One of your worst fears about being involved in a car accident is if you suffer a serious injury. You know recovering from a serious injury can take months and may affect your long-term quality of life too. One serious injury you may suffer in a car accident is a traumatic brain injury (TBI). In fact, 20% of all those who are hospitalized for traumatic brain injuries receive them in auto accidents.
Mild vs. moderate vs. severe TBIs
If you suffered a mild traumatic brain injury in an accident, you may not realize it right away. You may notice the following symptoms hours, even days, later:
- Feeling dazed, confused or disoriented
- Feeling dizzy
- Experiencing vomiting or nausea
- Having a persistent or worsening headache
- Slurring your speech
- Having difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
Mild traumatic brain injuries include suffering concussions, which a doctor needs to evaluate.
Signs of a moderate traumatic or severe brain injury include many of the same symptoms as those of a mild TBI. You also could:
- Lose consciousness for a few minutes.
- Feel numbness in your fingers and toes.
- Experience convulsions or seizures.
- Experience dilation of one or both pupils of your eyes.
Seeking treatment for a TBI
If you suspect you received a traumatic brain injury in an accident, you need to seek medical treatment immediately. A doctor needs to evaluate if you suffered other head injuries too, including brain bleeding or brain swelling. Once a doctor evaluates your traumatic brain injury, you can begin a treatment and recovery plan.
One important factor when you suffer a traumatic brain injury in an accident is keeping documentation of your medical visits, your prognosis and your treatment plan. You may need these records as evidence of how severe your traumatic brain injury is.
If an insurance company offers you a settlement for the medical costs of your traumatic brain injury, you should consult a personal injury attorney before accepting it. You want to ensure you receive maximum benefits for your injury, especially if your traumatic brain injury will leave you permanently disabled.
You want to be able to move forward with your life. That’s why it’s important to seek compensation for a traumatic brain injury, so you can focus on your recovery, not worrying about how to pay your treatment costs.
