Could you have a traumatic brain injury?

If you are involved in an auto accident, it is possible that you could suffer a traumatic brain injury. It’s easier than you think to have a brain injury caused by a collision. A sudden stop and whiplash could cause one, or the impact of your head against the steering column could cause damage. Even a sudden impact against an airbag could lead to bleeding on the brain, skull fractures and other injuries.

Brain injuries usually happen when the brain is suddenly impacted, twisted or injured by a penetrating object. They range in severity from mild to acute, and they may cause wide-ranging physical symptoms.

If you have a brain injury, you will likely have physical, sensory and cognitive symptoms of some kind. Some of the more common signs of injury include:

• Headaches
• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Dizziness
• Trouble with your speech
• Memory and concentration problems
• Feeling anxious or depressed
• A loss of balance
• Vomiting or nausea

These and other symptoms can occur with brain injuries and require immediate medical attention.

Are the signs of a brain injury always obvious after a crash?

No, the signs of a brain injury won’t always be apparent right away. As the brain swells and fluids accumulate within the skull, it is more likely that your symptoms will appear. This swelling could occur over the next day or two if there is a slow bleed.

This is why it is advantageous for people to go to the hospital after a serious collision. Even if you didn’t hit your head, there is a risk that you will have suffered an injury and believe that you’re completely fine. Seek medical attention regardless of the severity of the crash, so that you can be sure that you won’t have dangerous physical symptoms appear much later on.

Seeking medical attention also helps you start a paper trail following the collision, so that you can make a personal injury claim if you suffer from more severe complications in the future. As a victim of a crash, it’s your right to seek medical care and to get the treatments, and compensation, you need.