Millions of Americans suffer from traumatic brain injury as the result of a car wreck or motorcycle accident. Understanding what types of brain injuries that can occur to a victim is the first step in protecting oneself from irreversible damage and harm.

Accident-Related Brain Injury: Mechanisms

In an auto-accident-related TBI, the victim is jolted violently, sometimes against an object. This causes the brain to twist within the skull and bump against the skull walls, damaging the brain's axions, which are the connections between neurons. This disrupts the brain's internal communications, reducing the patient's ability to perform basic functions. Patients with more severe axion damage may go into comas or die immediately. Other types of brain injuries that are commonly caused by an auto accident include concussion; contusion in the brain tissue or bruising; skull fracture; and anoxia, a lack of oxygen to the brain.

A closed brain injury, in which the skull is not broken or penetrated, is the most common kind of TBI caused by auto accidents. It is also more difficult to diagnose than a penetrative brain injury, because the symptoms may not be obvious at first. Right after the accident, victims may feel fine, or show only a short loss of consciousness or a mild headache. They may be sent home from the hospital with a clean bill of health. Symptoms can continue to develop for weeks after an accident occurs. They include:

. Headaches

. Dizziness and lightheadedness

. Double vision or blurred vision

. Confusion or agitation . Fatigue

. Memory loss

. Mood or behavior changes

. Trouble concentrating

. Slurred speech

. Dilation of the pupils

. Repeated vomiting or nausea

. Loss of coordination

These secondary symptoms can occur when the brain swells in response to the original trauma. Because the brain is trapped inside the skull, this swelling can cause complications of the original, seemingly mild, injury. About 40 percent of TBI patients develop some of these symptoms, sometimes called post-concussion syndrome, in the days or weeks after an accident. Accident victims who show any of these symptoms should insist on being thoroughly rechecked for a traumatic brain injury, even if doctors originally said they were fine.

Costs of Automobile Accident-Related TBI

The costs, both personal and financial, of a traumatic brain injury can be high. Because brain tissue cannot regenerate the way other body tissues can, brain-damage patients may never fully recover from their injuries. Side effects after such an accident can forever effect an individual's mood, mental disorder, motor skill ability, hearing and memory.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than 5 million Americans need help with daily tasks because of a traumatic brain injury. These issues can cost thousands to millions of dollars for treatment and can severely affect a victim as well as family and friends.

To minimize the chance of living with a disability, accident victims who think they might have a TBI should insist on a thorough medical evaluation after an accident, so they can begin treatment as soon as possible. If you believe that someone else may be at fault for an auto accident that caused you or a loved one to sustain brain damage, or if you believe you are being unfairly denied treatment or compensation, you may wish to speak to an experienced brain injury attorney.


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