| Each year, approximately 1.4 million people experience | | | | Some long-term conditions of traumatic brain injury |
| a traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to the National | | | | include seizures, headaches, visual problems and sleep |
| Institutes of Neurological Disorders. Transportation | | | | disorders. Some of the most persistent and common |
| accidents involving automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles | | | | functional problems include memory impairment, |
| and pedestrians account for half of all traumatic brain | | | | difficulties in concentration as well as deficits in |
| injuries and are the major cause of TBI in people under | | | | language use and visual perception. Additionally |
| age 75. The organization also notes that TBI is the | | | | vulnerable to TBI are problem-solving, abstract |
| leading cause of long-term disability among children and | | | | reasoning, judgment, information processing and |
| young adults. | | | | organization. Mood disorders, personality changes, |
| The human brain is very susceptible to damage from | | | | emotional control, depression and anxiety are also |
| the forces generated by a typical auto accident. TBI | | | | prevalent with traumatic brain injury from a car |
| lawyers commonly see brain injuries when the head | | | | accident. |
| strikes part of the vehicle during a crash, such as the | | | | Steps to Protect Yourself After an Auto Accident: |
| windshield or dashboard. But the brain can also suffer | | | | 1. Seek emergency care for your personal injuries and |
| injury without a direct blow to the head. The impact | | | | traumatic brain injury immediately. |
| from a collision can cause the brain to undergo a | | | | 2. Document any TBI symptoms and complaints you |
| sudden backward and forward motion, commonly | | | | have as soon as possible, no matter how minor they |
| referred to as “whiplash.” Whiplash is considered | | | | appear to be. |
| a closed-head injury, as it takes place within the skull. | | | | 3. Ask your doctor for the proper tests to diagnose a |
| The Silent Epidemic | | | | brain injury. Most doctors order MRI or CT scans, |
| The American Congress of Rehabilitative Medicine | | | | which show structural changes in the brain. However, |
| defines mild traumatic brain injury by at least one of | | | | most brain injuries, even severe and debilitating, will not |
| the following symptoms: | | | | show up on an MRI. That’s why it’s important to |
| - Any period of loss of consciousness | | | | get functional testing as well. Tests to consider are |
| - Any loss of memory for events immediately before | | | | Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and a Single |
| or after the accident | | | | Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT). |
| - Any alteration in mental state at the time of the car | | | | 4. If problems from your head injury persist, ask your |
| accident such as feeling dazed, disoriented, or | | | | doctor for a referral to a neuropsychologist. A |
| confused | | | | neuropsychologist has expertise in brain functioning. |
| - Neurological deficits that may or may not be | | | | Through a series of tests, a neuropsychologist can |
| temporary | | | | help determine the location and extent of any brain |
| Masked Symptoms | | | | injury. |
| In serious car crashes, brain injuries rarely occur | | | | 5. Defense lawyers often hire doctors who accuse |
| without accompanying serious physical injuries, so | | | | people of exaggerating their injuries or of having |
| doctors and emergency rooms frequently miss the | | | | pre-existing conditions. It’s important to hire a TBI |
| symptoms of a brain injury. In fact, more than 80 | | | | lawyer who knows how to protect you, and who can |
| percent of brain injuries are not diagnosed in | | | | expose these “experts” and their misleading |
| emergency rooms as the initial signs of TBI. | | | | accusations. |
| Doctors rarely see only one set of symptoms, clearly | | | | Remember, traumatic brain injury law and the |
| defined impairments or a disability that affects only one | | | | automobile accident exceptions that exist under each |
| part of a person’s life. And when other, more | | | | state’s law requires very specialized knowledge. |
| urgent medical problems are apparent at the onset of | | | | There are helpful links for TBI Auto Accident Victims |
| a car accident, mild TBI is often masked and can be | | | | including a list of valuable information resources and |
| ignored by doctors. | | | | directories to locate an experienced attorney. |