Motor vehicle collisions are a leading cause of many types of debilitating medical issues. Crashes are one of the more common reasons that people in the United States develop traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
TBIs range from mild concussions with no permanent consequences to severe brain injuries that leave someone dependent on life support. Many brain injuries fall in between those two extremes. They cause permanent consequences but do not render someone indefinitely unconscious or incapable of meeting their own basic daily needs. Even when an injury is moderate, the injured individual may notice a permanent change in their functional abilities and overall lifestyle.
Brain injuries can change personalities
Oftentimes, one of the most shocking consequences of a brain injury is how it changes someone’s overall mood and personality. Such changes are not universal but are a somewhat common symptom of TBIs. People may become more or less easygoing or have a harder time maintaining their relationships because of how their personalities and moods shift after a brain injury.
Changes in sensory perception
A big part of how people experience the world involves incoming sensory information. A large portion of the brain focuses on analyzing visual information and other incoming sensory details. Brain injuries can result in blurry vision, changes in someone’s sense of smell and other challenging sensory symptoms. How people perceive and interact with the world may change drastically after acquiring a TBI.
Shifts in cognitive function
A brain injury could affect many different parts of the brain depending on someone’s neurology and the location of their injury. Many people report cognitive symptoms after a brain injury. They may have a more difficult time recalling certain information or retaining new memories. They might struggle with decision making or they have a hard time focusing when it was never a challenge before their injury.
The abrupt changes caused by a TBI can affect not just someone’s relationships but also their employment. Treatment can help people control and understand their brain injury symptoms, but many people have lifelong symptoms of their injuries that they cannot fully control.
Requesting compensation for a TBI might require going to court, as personal injury lawsuits can offer more compensation than basic insurance claims. Those who understand the long-term personal and financial implications of a TBI can better respond after getting hurt in a crash.