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.
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:
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.
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.
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