As a California police officer, you face risks on a daily basis to serve your duty of keeping communities safe. One of the common risks police officers face is an injury that may not be immediately recognizable or visible: traumatic brain injury (TBI).
TBI can be caused by an array of incidents, from motor vehicle crashes to assaults to falls, blows to the head and more. Police officers can face risks in training and out on the job. When you suffer a head injury, it is important to know the signs of TBI, the risks of continual head injuries and your options to receive compensation while you recover.
The four categories of TBI symptoms
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines four categories of symptoms for TBI: thinking/remembering, physical, emotional/mood and sleep. Symptoms can include:
- Thinking/remembering: Trouble thinking clearly, difficulties retaining new information
- Physical: Headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, sensitivity to noise and/or light
- Emotional/mood: surge of emotions, becoming easily irritable or irrational, anxiety, sadness
- Sleep: Sleeping more or less than usual, having difficulties falling asleep
The CDC warns that not all symptoms of TBI may surface immediately. After a crash, assault or more injuring the head, symptoms may take days or weeks to show. This may cause some confusion over what led to the injury and what it is.
After suffering any kind of impactful blow to the head, family, friends, colleagues and more should monitor you for danger signs. These could include symptoms that become worse instead of going away and any sort of unusual behavior.
Beware of repeated blows to the head
Repeated trauma to the head can lead to even more severe conditions over time. Firstly, officers who suffer TBI are at greater risk of suffering the injury again. Another serious risk is developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This disorder can begin to surface years after an incident and can include symptoms such as communication issues, irritability, depression and more.
Police officers face dangers every day. When you suffer TBI on the job, you may worry about how to make ends meet while you recover. Workers’ compensation can provide the financial relief you need to focus on your recovery while accessing the benefits you need. An attorney can identify your options and help pursue the compensation you deserve.