What Brain Injury Lawyers Need To Know About TBI And Depression
The Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP have represented many victims of traumatic brain injury resulting from serious automobile accidents, tractor trailer accidents, workers compensation accidents, ATV/All Terrain Vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents and premises liability accidents. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. The severity of a TBI may range from “mild,” i.e., a brief change in mental status or consciousness to “severe,” i.e., an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury.
What many people do not realize is that major depression is a complication seen in about one-third of patients within the first year of a TBI and when present, is associated with poor psychosocial functioning and persisting post-concussive symptoms. Major depression is associated with substantial psychosocial dysfunction and post-concussive symptomatology following traumatic brain injury. Medication has been and is still prescribed to treat this complication; however, in a recent large clinical sample of patients with symptoms of major depression, anti-depressant medication has been shown to lead to the remission of symptoms in a minority of patients.
