If you’ve been told that your recent accident resulted only in a “mild” brain injury, you may feel sort of dismissed when your symptoms feel anything but mild. Maybe your memory, focus, or mood has shifted in ways that frustrate you every day.
You’re not imagining it, and at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we understand this because we’ve seen countless cases where the phrase “mild” dramatically understates the reality for our clients. Kevin Sharp, a partner at our firm, stands out not only for his professional focus but also for his personal connection to the cause. As he has revealed, he was actually diagnosed with a brain injury during his college years. In his own words, this experience allowed him to develop “not just sympathy but empathy for what [brain injury victims] are dealing with.”
Kevin’s accolades include being named a Super Lawyer again in 2025, particularly for his work in brain injury cases. Our firm as a whole has also been recognized as one of Virginia’s “Best Law Firms,” and we look forward to working with you to be sure your injury is fully understood, documented, and taken seriously.
If you or a loved one is suffering the symptoms of a brain injury, call our Virginia Beach brain injury lawyers today at 833-997-1774 for a free consultation.
What is a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?
A mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) usually refers to damage caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that results in transient, so-called mild impairment. Typically, this is what we commonly refer to as a concussion. Common causes of this type of injury include car accidents, falls, sports injuries, workplace accidents, medical malpractice incidents, and railroad accidents.
The injury may not cause a loss of consciousness and may not show up with any obvious external trauma (like bleeding), but that doesn’t mean the brain hasn’t been significantly affected.
“Mild” in this context is mainly about a medical classification more than an injury description. According to medical standards, a brain injury is considered “mild” when:
- Loss of consciousness lasts 30 minutes or less, or doesn’t occur at all
- The Glasgow Coma Scale Score is 13-15 (a scoring system doctors use after a head injury)
- Post-traumatic amnesia (if it exists) lasts less than 24 hours
These criteria help doctors separate emergency patients from those who are not suffering an emergency event, but they don’t predict how long a patient’s symptoms will last or how deeply the injury may affect memory, attention, mood, or sleep.
Because standard medical scans often look normal after a concussion, real injuries at the microscopic or functional level can be missed initially. Symptoms may appear hours or days later, and may include:
- Headaches
- Light/noise sensitivity
- Slowed thinking
- Concentration problems
- Mood changes
For many people, their symptoms will improve in a few weeks, and they may not have any further issues. But some people will continue to struggle for months or longer, even though they were diagnosed with a “mild” injury.
What Other Tests Are Used to Reveal Damage?
Detecting the damage of a mild TBI often requires more than a brain scan. Medical teams may use:
- Neuropsychological evaluations: These tests assess cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and reasoning.
- Occupational therapy assessments: These help gauge how brain function impacts daily tasks and work.
- Detailed symptom inventories and clinical observations: Keeping track of symptoms and observing the patient while recording those observations can result in a comprehensive record of issues related to processing speed, multitasking limitations, and emotional regulation.
These tools can help further uncover any invisible injuries that are significantly affecting your life.
What Are the Possible Long-Term Effects?
Even with a “mild” TBI, patients may experience long-term consequences that can worsen over time. These may include the following.
Cognitive Impairments
Patients may experience ongoing problems with memory, concentration, decision-making, and problem-solving. Even something as simple as balancing a checkbook can become difficult and overwhelming.
Emotional and Behavioral Challenges
Brain injuries can alter personality, causing increased irritability, depression, anxiety, or impulsivity. This can be difficult on families and friends as they struggle to understand what’s happening, and patients may also feel at a loss for how to manage what they’re going through.
Physical Symptoms
Physical symptoms can include chronic headaches, sleep disorders, fatigue, and balance problems that can persist for months or even years after the initial injury.
Employment Impact
All of these symptoms can impact a patient’s ability to do their work. Many find they can no longer perform their jobs effectively. This can lead to reduced income, career limitations, and even complete disability.
Social Isolation
As these types of symptoms go on, brain injury survivors may feel they need to withdraw from social activities and relationships, leading to further stress and unhappiness.
What Do Some Patients Suffer More Than Others?
Several factors can affect the severity of symptoms after a mild TBI. Prior head injuries, age, resilience of brain tissue, genetics, the nature of the injury, and pre-existing health or neurological conditions can all play a role in how quickly a patient recovers. How quickly they received medical care can also make a difference. As a result, two people with near-identical accidents could have dramatically different experiences afterwards.
In the event of any suspected brain injury, it’s crucial that the patient consult a doctor for thorough testing and follow-up care. This may make the difference between a fast and slow recovery.
What Are My Legal Options After a Brain Injury?
You may feel that you don’t have many options after a “mild” brain injury, but legally, even invisible injuries matter. You may still have the right to file a claim if you believe that negligence caused your accident, whether in a car crash, medical procedure, or railroad accident.
Invisible injuries, however, require clear proof. That’s where having our firm on your side can help. We’ll conduct a deep legal investigation to show the actual cost of your injury and its related impairments.
How a Brain Injury Attorney Can Help
At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we have handled numerous brain injury cases caused by different types of accidents. In October 2000, our firm and co-counsel achieved what was then the largest verdict ever for an individual in Virginia—$60 million—for a brain injury victim of a Norfolk Southern train derailment.
If you or a loved one has suffered this type of injury, contact us right away. We’ll dig deep, gathering expert testimony, economic analyses, and whatever other evidence we can find to support your side of the argument. Ultimately, we’ll help ensure your story is seen and understood and that you have the best chance at compensation possible.
Find us at any of our multiple locations in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton, and Chesapeake.
