I have been representing injury victims for a long time. I have seen all kinds of injuries, but few can be more devastating than a brain injury. You can suffer a brain injury in a car accident even if you don’t hit your head on anything, and even if you don’t lose consciousness. Often a traumatic brain injury (TBI) will go undiagnosed for some time after a car or motorcycle accident. This delay in diagnosis and treatment can worsen the impact of the injury and make the recovery more difficult. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, it’s important to determine whether a brain injury has taken place.
Traumatic brain injuries can be either mild, moderate or severe. A mild traumatic brain injury, also commonly referred to as a concussion, is the most common type of TBI. Symptoms could include fatigue, headaches, visual disturbances, memory loss, poor concentration, sleep disturbance, dizziness, emotional disturbance, depression, or sometimes seizures. These symptoms are often subtle, and with other musculoskeletal injuries as well, they can easily be missed.
Unlike a mild TBI, a moderate or severe TBI involves loss of consciousness for some period of time. This type of TBI often results in long-lasting cognitive deficits, affecting attention, concentration, memory, confusion, impulsiveness and language processing. It can result in impaired speech, sensory deficits, and more.
Whether you have suffered a mild, moderate or severe TBI, it is essential that you get appropriate treatment as soon as possible. One resource for finding the right treatment is the Brain Injury Alliance of Washington. The BIAWA is a non-profit dedicated to providing resources to victims of TBI and their families, and to provide education to the public at large regarding the prevalence and the effects of brain injuries.
If you suffered your brain injury as the result of a car accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, or really any kind of accident, it would be a good idea to contact an experienced brain injury attorney. An attorney can help you locate the resources you need, and can make sure the insurance company doesn’t take advantage of your compromised state.