The Psychological Effects Of Brain Injuries

Brain damage is one of the most devastating traumas that victims can sustain. While most physical injuries heal over time, the psychological effects of brain injuries often last a lifetime. A doctor can repair a broken bone or perform surgery for internal injuries. On the other hand, there is not a single best way to treat people who have sustained psychological damage from brain injuries. Even with treatment and ongoing therapy, full recovery is not always guaranteed.

According to the International Brain Injury Association, one million Americans are treated in hospital emergency rooms due to traumatic brain injury (TBI). Of these, 230,000 are hospitalized and survive, while 80,000 are discharged with some TBI-related disability. Many traumatic brain injury examples exist. These may include concussions, bruises, hematomas, encephalitis, skull fractures, hemorrhages, penetrating injuries, diffuse axonal injuries, and anoxic or hypoxic injuries.

Recovery from these injuries can be lengthy and expensive, often leaving individuals struggling to meet substantial financial costs. While victims can pursue compensation, it may fall short of covering the full cost of recovery. In such cases, having access to legal counsel can be beneficial.

If someone’s negligence caused the accident that resulted in your brain injury, you may have the right to take legal action against that person. Physical, emotional, and financial outcomes put your future in jeopardy, regardless of the severity of the psychological damage an accident has caused you. At our personal injury law firm in California, our brain injury lawyers can help protect your rights and pursue damages on your behalf.

Psychological Changes After Traumatic Brain Injury

Dr. Andy Tyerman’s e-booklet, published by Headway – The Brain Injury Association, is a study of the behavior of people with brain damage. He said the term “psychological effects” describes how a brain injury affects a person’s cognition, behavior, emotions, family relationships, career, and social interactions. These changes are broad, ranging from short-term behavioral lapses to severe and irreversible losses of basic skills and emotional regulation. Additionally, these changes may not show up right away. Therefore, if you are injured in an accident that may lead to a TBI, it’s crucial to seek medical attention immediately.

Psychological problems can result from brain damage due to blunt trauma. However, more often than not, they result from a mix of biological and environmental factors that are beyond one’s control. Sadly, in cases where the brain injury is a result of an accident, negligence is often a contributing factor. If the at-fault party had chosen to exercise its duty of care in the situation, these problems could have been avoided.

Impairments In Cognition

Cognition refers to how we think, perceive, and reason, whether consciously or unconsciously. A brain injury can significantly affect these functions. Victims might suddenly find difficulties in forming or recalling memories, speaking their first language, and other advanced cognitive skills, such as:

• Planning
• Decision-making
• Organizing one’s thoughts
• Following multi-step instructions

These often permanent brain damage symptoms can be subtle and difficult to observe since victims might still be able to remember distant memories and knowledge. The problems may only become apparent during formal neuropsychological testing, rehabilitation, or upon returning to work.

In general, victims might experience issues in the following cognitive domains after a TBI:

Memory Formation & Recollection

Memory lapses due to brain injuries may last from mere seconds to years. Victims may also struggle to learn and recall new details, such as the personal information of new people they meet. They may suffer from either of the following:

• Retrograde Amnesia — It refers to the inability to remember memories from before the accident. Recalling the circumstances of the injury can be quite difficult for individuals who suffer from retrograde amnesia, as they may have only vague recollections or no memory of the events leading up to their injury. Memory loss can be temporary or permanent, depending on its severity and cause.
• Post-Traumatic Amnesia — After experiencing a TBI, the victim might face memory loss or disorientation. They may be conscious but unable to recognize their surroundings or themselves. Post-traumatic amnesia can lead to an inability to form day-to-day memories following the accident.

Attention, Concentration, & Speed Of Information Processing

People with brain injuries often have difficulty with divided attention or multitasking. Additionally, they may find that noise and other distractions can easily disrupt their train of thought or concentration. As a result, they may need information to be repeated more frequently. Ultimately, these effects can affect their job and social life.

Furthermore, individuals with brain injuries may require more time to absorb new knowledge. They may read books or watch videos at a slower pace, struggle to keep up with conversations, and have delayed reactions to things in general. Lastly, they may exhibit perseveration, a repetitive tendency to be stuck on certain topics, ideas, or thought patterns.

Language Skills

Those with brain injuries may find it hard to organize their thoughts and express themselves through words. They may experience a significant reduction in their vocabulary, making it more difficult to articulate complicated ideas. Moreover, they may struggle to recognize speech sounds, words, or sentence structures. Specific reading, writing, and spelling issues may also arise.

Perceptual, Spatial, & Constructional Skills

A severe brain injury can impair one’s senses and perception. They may have difficulty recognizing objects, faces, and other visual materials. Double vision, another common side effect, can worsen these issues.

Victims may misjudge distances, have incorrect perceptions, and find it hard to locate items and follow known routes. Some may disregard stimuli on one side of their body, such as when shaving or dressing. They may also struggle with copying, sketching, completing puzzles, and accomplishing DIY chores.

Executive Function, Awareness & Insight

Brain injuries can impair executive skills like planning, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and self-monitoring. Victims may become inflexible, reiterating their opinions without considering others’ perspectives. They may also have trouble evaluating their actions, planning their lives, and using coping mechanisms effectively.

Due to damage to the brain’s frontal lobe, patients may also have difficulties understanding and perceiving their own conditions. This lack of insight is known as anosognosia.

Moreover, individuals suffering from TBI may lose motivation. They may sleep excessively, isolate themselves, have difficulty accomplishing daily tasks, or exhibit generally low levels of activity.

As they heal, people with brain injuries may gradually become aware of their major problems, including movement, speech, or memory. Still, they may remain unaware of subtle impairments. They may misinterpret social settings and miss social cues, appearing awkward and inappropriate.

Motor & Sensory Functions

Depending on its severity and the affected area, a brain injury can also impair a person’s motor function, affecting their ability to walk, talk, or move their limbs at will. In addition, things might not taste or smell the same as they once did. Victims may also have heightened or reduced sensitivity to touch, smell, taste, texture, and visual stimuli.

Changes In Behaviors & Emotions Following A Brain Injury

Post-concussion syndrome from a minor injury can present symptoms like headaches, nausea, fatigue, irritability, and poor memory and attention. Although these behavioral and emotional changes may be temporary, they can still persist and cause long-term problems for the victim and their family. After a brain injury, people may appear to have recovered but feel and look like they’re not the same anymore. Here are the changes that commonly show in victims.

What Are The Behavioral Effects Of Brain Injury?

What are the psychological implications of brain damage? People with brain trauma display a wide range of behavioral shifts. From paranoia to sleep disturbances, these changes might be seen as uncharacteristic of the victim or an exaggeration of existing personality traits.

Disinhibition Vs. Apathy & Loss Of Initiative

People with a brain injury may experience a loss of control over their behavior and impulses. This loss of control can lead to socially awkward situations, such as making inappropriate comments, laughing at the wrong time, making sexual advances, and using crude language. For some, the effects may be long-lasting, resulting in unpredictable and aggressive behavior.

In addition, brain injuries can cause victims to lose initiative, become passive, or become unresponsive. Other affected individuals may appear indifferent or ignorant of their problems. Even those who seem eager to participate in or do an activity might lack the organizational skills to do it.

Irritability & Aggression

Increased irritability is a very common experience among TBI survivors. It is also typical for them to display aggression in the form of outbursts and bad language, often due to frustration caused by the slow recovery. Although these behaviors are to be expected, they still need to be addressed.

Egocentricity

Victims may appear to be selfish and inconsiderate toward others, even those closest to them. They may have trouble understanding and empathizing with different people’s experiences and perspectives, as well as their own needs and wants.

Can A Brain Injury Cause Emotional Problems And Personality Changes?

Various factors, such as an individual’s personality, family background, support system, and coping mechanisms before an accident, can influence the impact of a brain injury on their emotions. While the circumstances and presentation of each brain injury case are unique, the specific brain region affected and the severity of the injury typically influence the emotional problems a victim might manifest.

Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, & Other Mental Disorders

Depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and other mental disorders are common after brain damage. It can be depressing for victims to go home after treatment and realize how much has changed. Aside from the physical changes to the brain, a person’s emotional reactions to changes in their life can contribute to depressive episodes.

Stress can be especially challenging for TBI survivors. Losing physical, cognitive, and social skills can affect their ability to resume their hobbies, return to work, and maintain relationships with family and friends. These challenges can further add to the stress, potentially leading to anxiety.

Emotional Lability & Flat Affect

An individual with brain damage may have dramatic mood swings, going from being cheerful to being depressed within a short time. This condition is known as emotional lability. It also refers to reactions that are out of context, such as having erratic responses to things that used to calm them or laughing at sad movies.

The mood swings they experience can make it difficult for them to return to their social lives. Family members and friends may get anxious not to “set them off,” especially since being irritated or even violent is common among TBI survivors.

In contrast to excessive mood display or inappropriate reactions, damage to certain vital brain regions, including the frontal lobe, amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus, can lead to a lack of expressiveness. People with this condition, known as flat affect, can still experience emotions but are unable to express them effectively. Instead, they display them through a monotonous tone of voice or reduced intensity in facial expressions.

How Can A Brain Injury Affect A Person’s Self-Concept?

Because of the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury, affected individuals may have noticeable changes in the way they view themselves or their self-concept. If the victims’ injuries are minor, they may feel unsure about their identity, thinking they’re not quite the person they once were. Meanwhile, those with moderate to severe injuries may face complex and perplexing neurological disabilities well outside the range of normal experience. As the victim recovers and learns about their condition, their identity may be threatened.

Behavioral and emotional changes can be extremely upsetting, particularly when a person feels they no longer have control over their feelings, thoughts, or behaviors. These changes can lead to a sense of hopelessness and inadequacy, particularly when trying to reintegrate into society. It can also result in a decline in quality of life, as they may have difficulties returning to work or engaging in activities they previously enjoyed.

Their condition can also deeply devastate their family and friends, especially since many people don’t understand the nature and effects of their injuries. After surviving the immediate crisis, it may take a while for the victim to restore physical, mental, and social abilities. There might be gradual improvements, but despite intensive therapy and rehabilitation, victims may not fully regain their previous abilities and activities. Ultimately, it’s up to the survivors to find and create new purpose and meaning in their lives.

How Does Traumatic Brain Injury Affect Daily Life?

Aside from the psychological effects, brain trauma also damages the person’s interpersonal and social life, from close relationships and acquaintances to employment and careers.

• Occupational Impacts — TBIs may make it impossible for a person to resume their previous work, particularly when their tasks demand a high level of executive function. The combination of costly medical expenses and lost income can result in significant financial stress. Additionally, managing finances itself may become more challenging due to difficulties in processing information. It’s crucial for victims not to rush back to their normal routine too soon. Instead, they can gradually ease back into their routine with fewer responsibilities to prevent becoming overwhelmed.
• Social & Leisure Activities — Until they can reestablish their social lives, individuals with TBI may become socially isolated and reliant on their families. While families can be a great source of support and can plan fun activities, it may be challenging for them to initiate unless the victim expresses interest in participating.
• Changes in Relationships — Personality changes can potentially jeopardize relationships with friends, family, and partners. They often experience social isolation when they can’t engage in the activities they once found enjoyable. Stress in relationships can also make mental health issues worse. However, many victims grow resilient, even with little or no support. While some may naturally adapt to changes, others may struggle and require assistance to move forward.

Psychological Services & Treatments For Traumatic Brain Injury

Various psychological services and treatments are available to people with brain injuries and their families at every step of the recovery process. These options may range from acute care to resettlement and long-term support. The most common ones include cognitive assessment and rehabilitation, behavioral management, social skills training, and various therapies, such as psychological counseling, individual psychotherapy, and family therapy.

Various health experts can provide these services. Clinical brain injury psychologists and other professionals, including psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and teachers, can help patients recover. A brain injury lawyer can assist you in connecting with a medical professional for a thorough medical evaluation and proper treatment.

Resources For TBI Victims In The United States

Resources For TBI Victims In California

How To Pursue Compensation For The Psychological Effects Of Brain Injury

To seek compensation for the associated consequences and costs of brain injury caused by a liable party, it is important to consider seeking legal assistance from experienced personal injury attorneys. They can determine if there’s negligence involved in your accident, which is crucial for establishing eligibility for a personal injury claim against the at-fault party.

If you have a valid case, your injury lawyers can help you file your claim, demonstrate the extent of your injuries, and estimate the potential value of your compensation. Depending on the specifics of your case, compensation may cover the current and future expenses you have incurred due to the accident, including medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and lost wages.

In addition to these economic damages, your brain injury attorneys can help demonstrate the impact of the injuries on your daily life, work, and relationships. People may only think about the physical symptoms of brain injury and the costs associated with medical care. However, they may overlook the extensive consequences that the injury can have on the victim’s overall quality of life.

When evaluating the potential compensation for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), your accident lawyer can help you assess the non-economic losses, including pain and suffering. These losses often carry a greater financial impact than the immediate medical expenses. The psychological effects of a TBI fall under this category of compensatory damages and are typically more difficult to calculate because they’re intangible and subjective.

Skilled personal injury lawyers can gather the necessary evidence to show how your TBI affected various aspects of your life. They can assess your eligibility for compensation by collecting valuable documents, such as notes from your therapist, testimonies from your family and friends, and entries from your journal.

Types Of Accidents That Cause Brain Injury

Accidents involving blows or jolts to the head are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries. These also include incidents that lead to penetrating injuries due to a sharp object piercing the skull. Some examples are:

• Car Collisions — Motor vehicle accidents are the third leading cause of TBI among people of all ages. The force of impact can lead to concussions, contusions, and other closed-brain injuries. Shrapnel or other sharp objects from the collision could also cause penetrating head trauma.
• Slip-and-Fall Accidents — When a victim slips or falls, they may hit their head on the ground or another hard object. They may faint or experience confusion right after, which are classic symptoms of a brain injury.
• Sports & Recreational Activity Injuries — Contact sports like boxing, hockey, and football carry a high risk of head injuries. Similarly, skiing and snowboarding are especially dangerous, as they involve high speeds. That’s why helmets are a crucial part of the safety gear for these activities.
• Workplace Accidents — Individuals are at a higher risk of TBI in certain occupations, like construction, mining, and manufacturing. One of the most common workplace accidents is falling from ladders, scaffolding, roofs, or other elevated areas. They might also get struck by falling objects, causing blunt force trauma to the head.
• Drowning & Near-Drowning Incidents — Oxygen deprivation can also cause brain damage, which could lead to long-term psychological effects and disabilities. This situation commonly arises from drowning or nearly drowning in boating accidents and swimming pool incidents.

If these accidents are due to someone else’s negligence, the victim may file a claim for compensation for their brain injury and the effects we mentioned above. An experienced brain injury lawyer can help identify the types of damages available in their case and provide an estimate of the potential value of their claim.

Speak With Our California Brain Injury Law Firm For Legal Support

If you or a loved one sustains a brain injury due to a car accident, slip-and-fall incident, workplace accident, or any other type of accident, the resulting psychological issues can be devastating. You may suffer not only physical pain but also neuropsychological impairments and mental health issues.

You shouldn’t have to pay for the financial and emotional costs of an accident that was someone else’s fault. However, having access to varied healthcare options and treatments can be a struggle without adequate financial resources. Our personal injury attorneys can help you seek the compensation you may need to cover medical expenses and other losses. They can advocate for a fair settlement on your behalf and represent you in court if your case goes to trial.

Call Arash Law at (888) 488-1391 or complete our “Do I Have A Case?” form here to discuss your situation. You can also schedule a free initial consultation to determine if you may have a valid case and explore your potential next steps.