Your life may never be the same after you suffer a brain injury. Yet, in the hours and days immediately following a truck accident, you may not even know that you are hurt. You may not suffer visible injuries, and the results of diagnostic tests, such as x-rays, may not reveal any brain damage.
Instead, doctors may need to conduct multiple neurological tests, speech assessments, and cognitive exams and rely on other diagnostic tools to diagnose and treat your brain injury. It’s essential that you get this type of medical care to protect your physical and legal recoveries.
Different Types of Truck Accident Brain Injuries
Not all traumatic brain injuries are the same. During a truck crash, you may suffer a:
- Concussion. A concussion may occur if you hit your head during the truck crash or if your head shakes aggressively during the wreck. Some concussions heal with a few weeks of rest. However, some people with concussions suffer post-concussion syndrome that has lasting effects on their daily activities. Additionally, repeat concussions may be more likely to cause long-term damage.
- Contusion. A brain contusion is a bruising of brain tissue that damages small blood vessels in the brain. Contusions typically occur if you hit your head during a crash.
- Coup-contrecoup injury. Both sides of the brain are hurt if you suffer a coup-contrecoup injury. For example, you may hit your head on the steering wheel or dashboard at the moment of impact, and then your head may violently jerk backward, causing injury to the other side of the brain.
- Diffuse axonal injury. The force of a truck wreck can shear the axons in the brain. The sheared axons are typically small and hard to detect, but they may occur throughout the brain. Diffuse axonal injuries can result in coma or death.
- Hemorrhage. Truck crashes may cause internal bleeding in the brain. A brain hemorrhage is a medical emergency that may be fatal.
- Skull fracture. If you hit your head during a truck wreck, the impact may break your skull bone. A broken skull can cause cerebrospinal fluid to leak and may hurt the brain tissue.
- Other forms of traumatic brain injury. The brain can be damaged in many ways by the force of a collision with a truck. A neurology specialist may be needed to pinpoint your brain injury.
It may take even an experienced physician multiple visits to diagnose your brain injury, advise you of a treatment plan, and let you know what to expect next.
Living With a Traumatic Brain Injury
Brain injuries vary significantly. You may recover from a mild concussion without lasting symptoms or die from the severity of the damage—or, most likely, you will suffer lasting effects between these two extremes. The severity of your injury will depend on the type of injury you suffered, the part of the brain that was hurt, and how badly it was damaged. You may need to live with:
- Severe and recurring headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dizziness
- Vision problems
- Motor coordination difficulties
- Fatigue
- Tinnitus
- Speech issues
- Cognitive and concentration problems
- Emotional changes, such as anxiety or anger
- Memory loss
- Sleep difficulties
All of these things should be considered in your truck accident recovery.
How to Protect Your Brain Injury Recovery
As you follow your doctor’s treatment plan to manage your pain and heal to the extent possible, you also need to consider your financial damages. You’ve already incurred significant medical bills, lost time from work, and unimaginable pain and emotional suffering. These damages may continue for the rest of your life.
Accordingly, our experienced Kentucky truck accident lawyers are here to help you protect your future. We only represent a small number of clients so that we can provide personal and comprehensive attention to each of our clients.
If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury in a Kentucky truck crash, we invite you to contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Our experienced lawyers and staff nurse will be happy to review your case, discuss your legal options, advise you of your potential recovery, and explain our risk-free No-Fee Policy.
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