What You Can Expect and What You Need to Know
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are one of the leading reasons for ER visits and hospitalizations, affecting millions of Americans every year. Motor vehicle accidents are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injury, accounting for about one in every five TBI-related hospitalizations. Car crashes are the leading cause of TBI-related deaths in individuals between the ages of 15 and 34, as well as persons over the age of 75. In Texas, motor vehicle accidents are the primary cause of traumatic brain injury in persons between the ages of 15 and 64.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
An automobile-related TBI can occur a couple of ways. You might receive a violent blow to the head, from striking either the windshield, the frame of the car, the pavement, or some other object. Alternatively, the impact of a collision can cause your brain to bounce off the inside of your skull, causing bruises, tearing, or bleeding.
How Do You Know If You’ve Suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury?
The symptoms of TBI may not be obvious, and may take hours or days to appear, particularly with a mild TBI (known as a concussion). Most of the damage suffered in a traumatic brain injury won’t show up on an X-ray or MRI, either. The telltale signs of a traumatic brain injury include:
- persistent headaches;
- short-term memory loss, including the inability to remember details of your accident;
- cognitive difficulties, including disorientation or challenges with communication;
- dizziness or vertigo;
- nausea and vomiting;
- acute sensitivity to noise or light;
- abnormal mood swings or irritability; and
- changes in sleep patterns, including insomnia or excessive fatigue.
Protecting Your Rights After a Traumatic Brain Injury
Because of the challenges associated with diagnosing a TBI, you should immediately seek medical attention if you have a blow to the head or experience any type of whiplash event. This can include an ambulance ride to the hospital or a visit to an emergency room, urgent care facility, or primary care provider on your own. Carefully describe what happened and how you feel, and make certain the caregiver documents everything in writing. The longer you wait to seek treatment, the greater the risk that your injuries won’t be perceived as serious when you file legal action, or that opposing counsel will try to attribute your injuries to some intervening event.
The sooner you hire experienced legal counsel, the better. Don’t be surprised if the at-fault party’s insurance company attempts to contact you in the hours or days after the crash. Don’t discuss your injuries or claims with an insurance company. Let your lawyer be your liaison.
Contact the Proven Personal Injury Lawyers at Bailey & Galyen
We have successfully represented individuals in Texas who have suffered a traumatic brain injury in a motor vehicle accident. We offer a free initial consultation to anyone hurt in a motor vehicle accident. To set up an appointment with an experienced Texas brain injury attorney, contact us by e-mail or call our offices at 844-402-2992. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
