When you travel by motor vehicle or on foot in Hawaii, you are at risk. However, if you obey traffic laws and are alert and cautious, you reduce the chance of being involved in an accident. You can expect other motorists to act responsibly and comply with traffic regulations. Sadly, many don’t, such as drunk drivers, who often cause collisions. Such collisions may result in a brain injury or other life-threatening conditions.
The force of impact in a collision occurs suddenly. Even if you noticed another driver acting erratically, you may not have been able to safely change lanes or put enough distance between your two vehicles in time to avoid a crash. A moving vehicle striking you at highway speeds can easily cause brain trauma, spinal cord damage, broken bones and other severe injuries.
These symptoms suggest brain injury after a collision
If you are unconscious after another vehicle hits you, you have a brain injury. In the most severe cases, victims may remain unconscious for days, weeks or longer. Remaining conscious, however, does not necessarily mean you do not have a brain injury. The following list includes numerous symptoms that suggest brain trauma has occurred:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Trouble with vision, hearing or speech
- Extreme irritability or mood swings
- Insomnia or difficulty awakening from sleep
- Feeling groggy and fatigued all the time
- Feelings of sorrow, depression or anxiety
- Difficulty controlling your behavior
- Dizziness or lack of balance when sitting, standing or walking
It is best to seek immediate medical attention if any of these symptoms arise following a motor vehicle collision, even if several days or more have passed. A physician can perform manual examinations and neurological tests to rule out or diagnose a brain injury.
Recovery hinges on quality care
If you have suffered a severe brain injury, you might need surgery to repair a fracture, remove a blood clot or relieve pressure and swelling on the brain. You might also need physical or occupational therapy and other types of post-injury care to help you heal and restore quality of life. Recovering from a brain injury requires a lot of rest and calmness. If your injury is moderate to severe, you may have to take a lot of time off work.
In fact, in many cases, brain injury patients are permanently unable to return to work. When this happens, it is common for recovering victims to file disability claims. If a drunk driver caused the Hawaii collision that resulted in your brain injury, you are also eligible to seek compensation for damages in civil court. If it was your child who suffered the injury, you may act on his or her behalf in court.