Blunt force head trauma occurs when the skull is struck by a solid object, which, despite not piercing it, can still do major damage. The outside of the head may appear fine, but beneath the surface, the brain could have taken the brunt of the injury. Car accidents, falls, and physical assaults are some of the most common causes, especially in busy areas like Port St. Lucie.

Spotting the Symptoms Early Matters

Though some blunt force head trauma symptoms show up immediately, many won’t kick in until hours or days later. Nevertheless, when you know what to watch for after a head injury, it can save a life. 

To that end, blunt trauma symptoms from a head injury may include any of the following:

  • Confusion
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Slurred speech
  • Memory problems
  • Mood swings
  • Aggressive behavior
  • Seizures
  • Vomiting
  • Clear fluid coming from the nose or ears (cerebrospinal fluid leak)

Some of these changes aren’t always obvious to the person feeling them, but others nearby can often tell when something is off. The problem, however, is that these signs can be remarkably subtle, making these kinds of injuries quite harrowing to deal with.

Complications Don’t Always Show Up Right Away

Some of the worst outcomes of blunt force head trauma aren’t immediate. Brain swelling, bleeding inside the skull, and nerve damage can all develop slowly over time. Even a minor blow can lead to a traumatic brain injury, especially if the person has experienced prior head trauma; if someone suffers a second head injury before the first one fully heals, it can be fatal.

The Impact of Head Trauma on Daily Life

Blunt force trauma symptoms can have a sort of ripple effect on every part of a person’s life. A parent might not be able to take care of their kids the way they used to; someone injured on the site of a physically demanding job may not be able to return in the same capacity (or at all), and things that used to come easily can suddenly feel overwhelming or become impossible to do.

Mental health struggles are also common after a head injury. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and feelings of isolation often follow. Family and friends may not understand what’s really going on because the injury isn’t visible to them, and when society at large expects someone to recover quickly, that only adds pressure to an already difficult situation. 

What Sets These Injuries Apart?

Besides sometimes taking hours or days to show up, the symptoms of blunt force trauma to the head may not manifest exactly as you might expect. A person may walk and talk totally fine right after the accident and still have a bleed in the brain.

Quite simply, the brain is a complicated organ, and science is still learning about it. It’s completely feasible for two people to react differently to an impact in the same area of the head. That unpredictability makes it harder for doctors to treat these kinds of injuries, and victims, in turn, often struggle to prove how badly they’ve been affected.

More Than Just a Bump on the Head

Blunt force head trauma is far more than “just a medical issue.” It’s a personal crisis that can upend a person’s entire life in the blink of an eye. Treatment is important, but so is recognition. Knowing how to identify the symptoms of blunt force trauma and what may follow is a vital part of the process so you can move forward with clarity and the right kind of support.

If you or someone you love has been injured, contact Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group for a free consultation and case evaluation.

Contact Our Port St. Lucie Brain Injury Lawyers at Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group

If you’ve been injured in an accident, please contact our experienced personal injury lawyers at Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group to schedule a free consultation today. We have three convenient locations in Florida, including Vero BeachSt. Petersburg, and Port St. Lucie.

Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group – Vero Beach
2651 20th St
Vero Beach, FL 32960

(772) 758-5735

Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group – St. Petersburg
200 Central Ave Suite 304
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

(772) 404-3858

Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group – Port St. Lucie
10805 SW Tradition Square Unit 024A
Port St. Lucie, FL 34987

(772) 617-8814