Excessive Weight Gain after a Brain Injury

Drastic changes in your weight can happen to those who have suffered a brain injury. Some people have trouble keeping weight on, while others have excessive weight gain after a brain injury. Damage to your brain is often the result of accidents, and not just instances where something falls on your head. A slip and fall, for example, can easily result in traumatic brain injury. Head trauma from a car accident is another common cause of brain injury and resulting complications, such as weight gain. Others may have a work injury that results in weight gain, which may or may not involve negligence by someone else.

No matter how you sustain an injury to the brain, it’s essential to determine the cause of the accident and the legal actions you can take to recover your monetary losses. That’s why we encourage you to contact our office and talk to a personal injury attorney.

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What Causes Weight Gain After a Brain Injury?

Weight management is a serious concern in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). According to a study in Science Daily, 36% of patients with TBI were overweight, and 23% were medically obese.

Experts generally believe that brain injury can lead to an eating disorder, which is why so many patients have significant weight loss or weight gain. Common causes of eating disorders include:

• Pituitary dysfunction – your body’s hormone levels are regulated by the pituitary. When your hormones thrown out of balance after a brain injury, you are likely to have trouble controlling your appetite. Furthermore, your body’s metabolism can slow down because of a pituitary dysfunction, and this can cause weight gain even if you are not eating more than normal.
• Hyperphagia – this condition causes you to be hungry and thirsty all the time. You have these cravings even if you consume more food than normal, so it’s obvious why people with the disorder end up with excessive weight gain.
• Damage to the hypothalamus – the hypothalamus regulates your appetite and lets you know that your stomach is full. Traumatic brain injury can damage the hypothalamus, thereby increasing your appetite and impairing your ability to tell when you are full.
• Executive dysfunction – a condition caused by damage to the part of the brain responsible for impulse control and judgment. Impairment of executive functioning has a direct impact on your ability to make healthy food choices.

Excessive Weight Gain Health Complications

Gaining too much weight after an injury to your brain isn’t just about your looks and self-esteem. Excessive weight gain is associated with serious, potentially life-threatening health conditions, such as:

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Diabetes
• Heart disease / heart failure
• Seizures

Weight gain following an accident that can be a significant factor in a personal injury lawsuit for traumatic brain injury. Along with the health issues we already mentioned, patients can also have hormonal imbalances and reduced mobility, which can cause intense levels of pain and suffering, along with psychological trauma.

Traumatic Brain Injury after Assault and Battery

While there is a tendency to focus on accidents, we have also represented clients who gained significant weight after being beaten up. In many cases, brain injury is the underlying cause, which makes sense considering that many assaults involve trauma to the head.

You can certainly file criminal charges against the assailant, bur you may also be interested in filing a civil claim for monetary damages. Can I get recovery for that? How much can I receive from an assault and battery lawsuit? We can talk to you about these issues during a free case review, so please reach out to us if you were beaten up and suffered an injury to your brain.

Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim

Work injuries are frequent occurrences, no matter where you work and what you do for a living. Having said that, people working in certain professions, like construction, retail, and warehousing, tend to have the highest rates of accidents resulting in TBI. Another group that’s prone to head injuries is delivery drivers, as they are often driving a vehicle and more likely to be involved in a car accident.

With worker’s compensation, there is no need to establish a basis of negligence or misconduct. As long as the injury occurred during your work shift or while you were performing your work duties, you are entitled to WC benefits. Your employer will supply the paperwork and instruct you on where you to for treatment, so please inform them immediately if you are hurt on the job. We also invite you contact a workers’ compensation lawyer, who can help with the claim forms and protect your interests if you have a dispute with your employer or insurance provider.

Legal Advice from a Personal Injury Lawyer

Certainly, we can agree that medical attention and testimony from the people who are treating you are the most important elements in any lawsuit for a brain injury. But all this information won’t be of help if you don’t file an accident claim with extensive, compelling evidence to show how the party is at fault. Even then, it’s more than likely that the payment you are offered is insufficient based on the harm you suffered.

A lawyer can help you fight for the settlement you deserve, and move forward with a lawsuit if the insurance company refuses to negotiate in good faith. If necessary, an experienced traumatic brain injury lawyer can try your case before a judge and jury, though it should be noted than most lawsuits are settled out of court.

How Much Time Do I have to File a Lawsuit?

Please be aware that you only have 2 years to file a personal injury lawsuit after a car accident, slip and fall, or any other accident that was caused by negligence. You also have a deadline of 2 years to file a brain injury after assault and battery claim. This is why it’s essential to speak with a lawyer right away if you have been asking yourself, “Do I have a case if I gained excessive weight after a brain injury?”

For brain injury victims who are entitled to workers’ compensation, please note that the deadline for a work accident claim is 1 year from the date of being injured. You are also required by law to notify your employer of the injury within 30 days of the event.

Our attorneys are here to help with all your questions and concerns. Contact us 24/7 and learn about your rights and legal options.

Our Zero Fee Guarantee Policy

We understand the strain that an accident puts on your finances, which is why our attorneys work on contingency. That way, you pay absolutely nothing for advice and guidance from a lawyer with experience in brain injury lawsuits. Once we obtain your payment, either from settlement negotiations or a court verdict, a percentage of it goes towards legal fees. If we don’t bring you a successful outcome, you owe us nothing for the cost of legal services.

The process begins with a free case evaluation, so contact our law firm at your earliest convenience.

Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
How Long Does a Brain Injury Case Take to Settle?
Can I Sue for Hypersomina Following Traumatic Brain Injury?
Can a Slip and Fall Result in Brain Injury?