What is a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury?
The ACRM defines a mild traumatic brain injury as any:
"Traumatically induced physiologic disruption of brain function"
In other words, a mild traumatic brain injury is any physical trauma to the brain that disrupts the normal functions of the brain.
Required Symptoms
In addition, the patient must have at least one of the following symptoms:
- Any period of loss of consciousness;
- Any loss of memory for events immediately before or after the accident (amnesia);
- Any alteration in mental status at the time of the accident (for example, feeling dazed, disoriented or confused);
- Focal neurologic deficits (for example loss of sense of smell or hearing).
How can a Brain Injury Happen?
A traumatic brain injury can happen when:
- The head is struck by something (for example a box falling off a shelf and hitting your head);
- The head strikes an object (for example falling and hitting your head on the floor); or
- The brain undergoes acceleration/ deceleration without direct trauma to the head. This often happens when the head whips back and forth quickly. This is commonly referred to as "whiplash".
If you or a family member have suffered a traumatic brain injury (or if you have been in an accident where you may have suffered a head injury) you should seek immediate medical attention. You will need to provide your doctor with complete and accurate information about the mechanics of how the accident happened, whether you struck your head, and whether you suffer from any of the signs or symptoms listed above.
The Brain Injury Association of Nova Scotia has developed a helpful checklist of the symptoms of concussion .
If you think you or a family member may have a claim for compensation for injury due to a traumatic brain injury, you can contact us for a free consultation or request a copy of The Survivors Guide to Brain Injury Claims: How to prove the invisible injury.