The Recovery Timeline Of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Michael Babboni
Personal Injury
The brain is the body’s most complex organ, which makes it no wonder why traumatic brain injuries are some of the most complex experienced after a Florida car accident. Car accidents account for 14% of all traumatic brain injuries experienced in the United States, and this includes the St. Petersburg, Florida area. A traumatic brain injury can vary, and no two may be exactly alike. While one person may suffer a mild concussion with few noticeable symptoms at all from an automobile accident, another could find themselves with a moderate injury and the lasting symptoms that go along with it.How Does The Traumatic Brain Injury Happen?
In a Florida car accident, the direct cause of the traumatic brain injury might be obvious, or it might be less so. If a person comes to see that their head is bleeding and their window is broken, a natural conclusion would be that their injury was caused by their head striking the window. If a person has a bruise or a “goose egg” bump on their forehead, and were sitting in the driver’s seat position where their head is in close proximity to the steering wheel, they can reasonably assume they experienced blunt force trauma when the force of the accident caused them to bump their head into the wheel.
However, in these less obvious cases, a person may not know right away that they’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury until they’ve been checked out by a professional. Traumatic brain injuries can also be caused by a person’s brain jostling against their skull after experiencing extreme force, leaving no telltale signs that an injury has occurred. In these instances, a person may not know they’ve had a traumatic brain injury, they may assume they’re alright, and then symptoms may start popping up later. These symptoms may be attributed to stress, anxiety, or other causes, when really the result of a TBI.
Treatment And Recovery From Traumatic Brain Injuries
The treatment process for a traumatic brain injury will vary depending on the severity of the injury, what may have caused the injury, and the specific person being treated. The brain is an incredibly complex organ, and a treatment plan that works for one person and their symptoms may not work for another.
For a mild concussion, the primary method of treatment is rest and taking it easy for a couple of weeks. During this recovery time, you may meet with your doctor periodically to ensure your symptoms aren’t persisting and there are no signs of a more serious injury.
Moderate traumatic brain injuries can be complicated, and they may take their own path through the healing process. These types of brain injuries are often nonfatal, and the symptoms often subside, but they can have lasting effects in some instances that require years of medical intervention to solve. For instance, a moderate brain injury can lead to problems in speech, sensory differences, digestive issues, and changes in personality, and these may persist or reduce over time.
Severe brain injuries may lead to lifelong disability, loss of function, and even death. In auto accident incidences where a severe brain injury has been suffered due to another driver’s negligence, a person or their family may wish to seek the filing of a lawsuit against the negligent party for damages related to their injuries. While Florida practices no-fault insurance laws that limit a person’s ability to seek compensation from a negligent driver, the severity of injury caused by a severe TBI goes over the PIP policy threshold and allows a person to seek compensation for damages through a lawsuit against a negligent party.