Unfortunately, car accidents aren’t an uncommon occurrence in daily life. And, in many of these car accidents, one or more individuals will likely suffer personal injury.
Brain injuries from car accidents are a particularly challenging injury. Unlike, say, a broken leg, brain injuries can be invisible to outsiders and unpredictable for victims. No two brain injuries are alike, and different individuals can experience wildly different symptoms after suffering a brain injury.
Below, we’ll discuss how brain injuries from car accidents are treated in personal injury claims and how they can differ from other types of common personal injuries.
What is a Brain Injury?
Brain injuries from car accidents often arise due to trauma to the head (such as a blow to the head) or whiplash. These types of injuries are referred to as “traumatic brain injuries.” However, the severity of a traumatic brain injury can vary.
For example, most people are likely familiar with concussions – otherwise referred to as “mild traumatic brain injuries” or “mTBIs.” Concussions often don’t appear on imaging, such as an MRI or a CT scan, though the victim will undoubtedly experience symptoms such as head pain, confusion, and loss of coordination. However, concussions are typically treatable, and victims often recover with proper treatment.
Traumatic brain injuries, on the other hand, are more serious than concussions and can take much longer to recover from. In some cases, individuals who suffer traumatic brain injuries will never fully recover from a traumatic brain injury.
Keep in mind that while brain injuries can vary in severity, milder symptoms do not preclude car accident victims from pursuing a personal injury claim. If you have concerns regarding injuries you have sustained in a car accident, speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer for guidance.
How Do Medical Professionals Diagnose Brain Injuries from Car Accidents?
Brain injuries from car accidents can be difficult to diagnose after the fact – that’s why, regardless of how you feel following a car accident, it’s critical to see a medical professional as soon as possible to confirm the state of your injuries.
Typically, if you receive immediate or near-immediate treatment following a car accident, a medical professional will conduct a Glasgow Coma Scale, which helps assess the initial severity of a possible brain injury by checking your ability to move and follow directions.
Suspected brain injuries may also be investigated either immediately following an accident or at a later time through imaging, such as an MRI or a CT scan. As noted earlier, however, not all brain injuries are visible through medical imaging.
Finally, medical professionals may be able to diagnose a brain injury based on circumstances and symptoms. For example, if a patient was involved in a car accident and hit their head and later reports difficulty concentrating and frequent headaches, a medical professional may diagnose a brain injury on that basis.
But what about treatment? Treatment for brain injuries from car accidents varies depending on the severity of the injury. For example, with milder concussions, a victim may recommend resting at home and monitoring for any changes in symptoms. On the other hand, severe traumatic brain injuries could require anything from lengthy rehabilitation work to surgery.
How Do I Prove I Suffered a Brain Injury from a Car Accident?
Like mental illness, proving that you suffered a brain injury following a car accident can be challenging. This is because both mental and brain injuries are “invisible” and may not show up through traditional imaging or other diagnostic tools. However, just because an injury isn’t easily detectable doesn’t mean that you aren’t suffering or entitled to seek damages for your injuries and losses.
Medical Records
Your medical records can tell your lawyer – and the courts – a lot about your brain injury. They provide your doctor’s perspective on the symptoms you reported at each visit, their objective assessment of your symptoms, and treatment recommendations. Over time, medical records also show how your injuries progressed (for better or for worse).
To that end, remember that, at the end of the day, the most important thing for you to do following an accident is to seek treatment and follow all of your treating medical practitioners’ advice. Not only will adhering to medical recommendations help you recover more effectively but they will also show the court and other interested parties that you have been following your doctors’ recommendations, helping your credibility for your personal injury claim.
Medical Experts
Beyond your treating medical practitioners, you may also need to obtain expert opinions regarding your brain injury to provide an additional professional opinion on the existence and impact of a brain injury. These experts are typically hired during a personal injury claim to either examine the victim or review their records to provide further analysis regarding the injuries.
Witness Testimony
Witness testimony can also play a role in proving that a victim suffered a brain injury from a car accident. For example, witnesses at the scene of the accident may be able to provide testimony relating to the accident (for example, whether the victim hit their head) or the state of the victim following the accident.
The victim (along with friends, employers, family members, and other potential witnesses) can also testify to their observations relating to the victim’s condition. This testimony – coupled with medical evidence – can help establish the nature and extent of the plaintiff’s brain injury following a car accident.
How Much is a Brain Injury Case Worth?
The value of a brain injury case varies wildly based on the nature of the plaintiff’s injuries (including those beyond brain injuries from car accidents) and the impact of the accident on their life. It’s, therefore, difficult for a personal injury lawyer to estimate how much a brain injury case is worth without having reviewed all available evidence. For help investigating how much your brain injury case might be worth, speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer today.
Personal Injury Lawyers in Ottawa Helping Brain Injury Victims
Tierney Stauffer LLP’s personal injury lawyers understand the emotional and financial hardship a brain injury can cause for an individual and their loved ones. During what can be a challenging time, we dedicate ourselves to working with you and your family to achieve the best possible outcome. We collaborate with leading experts in medical rehabilitation, future care, accounting, and medical professionals. By doing so, we ensure all resources are available to you, protect your rights, and ensure that you receive appropriate compensation.
If you or someone you care about has suffered a brain injury due to the negligence of another party, take action now. Call us at 1-888-799-8057 or contact us online to set up a consultation with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers.