Can Brain Injury Cause Seizures?

There are 761 emergency room visits caused by brain injuries for every 100,000 people in North Carolina each year, according to Injury Free NC.  Unfortunately, brain injuries can cause serious short-term side effects and life-changing long-term side effects.

Seizures are one possible side effect of a brain injury.  A TBI sufferer may experience seizures for a short period of time after the injury or seizure disorder may become a lifelong problem, depending on the area of the brain that was damaged and the severity of that damage. Seizures do not always occur immediately after the injury, and as many as 50 percent of TBI sufferers will develop some type of seizure disorder.

A person having a seizure may exhibit symptoms including:

• Stiffening of the limbs or head
• Shaking of the limbs, head or eyes
• Staring into space
• General unresponsiveness
• An altered sense of smell and hearing
• Seeing things that aren’t there (Hallucinations)
• Dizziness or an inability to balance
• The inability to understand spoken words
• The inability to speak

Seizures can occur quickly. While some last for just seconds, others can last for several minute. During a seizure, a person may lose control of his bladder and bowels. Some people know that they are in the midst of a seizure and others do not. How quickly a person recovers from a seizure varies and depends on the severity of that seizure.

Seizures can impact a TBI victim’s life in profound ways, and those who suffer from a brain injury due to an accident caused by negligence or wrongdoing should be able to obtain compensation for economic and non-financial loss. Contact a Charlotte personal injury attorney to find out more about recovering compensation for brain injury damages.