Each year in the United States, about 1.7 million hospitalizations and even deaths occur due to brain injuries. You can easily suffer a traumatic brain injury in a car accident if another driver was negligent behind the wheel.
For instance, perhaps your fellow motorist in Minnesota was texting while driving or was speeding. In this situation, he or she might be held responsible for your injury. This liability may prove important if you hope to pursue compensation for the long-term repercussions an injury to the brain can have.
Closed and open injuries
Closed head injuries do not involve fractures, but your brain could be in jeopardy if it begins to swell due to the impact of the car collision. In addition, hazardous blood clots may form inside of your skull.
Open head injuries occur when your skull fractures due to striking a hard object or surface. If severe enough, both closed and open head injuries may cause you to lose consciousness or experience paralysis. Death is even a possibility.
What signs should I watch for?
Following your motor vehicle wreck, determining whether you have suffered a brain injury can be challenging. However, certain signs may point to this type of injury, such as:
- Weakness on a side of your body
- Nausea
- Unusual sluggishness
- Severe headache
- Trouble recalling recent events
If you have experienced any of these symptoms, seeking medical attention right away is critical. Even if you may feel fine overall, you might still have developed a brain injury.
What are my rights following an injury accident?
A brain injury can lead to financial burdens due to your having to go to the doctor for evaluation and treatment. In addition, this type of injury may prevent you from being able to return to work right away, which could potentially worsen your financial situation. Brain injuries can also be difficult to deal with from an emotional standpoint along with a physical one due to the symptoms you are forced to endure on a daily basis following the wreck.
If you suffered a traumatic injury to the brain because the driver who caused your accident was being careless, it is within your rights to seek compensation. Monetary compensation cannot undo the events leading to the accident, but it may help you to more easily move forward from the potentially life-changing ordeal. Therefore, you may wish to explore your legal options for possibly pursuing recompense.