If you have experienced the trauma of a car accident, you know how significant the impact of this type of event can be. In addition to the mental duress and emotional scarring that often comes with a serious motor vehicle accident, you may also be struggling with significant injuries that impact virtually every area of your life. An example of this is a traumatic brain injury — a common type of brain injury that can affect you long-term or even permanently after your accident.
There are different types of TBIs, and they all affect people in different ways. The nature of your injury and the extent of its impact depends on factors that are unique to your individual situation, such as the force of impact, your health at the time of the accident and more. It is important to seek immediate medical attention after suffering from a TBI in order to get the care and support you need for a full recovery.
Types of TBIs and their effects
A sudden impact to the head can result in damage to the brain, and the hours following the impact are critical. The primary injury is the sudden damage that occurs at the moment of impact. The secondary injuries are the changes that occur in the brain as a result of the initial impact, including changes on the cellular level, damage to the tissue or changes to the blood vessels in the brain. While the effects of brain injuries are unpredictable, some of the most common effects seen in victims include:
- Confusion
- Short attention span
- Amnesia and memory problems
- Problems with judgment and decisions
- Inability to understand abstract concepts
- Problems with motor function
- Tremors
- Problem swallowing
- Poor coordination
- Difficulty with depth perception
Those who suffer from TBIs may have problems that affect them for the rest of their lives. They may need extensive medical care and other types of support as they recover and move forward after this type of injury.
Your future after a car accident
After a car accident, you may be struggling with the effects of a TBI, or you may be caring for a loved one who is. If this injury occurred as the result of the reckless or negligent actions of another person, there may be legal options available to the victim. Through a civil claim, he or she may be able to seek rightful compensation and support that he or she needs for recovery.
