If you’re used to navigating busy roadways in Chambersburg or other nearby Pennsylvania towns, you already understand how traffic-laden such areas can be. Nearby interstates are known for being high-risk areas for collisions. In fact, on a busy Friday afternoon when all you want to do is get home safely from work and start your weekend with a nice dinner and some rest and relaxation, you might wind up spending your evening in an entirely different way if another motorist hits your car.
A motor vehicle crash can change your life forever. If you suffer injuries, you might be in the hospital for several days or weeks. Spending a nice weekend at home may seem like a distant dream. Not all injuries are immediately apparent, however. Perhaps you were released after ER doctors checked you over following the collision, but as time went on, you realized you weren’t feeling so well. Traumatic brain injury is an injury many people suffer due to blunt force impact in car accidents whose symptoms may not be readily apparent.
Know the signs
Even if you’ve been home more than 24 hours following a car accident, if you don’t feel well, it could be a sign of a serious brain injury. It’s always best to return to the hospital to seek further diagnosis if needed. It’s also a good idea to know where to turn for additional support, especially if the driver who hit you was negligent. The following list includes symptoms of traumatic brain injury that can occur if your head hits a window or you suffer some other blunt force trauma in a car crash:
- Head pain or other upper body discomfort may signify TBI.
- If you hear ringing in your ears or are having other problems hearing, you may want to mention your accident to a physician and receive an examination.
- Muscle spasticity may be connected to TBI, as can any sign of coordination trouble, such as an off-balance gait when you walk.
- Not being able to control your emotions, such as fits of unprompted crying or laughter, or severe mood swings may be symptoms of serious brain trauma.
- Any trouble with your speech, vision or sleep patterns also warrants another trip to the hospital.
If you suffered a brain injury in a car crash, your symptoms may change over time. One day, you might be feeling pretty well regarding head pain, the next thing you know, you end up curled up in a ball, crying in pain. The bottom line is that any symptom, regardless of how mild or severe may suggest an accident-related brain injury.
Moving on in life after a car accident
Living with a TBI is definitely no easy task. Some Pennsylvania accident victims are able to recover and eventually return to work. Others suffer partial or full disabilities for the rest of their lives. A key factor in achieving as high quality a life as possible after your accident lies in the type of support you have throughout recovery.