What You Need To Know About Traumatic Brain Injuries If You Have Been In A Car Wreck
Half of all traumatic brain injuries are suffered in car accidents.
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
According to the CDC, a traumatic brain injury (TBI), is defined as a “disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury.” Often times, brain injuries come as a result of car crashes and slip & falls, where your head hits the floor, steering wheel, or airbag. But sometimes you can suffer a TBI even without actually hitting your head. When you suffer from whiplash as a result of a motor vehicle collision, sometimes that can be an indication that the movement of your head injured your brain. Signs and symptoms of brain injuries range in severity from very mild symptoms to debilitatingly severe symptoms.
Some common signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injuries are:
Mild TBI |
Severe TBI |
| Brief loss of consciousness | Prolonged loss of consciousness |
| Feeling dazed, confused, or disoriented | Convulsions or seizures |
| Headaches | Persistent headaches that worsen with time |
| Nausea or vomiting | Severe nausea or vomiting |
| Dizziness or loss of balance | Loss of Coordination |
| Problems sleeping, including excessive tiredness or loss of sleep | Numbness or tingling in the extremities |
| Sensitivity to light or sound | Feelings of confusion and agitation |
| Blurred vision | Slurred speech |
| Memory problems or problems concentrating | Potential for coma |
| Feelings of depression or anxiety | Dilation of pupils |
In addition to these symptoms, a brain injury can leave lasting effects, including permanent brain damage and functional loss that could affect you for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, the symptoms of brain injuries may not show up until days or weeks after an incident, leading to an increased risk for permanent damage. That’s why it’s important to seek immediate medical treatment for any sort of head injury.
In this video clip, Bethany explains TBIs to a jury:
How Do You Know if You Have a TBI?
Generally, when a patient presents with a head injury, doctors may use an MRI or a CT Scan to inspect the tissue of the brain for abnormalities. The problem with this is that many times a mild TBI won’t show up on these tests, leading doctors to presume no injury exists. This is especially common where there was no actual blow to the head, such as where the TBI is caused by whiplash.
If you are in a motor vehicle collision, and you begin experiencing any of the above symptoms within the first few weeks after the collision, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. Not only is it important for your health, but it is also important for proving your traumatic brain injury in a lawsuit. Documentation of your symptoms is key to prevailing in a TBI case.
Bethany works closely with your treating doctors to make sure you’re getting the treatment you need and the full work-up required to prove your traumatic brain injury at trial.
How Do You Prove a TBI to a Jury?
If a scan of your brain clearly shows a brain injury, there may not be an issue proving that a brain injury occurred. The issue of proof arises where the scans and imaging are negative for an injury, although all of the signs and symptoms of a TBI are still present. In these cases, insurance adjusters and courts may view the injury with skepticism and often times offer little in the form of compensation for your injury. As is the case with mild brain injuries, you may face a tough fight to get compensation for the treatment necessary to make you whole again.
Many inexperienced attorneys don’t know how to handle cases involving any sort of brain injury, much less a mild traumatic brain injury that presents with little concrete evidence. This may leave you under compensated for your injury and forced to pay for your own treatment to recover from your brain injury. That is why it is important for you to have an attorney like Bethany Schneider who specializes in cases involving traumatic brain injuries.
In this video clip, Bethany presents the proof of her client’s TBI to the jury:
Bethany has a proven track record of results in traumatic brain injury cases, including a case where the client was not diagnosed with a TBI until more than 3 years after the incident. In June of 2019, Bethany obtained a $5.5 million verdict in that case, on top of a $1 million settlement, plus $1.05 million in attorneys’ fees. Let Bethany put her specialized knowledge and experience with proving traumatic brain injuries to work for you and help get you the compensation you deserve.
If you have suffered a head injury after a car wreck, contact Schneider Injury Law for a free case evaluation.