Falling and hitting your head can be a scary experience and can cause serious injuries. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most serious injuries you can receive from a slip, trip or fall, and almost half of all TBI’s are caused when someone falls and hits his or her head. Other causes of TBI’s include traffic accidents, assaults and being struck by objects.
When to see a doctor
If you fall and bit your head, it may be prudent to be examined by a medical professional right away. Being examined right away can help ensure you receive appropriate treatment as soon as possible, while avoiding as many complications as possible.
However, it may be especially important that you seek immediate medical care if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Loss of consciousness
- Amnesia
- Memory loss
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Seizure
- Confusion
There are several varieties of TBI
The symptoms for a TBI can vary from instance to instance because every TBI is unique. You might be affected by the part of the brain that is injured, the severity of the injury and the motion or impact that caused the injury. However, if you are diagnosed with a brain injury, your doctor will probably classify your injury by type.
Different varieties of TBI, include a:
- Skull fracture, which is a fracture or break in one of the skull’s bones
- Concussion, which can involve swelling inside the brain
- Contusion, which involves a bruise on your brain
- Hemorrhage, which involves pooling blood in the brain
- Hematoma, which involves ruptured blood vessels
It is important to seek medical help after hitting your head, but, depending on your situation, medical expenses can add up. If your TBI resulted from slipping, tripping or falling on someone else’s property, it may be appropriate to take legal action, which could result in compensation for your medical expenses and other costs related to your injury.