Traumatic brain injuries may have lifelong implications for victims

Drivers and their passengers could be at risk of serious injuries if they are hit by another vehicle. One type of injury often seen is a traumatic brain injury, which has the potential to cause serious, long-term complications and symptoms.

Traumatic brain injuries are defined as those injuries caused by rapid acceleration or deceleration, projectiles, impacts or blast waves. In a collision, this kind of injury could be caused by a direct blow or by a sudden stop that forces the head to whip forward or from side to side, for example.

Traumatic brain injuries: What to expect

For most people, a traumatic brain injury won’t change how they look, but they will still have symptoms that impact their lives. Some TBIs are debilitating and create life-changing disabilities.

It’s important to get a TBI identified, diagnosed and treated as soon as possible following a collision. Doing this may help someone get quicker medical care to reduce swelling and, hopefully, minimize the damage and complications from the initial blow or impact.

How long does it take to recover from a TBI?

There is no way to know how long it will take to recover from a TBI because all people are different. For some people, the symptoms might go away within days or weeks. For others, the damage will lead to lifelong consequences. Symptoms like headaches, trouble walking, difficulty with speech, depression and others may have a significant impact for the foreseeable future.

If you’re involved in a crash, it’s your right to look into ways to get compensated. The person who was at fault should be held liable for your injuries and the costs associated with them.