The link between car accidents and brain injuries

If you are traveling on a South Carolina road and another vehicle hits you, your next hours, days, weeks or longer may be wrought with pain, emotional trauma and financial distress. It is important to monitor your condition, even after your initial medical examination. Brain injuries are often a result of car accidents, and their symptoms are not always immediately noticeable.

You can incur a brain injury in several ways during a motor vehicle collision. If your head strikes upon a hard surface of the vehicle, or the ground, it can cause severe brain damage. However, you don’t necessarily have to hit your head to suffer injury to the brain. If the impact of the crash thrusts you violently forward and back or side to side, this, too, can cause injuries in the brain.

Brain injuries may be closed or penetrating

If you fracture your skull, the medical industry refers to it as a penetrating brain injury. If your skull remains intact but you suffer a concussion or other brain trauma, you will have a closed brain injury. Another type of brain trauma is known as a Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI), which occurs when the fibers of your brain are torn.

Scans or imaging are necessary to diagnose brain trauma

If an ambulance transports you to a hospital after a car accident, the attending emergency room physician may order a CT scan or MRI to rule out or confirm brain trauma. Such tests are necessary for diagnosis, especially if you are exhibiting symptoms such as severe head pain, confusion, liquid leaking from an orifice or bruising around the eyes or ears.

In the days or weeks following a collision, however, you may request a CT scan or MRI if new symptoms develop or your initial discomfort has not subsided. It is possible to have a brain injury and not experience symptoms right away.

Recovery takes time when brain trauma has occurred

Whether you have a mild, moderate or severe brain injury, it is going to take time to heal. If you have a severe injury, it may even have permanent implications. For a concussion, the rule of thumb in recovery is usually to avoid bright lights and to rest in a quiet room. For a more severe injury, you might experience cognitive impairment and need daily living assistance.

When another person’s negligence was the causal factor to your injuries, you should not have to carry the full financial burden that may be associated with your condition. In addition to medical bills, you might lose wages by taking time off work. Many recovering car accident victims are able to alleviate financial strain by seeking accountability against the parties deemed liable for damages.