Signs of a severe head injury after a car crash include vomiting, seizures, unconsciousness, uneven pupils, or fluids draining from the nose or ears. However, head injuries vary widely, and some symptoms don’t show up right away. So, if you were in a car crash and hit your head, you should always check with a doctor to see if the injury is mild or severe.
If you’re worried about the cost of medical care following a mild or severe head injury, a Corpus Christi car accident lawyer can help you seek compensation.
Always Seek Medical Care for a Car Crash Head Injury
Any time you hit your head in a car accident, you should see a doctor immediately. In fact, we recommend seeking medical care after most collisions, since your adrenaline can mask many injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). When in doubt, get checked out.
Traumatic Brain Injuries Can Have a Delayed Onset
The Mayo Clinic reports that some symptoms of a TBI won’t show up for days or even weeks after an accident. Don’t wait that long to see if you’re okay, as delayed treatment can worsen symptoms. Diagnostic testing and scans can help you recognize an injury before you feel it.
You Can Suffer a Secondary Brain Injury
The difference between a mild and severe TBI can sometimes be a matter of timing. This is because of the risk of secondary brain injuries. Johns Hopkins Medicine explains that your brain tissue can experience further damage over time due to changes on the cellular level. Getting care right away means doctors can catch complications early and prevent them from worsening.
Getting Help Now Also Protects You Later
While your health is the most important reason to get medical treatment, you also want to get care quickly to protect your right to compensation in an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
Since head injuries can produce different reactions in each person, some victims must fight to have their injury legitimized in an insurance adjuster or liable party’s eyes. Creating medical records of a traumatic brain injury is a simple step that lays a foundation for future legal action and silences questions before they arise.
We have offices in Houston, Corpus Christi, and Victoria; and will travel to any corner of Texas if we are capable of preventing an injustice.
Symptoms of a Mild, Moderate, or Severe Brain Injury After a Car Crash
There’s a reason you might “see stars” after hitting your head. This is one symptom of a head injury. Some other mild head injury signs include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness or sleep changes
- Blurred vision
- Speech or hearing problems
- Light or sound sensitivity
- Memory loss
- Difficulty concentrating
- Mood changes
You might recognize these as a sign of a concussion, which is a form of traumatic brain injury. Some symptoms are subtle, like changes to sleep or difficulty concentrating. If you believe something’s amiss, double-check with your doctor. Mild head injuries are often treated with rest and a gradual return to activities, though they still require monitoring.
Moderate Head Injuries
If you suffer a moderate TBI, you may experience all the above, as well as:
- Loss of consciousness
- Severe headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loss of coordination
- Confusion
- Slurred speech
- Uneven pupil dilation
If you detect any of these symptoms in yourself or a loved one following a car crash, get immediate help. You may need medical intervention to repair bleeds or skull fractures.
You also may need more time to return to normal. If so, you may need help from a personal injury lawyer to recover compensation for your lost income and medical bills.
Severe Head Injuries
Signs that you have a serious TBI may include:
- Prolonged loss of consciousness or coma
- Convulsions or seizures
- Clear fluids draining from the ears or nose
- Weakness or numbness in the extremities
- Marked behavioral changes
You may need surgery, anti-seizure medications, and rehabilitation. Even once you are out of immediate danger, you could face a long road to recovery. Some TBIs at this level cause permanent brain damage and drastic changes to the victim’s health and lifestyle.
Given the significant hospital bills and recovery time for this level of head injury, make sure to explore your options for compensation. Our law firm can determine whether you can recover damages for your financial losses and recognition for your personal struggle.
Costs of a Car Accident Head Injury and the Compensation You Deserve
Since the severity of head injuries varies widely, so does the possible settlement or verdict you could receive. Nonetheless, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reports that TBIs cost an average of 74 percent more for inpatient stays than other injuries. Hospital stays are also longer, and TBI victims may need to return for additional care.
In other words, brain injuries are unique, so your compensation should be too. Some TBIs are considered catastrophic injuries when they are severe enough to upend your life. Yet even minor head injuries could warrant compensation, especially when combined with other auto accident injuries.
If a negligent party caused your crash, you could receive compensation to cover the costs of:
- Emergency treatment for your head injury
- Imaging and other diagnostic tests
- Initial and follow-up hospital stays
- Head, brain, and facial surgeries
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- Psychological counseling and support
- Prescription medications
- At-home nursing care
- Current and future lost income
- Reduced earning ability
- Pain and suffering and emotional distress
- Reduced enjoyment of life
Representing the injured in all areas of Texas that extends back over 40 years
Get Extra Support for a Car Accident Case After a Head Injury
Suffering a head injury in a car crash makes everything harder. Some simple things—making phone calls, filling out paperwork, keeping track of deadlines, concentrating during meetings, etc.—can suddenly feel monumentally difficult. On top of affecting your cognitive ability, these injuries can throw your emotions out of whack, disrupt your motor skills, and make you constantly feel tired and in pain.
However, you don’t have to go through this experience alone. A car accident attorney can handle the everyday maintenance of your case, like returning calls and emails, ensuring everything gets where it needs to be on time. We will also get you the information you need and only the information you need. You don’t have to suffer a severe injury to need and deserve this kind of support.
If You Suffered a Head Injury in a Car Crash, Contact Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC
As soon as you have seen a doctor for your mild or severe head injury after a car accident, reach out to our firm. Our legal team has handled personal injury and insurance cases for over 50 years. We can help you seek TBI compensation through a car accident claim or a lawsuit, depending on your situation. You even get direct access to our attorneys.
Contact us for a free case review now to explore your legal options.
At Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC we can talk to you about your options and rights.
