Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
In a recent study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, researchers have announced a promising new diagnostic test that could help detect mild traumatic brain injuries. The test involves using gadolinium contrast agent to detect inflammation in the brain.
If you’ve been in a slip and fall injury, car crash, or any situation where you may have experienced a brain injury, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation with a Hollywood brain injury claim attorney. Let’s discuss ways we may be able to help you.
What Are Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries?
A traumatic brain injury occurs when the tissue inside the brain is damaged. This can happen because the head is hit and the brain crashes around inside the skull, causing damage, swelling, and bleeding. This injury can also happen when an object pierces the skull, causing direct damage to the brain.
Serious brain damage may present obvious symptoms, such as loss of consciousness, headaches, cognitive issues, vision problems, and other symptoms. Serious injuries can also be diagnosed with an MRI, where damage is visible.
Mild traumatic brain injuries often go undiagnosed. They may not show up in traditional MRIs and symptoms can be mild or non-existent. The authors of the Science Translational Medicine study concluded that as many as 90% of mTBIs remain undiagnosed, even though these injuries can cause severe, life-long effects, including an increased risk of:
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)
- Parkinson’s disease
- Dementia
- Depression
The risk with an undiagnosed mTBI is that patients can return to regular activities, including sports, too quickly, increasing the risk of an additional injury before the initial mTBI is healed. This can exacerbate the effects of the injury and lead to an increased risk of complications later.
Researchers who have developed the new diagnostic tool have submitted patents and are seeking to start clinical trials. They also note that the current process can’t identify inflammatory response or the exact location of a mTBI. Despite this, this breakthrough is promising and in the future could help patients avoid some of the long term risks of a seemingly mild brain injury.
What You Should Do If You Suffer a Traumatic Brain Injury
If you may have hit your head in a sports injury, vehicle accident, slip and fall, work accident, or any other situation, it’s important to rule out a brain injury. Always get a medical evaluation in this type of situation, whether you have symptoms or not.
After your have had a medical evaluation, keep an eye on your symptoms. If you notice any new symptoms, follow up and continue to seek help. Since mild brain injuries are hard to detect and the new diagnostics technology is not yet available at hospitals, it can take some time to be properly diagnosed.
Another step you may want to take is to consult with a Hollywood brain injury claims attorney. You can do so by contacting Flaxman Law Group to set up a free accident consultation. An attorney can discuss whether you have a claim and can seek compensation. This may be the case if your brain injury was caused by a car accident, slip and fall accident, or other situation that was caused by someone’s negligence. You may also want to explore whether you have a medical malpractice claim if you a medical professional was negligent in diagnosing you. Contact the Hollywood, Homestead, and Miami offices of Flaxman Law Group to discuss these issues and the specifics of your case.