Your brain is responsible for all that makes you human — your sensation, movement, consciousness, intelligence and emotion. This is why an injury to the brain resulting from a car accident can be so life-changing.
A traumatic brain injury in Hawai’i may come in a variety of forms, and can harm your very essence and hamper your growth opportunities in the future. Fortunately, if you have suffered a brain injury due to another driver’s negligence, you can seek justice.
Concussion
This is among the most frequently occurring traumatic brain injuries, resulting from direct impact trauma. For instance, if you have been in a motor vehicle accident and suffered whiplash, you could have easily suffered a concussion in the process as well. If you suffered a concussion, you likely also lost consciousness. Other signs of a concussion include a foggy mind, confusion and dizziness. Because a severe concussion can easily lead to permanent damage, seeing a doctor would be wise if you have experienced head trauma in a car accident.
Diffuse axonal injuries
These types of injuries stem from severe rotational forces or shaking. These movements cause your brain structures to tear because your skull is shearing your brain’s edges. As a result, your brain experiences neuro-chemical disruptions, which might lead to permanent damage to the brain or even a coma. Your symptoms may range from olfactory disruption to the disruption of your motor sensation, memory disruption or the disruption of your motor function.
Contusion
Yet another type of traumatic brain injury you may suffer in a motor vehicle collision is a contusion. Like a concussion, a contusion is the result of direct impact trauma. It is essentially localized brain bleeding that might require surgery to address, as the formation of a blood clot at the site of the contusion may be fatal.
Your rights following a car accident causing traumatic brain injury
If another driver caused you to suffer a traumatic brain injury due to speeding or other negligent behavior, it is within your rights to seek monetary compensation for your injuries. Compensation cannot undo the events leading to your potentially life-altering brain injuries. However, an accident injury lawyer may help to address your ongoing medical expenses, the loss of wages due to being unable to return to work, and other losses resulting from the car accident that led to your injuries.
