How to Screen for Traumatic Brain Injuries During Client Intake

More than 3 million Americans sustain mild traumatic brain injury each year, and 1 in 5 have symptoms that persist beyond 1 month.  (Of course, even a “mild” brain injury can be very serious and have lifelong consequences.)  Many of these brain injury cases go undiagnosed and untreated, so personal injury attorneys should always be looking for these injuries during initial intake meetings.

It is critical that personal injury practitioners be familiar with the symptoms of brain injury which include headaches, fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, bothered by noise, bothered by light, irritability, lack of patience, loss of temper easily, memory difficulty, anxiety, and insomnia.   

A checklist can be very helpful for identifying brain injuries.  I’ve attached a copy of one we use in our office. 

This post was excerpted from materials prepared for National Business Institute’s national live virtual seminar on Monday, December 11, titled Traumatic Brain Injury Cases 101: Plaintiff, Defense, and Doctor Perspectives.