When you’re involved in a serious collision, there is a risk that you could suffer brain and spinal cord injuries. These may happen at the same time for a number of reasons.
To start with, a common injury in collisions is whiplash. This has the potential to damage the spine and spinal cord. It can also lead to brain injuries.
Even without whiplash injuries, there is a possibility of spinal cord injuries from the force of the impact, the strike of an airbag if it hits at an unusual angle, the impact of debris or penetrating injuries. Head trauma can happen if a person hits their head on the window or their steering wheel. Brain injuries could also happen if there are penetrating objects that impact them or due to other direct hits.
Brain and spinal cord injuries are catastrophic
Brain and spinal cord injuries have the potential to be life-altering injuries. These injuries could cause catastrophic damage that leaves a person paralyzed or dealing with other serious symptoms.
Possible symptoms of a brain injury could include:
- Speech difficulties
- Seizures
- Coma
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headaches
These and other symptoms could be debilitating and may worsen over time, so it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
For spinal cord injuries, you may notice that you don’t have sensation in a limb or have trouble breathing. The symptoms that you have will depend on how serious the injury is and where it is located along the spinal cord. If the injury is incomplete, it is more likely to be painful than if it is complete, since a complete injury prevents any communication between the brain and the area below the point of the injury.
With brain or spinal cord injuries, the priority has to be seeking medical care. The sooner you can seek treatment, the more likely it will be that you will have a chance at recovery. This is because swelling and movement may further damage the brain or spinal cord, and your medical provider may have treatments that will help.
Get the care you need. Then, you can look into seeking compensation for what you’ve gone through.