There are numerous ways in which a car crash could potentially injure someone’s brain. Blunt force trauma is an obvious and immediate safety concern. Violent vehicle motions, explosions and penetrating injuries are also ways that car crashes could generate brain injuries.
Regardless of the origin of someone’s traumatic brain injury (TBI), they can expect major challenges as they seek to physically recover from their recent car crash. Those who understand the devastating truths below about brain injuries may be in a better position to effectively respond to the aftermath of a recent wreck.
People often overlook TBI symptoms
A TBI often takes time to develop. Someone hits their head or experiences violent emotions that trigger swelling and inflammation, but they don’t notice major TBI symptoms right away. Instead, they seem to have only minor health concerns, such as a headache or persistent feeling of fatigue. It can be several days or even a week before the brain injury reaches a point where it is obvious. Those without formal medical training often lack the knowledge and necessary resources to accurately identify a TBI after a crash.
Undiagnosed TBIs will worsen
Patients will frequently assume that not noticing a brain injury when it first occurs is a minor issue. After all, once they start having symptoms, they can seek out medical care that can help them treat this condition. However, the damage caused by a brain injury can be permanent, and the symptoms of the injury will become more severe as the injury progresses. People may have long-term cognitive changes or mobility challenges if they go multiple days or weeks after an injury without medical intervention.
TBIs are usually expensive
Looking at the lifetime care costs for TBIs can be a very sobering experience. People usually have tens of thousands of dollars in care costs, and more extreme cases can generate millions of dollars in medical expenses. The expense involved in securing medical care is only one consideration. Brain injuries can also impact someone’s long-term earning potential. They will lose out on all income while they are in the hospital and may have diminished earnings if the symptoms of their injury affect their job performance.
The only way to quickly diagnose or effectively rule out a brain injury after a car crash is to see a medical professional for formal evaluation. Ultimately, understanding why it is so risky to overlook brain injury after a wreck might help someone better respond to the medical and legal aftermath of a crash.