Yes, in most cases.

An injury to the brain should show up on an MRI. The MRI usually can display very detailed pictures of this area.

Ireland has got various brain injury rehabilitation centres which provide a complete range of specialist offering rehabilitation services to affected people throughout Ireland.

Such a centre is The National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH). Services offered may be because of accidents, illness or injuries that may require specialised rehabilitation.

Their accredited programmes include:

• Spinal Cord System of Care Programme;
• Paediatric Family-Centered Rehabilitation;
• Brain Injury Programme (including stroke);
• Prosthetic, Orthotic, and Limb Absence Rehabilitation(POLAR) Programme.

With severe or moderate traumatic brain Injury, the diagnosis will be done by the appropriate doctor in the hospital. It is most likely a person will be referred to a neurologist for a diagnosis and care for this injury.

Injuries to specific parts of the brain will have specific symptoms and a neurologist will be in a position to identify and recommend the most appropriate medication to the patient.

For example, an injury to the frontal lobes can result in the loss of higher cognitive functions such as motor function, problem solving or memory. An injury to the cerebellum can result in loss of coordination and balance.

An injury to the brain can also affect a person’s speech. In cases where there is damage to parts of the nervous system involved in controlling speech muscles then there is a higher likelihood that the person’s speech will be affected.

An injury to the areas of the brain responsible for conscious movement will also result in difficulties in saying what one is consciously thinking about.

Brain injuries can affect sleeping patterns. One may find that extensive sleep is required as the after a brain injury.

Even in cases of mild brain injury, sleeping problems are also likely to occur as your brain may find it difficult to break down chemicals responsible for sleeping.

As you continue healing from a brain injury, then your sleeping pattern is more likely to return to normal function.

Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of traumatic brain injury. These headaches might even last long after the initial healing and might also hinder you from doing your daily routine activities. They might even cause difficulty in thinking and remembering things.

Fatigue is also one of the most common symptoms for people with traumatic brain injury. Due to the deviation in the functioning of the brain, the body is mainly affected.

If fatigue sets in the brain then the body is directly affected. More rest is recommended to ensure that the body does not suffer unnecessary strain.

Although currently there are no official statistics in Ireland databases that relate to the number of people living with brain injury, studies from some other countries and basing the information on Irish population estimates that between 9,000 and 11,000 people sustain traumatic brain injuries in Ireland annually.

Further, the statistics show 8,000 people in the country get a stroke diagnoses annually.

Negligence is a situation where a person fails to use reasonable care, which may result in injury or damage to another person. If you have been injured as a result of the actions of someone else, you will have suffered what is termed a Tort, which is a civil wrong, which basically means you will have a right to commence a legal action for this wrong. Tort law is there to protect people from harm and injury and attach legal responsibility to anyone who causes the harm.

The time limit for making an acquired brain injury* claim is two years from the day of the accident.

Please be advised that the above-mentioned material is intended as an overview and as a broad out-line of the topic discussed. It should not be considered as complete and comprehensive legal advice, nor act as an appropriate substitute.

Due care has been taken in the publication of this article and we do not accept legal liability as a result of reliance on any material covered in the above article.

Personal Injuries * In contentious business, a Solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.