Often times, people involved in car accidents suffer brain injuries when can range in seriousness from mild to severe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tells us that approximately 2.5 million emergency room visits, hospitalizations or deaths are associated with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) each year in the US.

Unfortunately, many people who sustain brain injuries following automobile accidents do not even realize it. Even worse, it is easy for an emergency room to miss a brain injury as many times the symptoms do not appear until later. If you have light sensitivity after a car accident, you should seek immediate medical attention as being sensitive to light can be an indicator that you’ve damaged your brain.

Common Myths About Brain Injuries

People have many misconceived notions about injuries to the brain, what causes them and their symptoms. Some of the most commonly believed myths about brain injuries include:

• A person must strike their head to sustain an injury to the brain
• One must be knocked unconscious to have a brain injury
• All the symptoms associated with a brain injury present themselves immediately following the accident

A person does not have to strike their head against something in order to sustain a brain injury. When involved in a car crash, the brain can collide with the inside of the skull without the head ever coming into contact with anything inside the car. The force of the impact of the brain striking the inside of the skull can result in the brain bleeding and swelling.

While many people lose consciousness when injuring their brains, not all people do. Some people with brain injuries never lose consciousness and are able to carry on conversations and walk and act as they normally do.

It can take several hours, days or even weeks after an accident for brain injury symptoms to appear. Some of the tell-tale symptoms of a brain injury include:

• Light sensitivity
• Sound sensitivity
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Memory problems
• Trouble walking
• Slurry speech
• Numbness

Even if you’re able to walk away from a car accident without seeking medical treatment, it’s important to remember that not all injuries such as those sustained to the head are apparent right away. If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above following your car accident, seek immediate medical attention to determine if you have suffered a brain injury. If you are diagnosed with a brain injury and the accident you were involved in was caused by someone else, you could be able to file a legal claim for compensation that would cover your medical costs and other losses suffered such as lost wages or the inability to earn a living.

The San Francisco brain injury attorneys at Hogan Injury can help you recover the maximum compensation you are entitled to under law. We offer a no fee guarantee which means you don’t pay us a thing unless we win or settle your case.