People who have been involved in a workplace accident involving a sharp blow to the head, may suffer from a brain injury. Whether a worker fell victim to a slip-and-fall accident or had a falling object land on his or her head, the damage may be long-term. Brain injuries occur when a sudden jolt causes the soft brain tissue to hit against the hard skull bone, causing brain bleeding, tissue inflammation and bruising. The damage may be apparent immediately or could take several days to show. It is crucial that employees understand the signs and symptoms of brain injury so they can seek immediate attention.
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, traumatic brain injuries can cause physical issues, behavior changes, communication problems, sensory problems and cognitive deficits. People may have trouble organizing, problem-solving, remembering events, speaking, writing, understand language and moving in general. Depending on the severity of the accident, people may experience muscle weakness, tingling in the extremities, loss of vision or hearing, seizures, sleeping difficulties, consistent headaches, nausea and vomiting and even paralysis.
It is critical that people who have been involved in a workplace accident be seen by a medical professional immediately to indicate whether they suffer from a brain injury. Quick treatment may lead to a better recovery rate and less chance of the injury worsening over time. Treatment includes rehabilitation from an interdisciplinary team of professionals including a speech therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist and counselor. While some people may fully recover, others may have long-term effects after suffering from a traumatic brain injury.
