative to watch for these signs of trauma so you can get the compensation you need and deserve.
Physical Symptoms
The range of physical symptoms can vary both in physicality and severity.
With a mild traumatic brain injury, you could experience a loss of consciousness anywhere from a couple of seconds to a couple of minutes. Or, you could not lose consciousness at all. You may also have a headache, feel nauseous, or you might feel tired. You could also experience changes to your speech and changes to your normal sleep pattern.
With a severe traumatic brain injury, these signs will be more pronounced, and you may lose consciousness for several hours. You could also have convulsions or seizures, dilation of one or both pupils, fluid coming out your nose or ears, weakness or numbness in your extremities, loss of coordination and trouble waking up from sleep.
Cognitive Symptoms
This set of symptoms refers to those that affect your mental health. With a mild traumatic brain injury, this could mean trouble with memory and concentration, changes to your mood or intense mood swings, and feelings of depression or anxiety. If your head injury is more severe, you could experience profound confusion, you might slur your speech, you could be agitated or display other unusual or out of character behavior patterns. In some severe cases, you might even slip into a coma.
Sensory Symptoms
The sensory symptoms that come about as a result of a traumatic brain injury tend to be the same for both mild and severe head trauma. They include blurred vision, ringing in the ears, a bad taste in your mouth, and changes to the way you process scents. You might also notice that you are more sensitive to light or sound than you usually are. These symptoms can be mild or pronounced, but always indicate the need for medical attention if you’ve bumped your head while working.
When to Call a Lawyer
You should never try to take care of your workers’ compensation claim on your own. In fact, this is likely not possible as there is a strong probability that your claim could require a court case. You need a compensation lawyer who is experienced and understands all the rules as well as the regulations and is familiar with the process for filing a claim. Lawyers like this can help you get started and be by your side as you follow each of the steps along the way. If you have suffered head trauma as a result of an injury on the job or you want to claim on behalf of a family member, call the experts at Oktanyan Der-Grigorian so that you can be compensated for your head injury.Â
