Whether in a car accident, a contact sport, or in everyday life, any blow to the head is cause for concern. Even if a victim does not lose consciousness or show immediate symptoms, he or she may still need immediate medical attention to assess any damage, and may require months of treatment to deal with a mild brain injury.
In car accidents, victims may not realize they suffered a blow to the head, and may have difficulty remembering the accident very well at all. The brain often chooses to obscure these memories to protect the victim, even when the accident does not affect the brain. If the victim does experience a blow to the head, he or she may suffer many more symptoms than expected.
If you recently experienced a car accident, you should always seek professional medical care as soon as you possibly can. You may or may not have a minor brain injury, or some other injury that does not produce pain. The sooner you catch these injuries and treat them, the sooner you can begin recovery and potentially avoid unnecessary suffering along the way.
Injuries you suffer because of someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing may justify a personal injury lawsuit. You need to recover the costs of medical care and to address lost income and other difficulties like your pain and suffering brought on by the accident.
Effects of a minor brain injury
Because the brain controls nearly every function of your body and also houses your consciousness, any injury to the brain can have severe consequences. Sometimes, a brain injury expresses itself through physical pain, like sudden nausea or seizures. In a way, it is helpful to have these symptoms because they can point directly to a brain injury and help a doctor diagnose you quickly.
However, other symptoms are more difficult to identify. A minor brain injury may cause you to constantly misinterpret what you read or misunderstand what people mean when they speak to you. This breakdown in communication is not only dangerous, it creates conflict in all of your personal and professional relationships, which may take a long time to repair.
Your personality may change as well. While brain injuries affect each victim differently, it is not likely that you will suddenly speak another language fluently or play an instrument you never practiced. It is much more likely that you will face great difficulty concentrating on any task, even if it is familiar. You may also lash out when you get frustrated, breaking things or feeling uncontrollable anger. Despite how it may feel in the moment, these symptoms are not the signs of you going crazy: Your brain may simply need time to heal before it can function like it did before the injury.
Protect your future with strong action
Once you seek professional medical care, if a doctor does identify a brain injury, you must take it seriously. Inform your employer and your coworkers of the injury and how it may affect you, as well as your family and community. While it may seem embarrassing, it is far better to make sure everyone understands that changes in your behavior are truly beyond your control.
You should also consider any grounds you have for a personal injury claim to help cover the costs of treatment and compensate you for any income lost because of the injury. Direct action can help keep your rights safe and protect your future while you recover.
