If you’ve recently been involved in an Indiana car accident, your health remains at risk in the coming weeks. New symptoms, worsening symptoms or symptoms not resolved in time are cause for concern. Several issues that may arise days after a collision are indicative of brain injury and should be immediately reported to your primary care physician or nearest emergency room.
When you report these symptoms to a doctor and inform him or her that you’ve been in a car accident, a medical examination will occur that may undoubtedly include a CT scan, MRI or other imaging tests. The purpose of these tests is to rule out or diagnose a brain injury.
Seek medical attention right away if these symptoms occur after a car accident
If you are in a car struck by another vehicle or that wrecks and slams into a tree, wall or other stationary object, you are likely to suffer injuries, which may include brain trauma. If your head hurts, it may be due to a concussion or a worse condition. The symptoms included in the following list suggest severe brain trauma:
- A coup (pronounced COO) lesion is a bruise that can occur behind the ears, under the eyes or elsewhere on the face or head.
- Extreme fatigue and lack of endurance is common in brain injury patients.
- Dyspraxia is a condition where motor planning abilities become impaired.
If you are struggling to verbalize your thoughts or you cannot follow simple instructions, such as “Walk to the table and pick up the book,” it may be a sign of dyspraxia, which is often associated with traumatic brain injury. Feeling too tired to carry out daily activities also suggests brain trauma, as does bruising, especially behind the ears or under the eyes.
Have you received a brain injury diagnosis?
If tests show that you have a severe concussion, skull fracture, or bleeding or swelling on the brain, you will likely be admitted to the hospital for observation or, perhaps, surgery, if necessary. Treatments and care associated with brain injuries are often necessary on a long-term basis. In addition to surgery, you might need physical therapy or assistance from a home healthcare professional.
If driver negligence was a causal factor in the Indiana collision that resulted in your brain injury, you can request compensation for damages. You would make this request by filing a legal claim in civil court. In addition to physical injuries, you can include property damage and emotional trauma in your list of damages.