If you or someone you loved has been in a car accident, there are certain signs and symptoms you should look out for. If for any reason the ambulance crew did not pick up on this, or you were not seen by a medical professional, understanding these signs and symptoms could save your life. Failure to spot brain injury early could lead to a severe deterioration in your brain’s health or could even be fatal. Here is everything you should look out for following a car accident.
Headaches
Headaches are a common sign of brain injury but could also be for many other reasons, and you may experience a headache due to stress. A headache can come on all of a sudden or may be quite subtle in the background. If this worsens suddenly and is combined with any other symptoms, it is best to see a medical professional immediately. Headaches can happen due to the brain beginning to swell following an accident, as well as for many other reasons.
Conscious State
Those with a brain injury can have many conscious states. If you have a loss of consciousness, whether it lasts for a couple of seconds or a few hours, you need to see a medical professional immediately. You may also suffer from a decreased level of consciousness and if you or a loved one becomes hard to wake after a car accident, this could be a sign of brain injury.
Convulsions
A brain injury can cause convulsions or seizures to occur. Sometimes they can be very small and difficult to notice and other times it may be that you seize for minutes at a time. If a family member or loved one begins to have a seizure, follow this advice and call 911 straight away.
Sensory Problems
The brain is the control center for all of your senses, so if the brain becomes injured, these senses will not work properly, and you may notice a change. Some of these include sensitivity to sounds or lights, blurry vision, noises in the ears, loss of taste and/or smell and a bad taste in the mouth.
Other Common Signs
There are many other signs of brain injury following a car accident and these include, but are not limited to, unequal pupil dilation, liquid running from the ears or nose, vomiting, slurred speech, weakness in the body and mood changes.
What to Do Next
If any of these apply to you or a loved one, medical attention should be sought immediately. If you have had a car accident that wasn’t your fault and have suffered a brain injury due to this, you should speak to a traumatic brain injury attorney. An attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve, especially if the brain injury has led you to not being able to provide for your family or work.
A brain injury is very serious and therefore should be seen to immediately. Never ignore any of these symptoms, as the earlier you spot a brain injury the better the outcome may be.