Brain Injuries from Automobile Accidents
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) from
automobile accidents is a leading cause of death and serious injury
in Maryland. Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can be mild,
moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to
the brain. Some symptoms appear immediately, while others do not
surface until some time after the accident. A person with a mild
traumatic brain injury may also feel dazed or out of sorts days
or even weeks after the initial injury. Other symptoms of a mild
brain injury include headache, lightheadedness, mild confusion
or memory loss, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, fatigue,
difficulty sleeping, and mood or behavioral or mood changes.
A person that has suffered more
serious traumatic brain injury typically presents with more immediate
symptoms, including memory loss, seizures, slurred speech, loss
of consciousness, coordination deficiencies, and erratic emotions
or mood swings. Because head injuries are the most serious injuries
you can suffer in an automobile accident, any suspicion of a brain
injury necessitates emergency medical care.
According to the Brain Injury Association
of Maryland, 40% of over 5,000 traumatic brain injuries in Maryland
every year are from auto accidents, trucks accidents, and bike
accidents. A brain injury in a car accident typically occurs from
a violent blow to the head when the driver or a passenger's head
collides with an inflexible object, usually the steering wheel,
side door or window, or windshield of the car. As you might expect,
brain injuries are more common in head on or side impact car accidents
than in rear-end auto accidents.
For personal injury lawyers in Maryland handling
serious brain injury cases, there are often an assortment of different
issues. Often, the injured victim needs a next friend or guardian,
usually a parent, spouse, or adult child to act on their behalf
with a limited or durable power of attorney because the brain
injury patient may have the ability to reason or make judgments
regarding the administration of their personal injury case and
more fundamental details like personal financial decisions and
administration. (This is also true in medical malpractice cases for birth injuries not caused by trauma.) Our Maryland auto accident brain injury lawyers assist
our clients not only in dealing with their personal injury case
against the negligent driver but also in the helping the victim
and their family with the legal and administrative details they
will certainly face.
