Living with a severe injury can be physically, emotionally and financially draining. This is often true for victims of traumatic brain injuries — TBI — who sometimes suffer long term cognitive damage. But not all TBIs are the same, and it can be helpful to understand the different types of injuries one can suffer in a car accident.
Delaware drivers might not associate concussions with TBIs, but they are indeed a serious brain injury — and the most common. Concussions are the result of direct trauma to someone’s head, which is a possibility in a collision. Victims may lose consciousness, feel confused or be dizzy. It is important to not brush off concussions as minor just because they are more common than other TBIs. Without proper treatment, some damage can be permanent.
Not all TBIs are caused by direct hits to the head, though. A diffuse axonal injury is the result of severe rotational forces or shaking, which causes the brain to hit the skull, suffering small tears in the process. Tears in the brain cause neurochemical disruptions, leading to things like coma, permanent brain damage and even death. Specific symptoms — such as disruption to memory or motor function — depend on where the tears occurred.
Virtually no one gets into a vehicle with the expectation of leaving it with serious injury. It is impossible to avoid reckless or negligent drivers though, no matter how safely one drives. All it takes is one collision with one of those dangerous drivers for life to change forever. Recovering compensation essential to recovery can be very helpful, so victims who are suffering from traumatic brain injuries may want to consider their options for doing so.