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Look out for these subtle signs of traumatic brain injury

On Behalf of | Apr 5, 2023 | Personal Injury

Look out for these subtle signs of traumatic brain injury

A lot of car accident injuries are readily apparent. Broken bones, lacerations and sprains, strains and torn ligaments are all going to create immediate pain and other physical indications of their existence. But not all injuries that people suffer in a wreck will be immediately noticeable. This includes some of the most serious injuries, including traumatic brain injury.

The subtle signs of traumatic brain injury

Unfortunately, many symptoms of traumatic brain injury don’t present until hours, days or even weeks after you’ve been involved in a car accident. Given this delay, many traumatic brain injury sufferers write off their symptoms as something minor. But this could be a big mistake, as an untreated traumatic brain injury can have serious consequences, including permanent brain damage that affects your motor functioning or death.

But what are some of the symptoms that you need to be aware of after being hurt in a car crash? Here are some of the most common but more obvious signs that you might’ve suffered a brain injury:

  • Trouble keeping your balance
  • Difficulty articulating your speech
  • Unexpected confusion
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Intrusive and excessive sleepiness

Keep in mind, though, that these symptoms may be more readily noticeable after a car accident. You’ll also want to be on the lookout for subtler signs of a traumatic brain injury, which may include any of the following:

  • Changes to your personality: This is a common effect of traumatic brain injury. Depending on the location of your injury, you could see a dramatic shift in how you act. You might end up being less affectionate toward your loved ones, and you might become more irritable than usual. If you notice changes here, you should reach out to your doctor.
  • Vision difficulties: A lot of people who are involved in car accidents think that their blurry vision or changes to their field of vision are just minor side effects of the impact. But it might be indicative of something more serious, like a traumatic brain injury.
  • A pins-and-needles sensation: Although this feeling may be indicative of a nerve issue, it could also signify a traumatic brain injury, especially if it’s isolated on one side of your body.
  • Loss of memory: If you struggle to recall names, places and events, the impact of your collision may have caused more significant brain damage than you thought or anticipated.
  • Changed perception of taste and smell: Although this may not be a clear-cut sign that you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury, it could be a symptom. Therefore, you’ll want to keep a close eye on it, and consider it in light of other symptoms that you’re experiencing.
  • More lethargy than normal: Tiredness, fatigue and sluggishness are common after a car accident, but if you experience changes to your sleep patterns and your lethargy becomes chronic, there might be something more severe going on.
  • Chronic and persistent headaches or dizziness: A lot of things can cause a headache, but if you experience a change in the frequency and severity of your headaches, or if you experience severe recurrent dizziness, you might want to talk to your doctor about a potential brain injury.

Be prepared to secure the treatment that you need

A serious car accident injury, such as a traumatic brain injury, can leave you with extensive physical, emotional and financial needs. After all, recovering from one of these injuries is going to take a lot of time, energy and money.

But don’t let that scare you into inaction. Instead, you might want to consider taking legal action against the driver who harmed you so that you can give yourself a shot at recovering the resources that you need to offset your losses.

If you could use some help in analyzing and building your case, now may be the time for you to reach out to a legal team to learn more about the process.

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