When another driver hit your vehicle while you were driving along a West Virginia highway, the immediate aftermath of the collision was no doubt filled with high levels of stress and, perhaps, fear and chaos. You hopefully received medical attention soon after the collision. It’s not uncommon, however, to have an adrenaline rush that causes you to feel like you’re in better condition that you actually might be.
Symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) or other collision-related conditions sometimes don’t surface until hours, or even days, after an accident. This is why it’s so important to closely monitor your condition, especially if medical doctors at the hospital have released you to go home. If at any time you aren’t feeling well or additional symptoms develop, you shouldn’t hesitate to return to the hospital or to your primary care physician for further medical examination.
TBI can be fatal
Do you know that head injuries are one of the common causes of adult fatalities in the United States? If you feel pain or discomfort in your head, face or upper body, it’s definitely cause for concern.
After a collision, you’re bound to be upset, frightened and sore, especially if the initial impact caused you to be thrown forward or to hit your head or face on a window, dashboard or steering wheel. In the days and weeks that follow a collision, you’ll want to report any new symptoms to your doctor, making sure that he or she knows you were recently involved in a car accident.
Symptoms of TBI
Recovering from a motor vehicle collision takes time, especially if you suffered lacerations, whiplash, broken bones or other injuries upon impact. A TBI may not be immediately apparent, which is why it’s always best to return to the hospital or your primary care physician if symptoms develop.
Such symptoms might include grogginess or fatigue. You might also feel confused or have trouble seeing clearly. Difficulty smelling or tasting foods may be a sign of TBI as well. A brain injury might also cause light sensitivity, a change in sleep patterns or ringing in the ears.
Various types of TBI
The blunt force trauma of a motor vehicle collision may cause any number of brain injuries to occur. A physician knows what tests to perform to rule out a TBI. If you have symptoms, you might have a skull fracture, a concussion or a hematoma. There’s no way to predict an ultimate outcome if you have a brain injury.
Building a strong support network
If you suffer a TBI due to blunt force trauma in a motor vehicle collision, your medical team may consist of a neurologist, nurses, lab technicians and your primary care doctor. You may also need support from a physical therapist if you have suffered other bodily injuries.
Your family and close friends may play key roles in helping you to achieve as full a recovery as possible after a TBI. You can tap into legal support as well, particularly regarding compensation for collision-related expenses. There’s no reason you should have to bear the full financial burden for injuries that another driver’s negligence caused.
