The impact of two vehicles colliding on a Missouri highway can be so forceful as to eject occupants from their vehicles. Even a so-called minor fender-bender can jar a person’s body so forcefully that severe whiplash is a result. During recovery from a car accident, it is possible for symptoms to develop that were not present at the crash site.
Feeling sore or emotionally upset is to be expected during recovery. Other symptoms, however, are often a sign of a more serious problem, such as a brain injury. This is why it is always best to report any new symptom to a physician.
Notify a doctor if these brain injury symptoms arise after a car accident
It is possible for inflammation and swelling to mask an injury in the immediate aftermath of a car accident, such as a small bone fracture not showing on an X-ray, until swelling has gone down. The following list shows symptoms that can develop hours or days after a collision, which often accompany a traumatic brain injury:
- Bruising around the eyes or behind the ears
- Clear liquid or blood leaking from an orifice, such as nose or ears
- Loss of taste, smell or hearing, as well as tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
- Vision problems
- Nausea or vomiting
- Unsteady gait when trying to walk
- Confusion or memory loss
It is imperative that an emergency room physician or primary care doctor be informed that the person experiencing these symptoms was recently involved in a car accident.
What happens after a brain injury diagnosis?
Depending on the severity of a brain injury, treatment may vary. A severe injury might require surgery and continued neurological assistance or therapy for months, or, perhaps, on a permanent basis. Less severe conditions might heal on their own, after several weeks of rest and quiet in a darkened room. If driver negligence was the causal factor in a collision that resulted in brain trauma, a recovering victim may seek compensation for damages by filing a personal injury claim in civil court.