One of the most common injuries that car accident victims suffer from is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) known as a “concussion.” Still, even though this injury occurs quite often, few people are aware of its warning signs. This is especially dangerous since people with this type of TBI can take a while to show symptoms. Without proper medical attention, a concussion can worsen and have lasting impacts on your life. To familiarize yourself, there are several critical concussion symptoms to be aware of after your accident.
Notable Concussion Symptoms
Concussions are a type of TBI that is caused by sudden trauma to the brain as a result of colliding with the interior of your skull. Depending on the severity, a concussion may take many different forms and cause a variety of symptoms to arise. You must be medically evaluated immediately after an accident since, as previously mentioned, TBIs can worsen over time.
Some of the most notable symptoms of a concussion are as follows:
- Persistent headaches or migraines: This particular symptom can arise immediately after the accident or may take a while to emerge. The timeline may vary according to the individual and the severity of the TBI. The aching can persist for several months and may even worsen as time passes, so an urgent visit to the physician is critical to your wellbeing.
- Insomnia or excessive sleeping: No matter what side of the sleeping difficulty spectrum you fall on, you will likely notice a drastic change in your sleeping habits if you are suffering from a concussion. Still, to ensure that this is attributed to your TBI and not merely an unexpected behavioral change, consult a medical professional.
- Slurred speech: In severe cases, your speech will be slurred very soon after the accident if you’ve suffered a concussion. The change may even take effect immediately. If this symptom arises, you must immediately seek medical attention, as it represents an extreme TBI.
- Rapid, unusual mood swings: You may not feel like yourself after an accident, which might entail the inability to regulate your emotions normally. This is trait that is indicative of a severe TBI, so upon you or your loved ones’ observance of your emotional atypicality, seek urgent medical attention.
Minor symptoms that arise as a result of a concussion include photosensitivity and feelings of nausea.
What to Do If You Have Been Concussed
With any TBI, you should always visit a hospital immediately following the accident. Regardless of the severity of your injury or whether you believe you’ve been wounded or not, a physician’s guidance is invaluable to ensuring your physical health in the aftermath of an accident. Further, your doctor will provide a printed summary of your visit. This document will ultimately function as a key piece of documentation in your case, should you choose to press charges.
Know that if your injury was the fault of a negligent individual, you have the right to file a claim against them. Your personal injury lawyer will ensure that all evidence of your medical visits are presented so that you are compensated for the expenses and experience a full recovery. Get in touch with a lawyer today to get your case underway.