“Just a little knock to the head, buddy. Take a couple of ibuprofen, take the rest of the day off, and you’ll be right as rain by tomorrow.” That is what your manager said after the scaffold pole hit you.
This morning you woke up and did not feel right. The alarm sounded like you had a police siren in your ear, and the light coming through the curtains felt like someone was holding an arc welder to your eyeballs. You tried to stand up but felt nauseous and collapsed back onto the bed.
You need to phone for medical help. You could be suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and 155 people die from them every day in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). TBI’s are caused by a blow to the head and can go unnoticed for days. The damage can last a few days or a lifetime.
If you have any of these symptoms, you should seek a medical diagnosis:
- Physical symptoms: Lethargy, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, noise and light sensitivity.
- Changes to sleep patterns: You need more sleep, less sleep or cannot sleep.
- Mood changes: Sadness, irritability, nervousness or anxiety.
- Cognitive problems: Difficulty remembering, thinking or concentrating.
What is worse is that the symptoms can take months to present. If you suffer a blow to the head in a workplace accident, take care not to settle a compensation claim too soon. An Austin personal injury attorney can help. While you may be happy to receive a few thousand dollars for a sore head, if you develop a TBI, you will be left severely out of pocket. They can leave you unable to return to work, drive, speak or think as you could before.