Signs Someone Suffered a Brain Injury in a Crash
| September 7th, 2022
Car crashes can result in closed-head injuries—injuries to the brain but not the skull—making them hard to diagnose. However, without visible evidence of damage, victims themselves can make the mistake of trying to move on with their lives without seeking a thorough medical check.
Being able to recognize brain-injury symptoms can help you learn when to seek medical help after an accident, and secure the necessary compensation to avoid financial strain while you rehabilitate.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a form of brain damage that occurs when the head is suddenly and violently hit. The severity of a TBI depends on several factors, including the force of the impact, the injury’s location, and the victim’s age and overall health.
Although brain injury is often associated with blows to the head during sports or car accidents, it can also occur due to falls, gunshots, or other trauma. Treatment for TBIs usually depends on the severity of the injury and may include measures like extended rest, pain medications, or surgery.
In severe cases, patients may require long-term rehabilitation to regain their ability to speak, walk, and eat.
What Are the Signs of a Brain Injury After a Car Crash?
Unless the brain is severely damaged in a car crash, it can often be challenging to diagnose a brain injury. This is because some symptoms may be attributed to other conditions, such as psychiatric disorders, while other brain injury effects only show up days or weeks after the initial injury.
The gradual onset of symptoms makes it challenging for medical professionals to diagnose the injury properly. This can create obstacles when trying to recover compensation from insurance companies or the people at fault.
Immediate Symptoms
The most common and immediate signs of a brain injury include:
- Headache
- Loss of consciousness
- Dilated pupils
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
- Clear discharge (cerebrospinal fluid) from the ears and nose
However, more serious brain injuries can also result in convulsions, seizures, paralysis, and even coma.
Long-Term Symptoms
More severe brain injury symptoms can develop over time, making them difficult to tie to the initial accident. These symptoms can affect the victim’s ability to perform basic tasks, both at work and at home. Long-term symptoms include:
- Memory issues
- Difficulty concentrating
- Insomnia
- Mood swings
- Problems with coordination and balance
In some cases, a brain injury can lead to frequent seizures, hearing loss, and vision problems. The exact nature and severity of symptoms vary depending on the extent of the injury. However, even mild brain injury can cause lasting problems.
Why You Need a Doctor and an Attorney To Prove Your Case
Many people think that if they have a brain injury resulting from a car crash, they can automatically receive compensation. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Establishing a connection between the collision you were in and the injury you suffered is critical to receiving monetary compensation.
This can be difficult to do without the help of a doctor and an attorney. A doctor can document the extent of your injuries, how they occurred, and their impact on your ability to function.
One of the most challenging aspects of diagnosing a brain injury is that no single test or set of symptoms can definitively confirm the presence of a brain injury. Instead, diagnosis typically relies on a combination of medical imaging, cognitive testing, and patient self-reporting. This can make it difficult to obtain an accurate picture of the extent of an injury, particularly in the early stages. Determining the extent of the injury is important for calculating how much compensation will be needed.
Additionally, brain injuries can often lead to subtle changes in cognitive or emotional functioning that may not be immediately apparent to the individual or those around them. As a result, a victim’s diminished ability to perform at their job or their increasing symptom intensity may not be immediately attributable to the car crash.
Getting the help of a competent neurologist and an experienced personal injury attorney can vastly increase your chances of proving the connection between an accident and your injury.
Tests for Diagnosing a TBI
A computed tomography (CT) scan is one of the most common tests for diagnosing brain injuries. This test uses X-rays to create detailed images of the brain. CT scans can help doctors identify bleeding, fractures, bruising, fluid build-up, and other damage to the brain.
Another common test for identifying brain injuries is an MRI. This test uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed brain and brain stem images.
Doctors may also use a PET scan. This test uses a special dye and a low-dose radioactive tracer to create images of the brain. PET scans can help doctors identify areas of the brain that are not functioning properly.
In addition to these tests, doctors may perform neurological exams, including memory, vision, balance, and coordination tests.
Seek Assistance From a Knowledgeable Attorney
Having a skilled attorney by your side is essential when filing a brain-injury claim. The California brain injury lawyers at Berg Injury Lawyers can help you collect medical and police reports, witness statements, and other necessary documentation to help build an indisputable claim regarding your brain injury.
If you or a family member is a crash victim experiencing signs of a brain injury, get in touch with our legal team to get the full legal and medical support you need.
Contact our experienced personal injury attorneys today for a no-obligation, free initial consultation regarding your brain injury.
