Posts filed under traumatic brain injury

The Hidden Signs of Traumatic Brain Injuries After Car Accidents: What You Need to Know

It is not always easy to tell if someone has, or is, suffering from a traumatic brain injury.  For example, you may have a brain injury even if you have no obvious cuts, bruises, or fractures to you head or face.  It could be the case that you never lost consciousness when you were injured.  Nevertheless, you may still have a traumatic brain injury. 

Quite often in car accidents, the driver or passenger collides with a hard surface.  But also, even if there is no such impact, one’s head may still be violently shaken, causing the brain to collide with the inside of the skull.  Even this type of collision may cause brain bleeding that cannot be seen on the surface of the body. 

If you or a loved one has been in a Hudson car accident, you should be mindful and pay attention to how your body feels.  Traumatic brain injuries may manifest in the following ways:

  • Dizziness;
  • Headaches;
  • Fatigue;
  • Nausea or vomiting;
  • Muscle weakness;
  • Loss of sleep or oversleeping;
  • Increased irritability;
  • Anxiety;
  • Nervousness;
  • Impatience;
  • Loss of concentration;
  • Inability to focus;
  • Being easily distracted;
  • Sensitivity to light or sound;
  • Blurry or double vision; and
  • Memory loss.

More could be added to this list and it is important that you or your loved one consult a physician if you have been in an automobile accident and especially if you suffer from any of the above listed symptoms.   Traumatic brain injuries are very serious conditions.  Any of these things may be more than temporary; rather, they could indicate permanent disability. 

While health insurance and auto insurance may have compensated you in part, your pain and suffering could still be compensated for if, for example, the accident was caused in whole or in part by a vehicle manufacturer.  Was the car properly manufactured; was the car in adequately designed; was there an inadequate warning of possible danger or injury?  All of these things need to be considered and this is why you should consult an attorney after being in a serious car accident.

An experienced Hudson car accident attorney is familiar with the “crashworthiness doctrine”.  This doctrine forces car manufacturers to foresee possible collisions and to be aware that a collision often involves multiple collisions, such as the force of the vehicle coming into contact with something else, and then there is the collision between and within the driver’s body and some other object.  In order for the vehicle to be “crashworthy”, the vehicle must be designed and manufactured in accordance with all laws and industry standards so as to provide the car’s occupants with all possible safety precautions. 

Flaws in the design of seatbelts, airbags, child seats, head rests, tires, doors, etc., are common causes of traumatic brain injury as opposed to the vehicle accident itself.  You or your loved ones deserve compensation if injured by any number of improper automobile design and you should contact an attorney for a full consultation in regard to your options.

The attorneys at Greenberg and Greenberg handle car accident cases throughout New York State, including Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, and Albany County.  Our legal team has earned a reputation for dedicated service to our clients injured in New York personal injury accidents.  Please contact us today to receive a free case evaluation by dialing locally to 518-828-3336 or call toll free at 877-469-9300.

Been in a Car Accident?: Early Warning Signs Indicating that you May have a Traumatic Brain Injury

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A traumatic brain injury can occur during a car accident if the skull hits an object such as the windshield or the steering wheel.  Even if the injury is not apparent, there is no open wound on the head or a skull fracture, the victim may not have even lost consciousness, and there may still be a brain injury. 

 

Due to the head’s violent motion during the collision, the brain can hit the bone inside the skull because of the sudden deceleration of the head.  This happens when the movement of the head stops (usually when the head hits a hard surface) but the brain continues to move (colliding with the inside of the skull).  This can result in the brain being bruised (contusion) and bleeding (brain hemorrhage).  Our experienced Hudson personal injury attorneys have handled many traumatic brain injuries and are able to zealously advocate for victims suffering such injuries.

Crashworthiness

 Crashworthiness is a term used to describe whether an automobile is able to protect its occupants when there is foreseeable collision.  Under the “crashworthiness doctrine” the manufacturer needs to take into account that many accidents are reasonably foreseeable and that reasonable steps need to be taken to anticipate these accidents and provide a level of protection for the occupants.

When traumatic brain injuries occur during an automobile accident, an automotive defect could be the cause of the injury.  While the defect may not have been the cause of the accident, it may have enhanced injuries.  This could justify bringing an action against the manufacturer of the vehicle.

 Signs of Traumatic Brain Injuries

After a car accident, the driver and/or passenger should look for the warning signs that indicate that a traumatic brain injury occurred.  These signs include:

  • Changes in Memory (memory loss of the surrounding events of the accident, having trouble performing normal short-term memory tasks, or repeating yourself);
  • Changes in Mood (increased impatience, irritability, nervousness, sadness, and anxiety);
  • Changes in Perception (this includes increased sensitivity to light or sound; fuzzy, blurry, or double vision; perceiving smells that do not exist);
  • Changes to Sleep (sleeping either more or less than usual or having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep);
  • Changes in Thinking (difficulty concentrating, feeling mentally sluggish, or distracted easily); and
  • Physical Changes (experiencing feelings of dizziness, fatigue, nausea, headaches, or vomiting; weakness in legs or arms; and/or being unsteady while walking).

If you have experienced one or more of these changes after an accident where your head struck a hard surface, you may have suffered a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or other serious injury and you should see a physician or go to the emergency room for an examination and diagnostic testing immediately.  These are serious injuries and playing “hero” or trying to “walk it off” could result in significant and permanent health complications.

The attorneys at Greenberg and Greenberg handle traumatic brain injury cases throughout New York State, including Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, and Albany County.  Our legal team has earned a reputation for dedicated service to our clients injured in New York personal injury accidents.  Please contact us today to receive a free case evaluation by dialing locally to 518-828-3336 or call toll free at 877-469-9300.