After a car accident, most injuries are easy to see and feel, but others may develop minutes or hours later. The most dangerous such injury is known as traumatic brain injury, or TBI.
In car accidents, TBI typically stems from a blow to the head, such as when the force of an accident causes a driver’s head to hit the interior of their vehicle. In some cases, the sudden blow causes the brain to bruise and swell against the inside of the person’s skull so much that it eventually cuts off circulation to part of their brain.
Symptoms
The symptoms of TBI can range greatly depending on the severity of the injury. Some people fall into a coma. Others merely experience some confusion. Some experience mild confusion immediately after the accident, but worsening symptoms in the hours and days afterward.
In any case, the really frightening thing about TBIs is that they may be permanent. Brain tissue doesn’t heal the way other parts of the body do after it has been injured. As a result, TBI victims often continue to feel the effects of the injury for years, and possibly for the rest of their lives.
In even relatively mild cases, these effects can include:
- Headaches
- Cognitive problems
- Mood problems
- Confusion
In more serious cases, they can include:
- Balance issues
- Paralysis
- Communication problems
These are just some of the possible effects of a TBI. Even the least serious among them can make life difficult for a victim. and perhaps render them unable to carry on with their career and personal life as they enjoyed them before the accident.
Compensation
If a TBI came about as the result of another driver’s negligence, the injured may seek compensation for their damages through a personal injury claim. Because the effects of a TBI are so far-reaching and long-lasting, the damages in these cases can be very high. The injured and their families can learn how to calculate their damages by speaking with a personal injury attorney who has experience with cases involving catastrophic injury.