Car Collision Injuries – Traumatic Brain Injury

 Posted on June 30, 2013 in Personal Injury

The best way to prevent car accidents is to be proactive. In regards to automobile accidents, wearing a seat belt, using signals and keeping the car up to date on maintenance are all ways to help. However, accidents are bound to happen and damages incurred. Some might even be inflicted with personal injuries and sustain serious damage to the brain, neck and spine. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the cause for 5.3 million people living with disabilities. 50,000 people die from it and over 230,000 are hospitalized. The leading cause is car accidents.

Many people walk away from accidents believing nothing serious has happened to them other than damage to their car. However, many of those who walk away have brain damage that is not diagnosed by a professional. The force of an accident, whether it is head-on, rear, or side impact collision causes trauma to the brain. To put it in perspective, even a fall or bump to the head can cause damage.

There are two ways the brain can be damaged. First, in the impact the brain shakes or rotates the brain within the compound of the skull, causing no cracks in the skull. This movement causes tissue damage and can affect cognitive, and emotional or physical abilities. The second way the brain can be damaged is if the skull is actually fractured or penetrated by an object. This can lead to different types of disabilities.

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury have physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms. Not everyone has all of the symptoms and might even have others not stated, but it is a good thing to be aware of so medical expertise can be aware.

• Physical symptoms: seizures, vision issues, loss of senses, headaches, fatigue, balance issues
• Cognitive symptoms: short or long-term memory loss, slow processing, trouble concentrating, difficulty in communication, judgment issues, inability to do a variety of tasks at once, difficulty in completing tasks.
• Emotional symptoms: anxiety, depression, mood swings, impulsive behavior, self-centeredness, irritability.

If you have been in a car accident and have incurred brain injury, contact a DuPage County personal injury attorney today.