Imagine you’re involved in a traffic accident in Virginia Beach. While leaving the scene, you feel dazed and confused but physically unharmed. However, after several days have passed, something feels off. You’ve been forgetting small things, feeling uncharacteristically cranky, and getting persistent headaches.
We understand that traumatic brain injuries are not always immediately apparent. In fact, the symptoms of a delayed brain injury might not become obvious right away, instead taking days or even weeks after a car accident to become noticeable. Learning to identify the warning signs of a TBI can make a considerable difference in not only your personal injury claim but your long-term recovery as well. If you or a loved one experienced a traumatic brain injury in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, contact the Virginia Beach brain injury attorneys at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp today to schedule your free case review.
What Causes Brain Injury Symptoms to Be Delayed?
Brain trauma can mask itself in subtle ways. The initial surge of adrenaline and shock brought on by a motor vehicle accident can camouflage TBI symptoms, causing critical red flags to go unnoticed. Additionally, some brain injuries build slowly as inflammation and swelling increase.
During a serious collision, your brain can make contact with the inside of your skull even without a direct blow to the head. This can happen if your car suddenly stops, but your brain can continue moving inside your skull, which can tear and bruise delicate brain tissue. The effects of these types of injuries are not always immediate but can slowly progress into significant issues as time passes.
What Are the Most Common Delayed Brain Injury Symptoms?
If you notice any of the following symptoms days or even weeks after a car crash, seek immediate medical advice, as they may indicate a traumatic brain injury.
Cognitive Issues
Brain injury victims often experience cognitive challenges, such as:
- Memory issues typically manifest as mislaying commonly used items and difficulty recalling recent conversations. For example, a brain injury victim might find themselves unable to remember job-related directives given to them mere minutes ago or forget where they parked their car
- Trouble concentrating can make simple, routine activities extremely challenging. TBI victims may find themselves unable to follow the plot of a TV show they usually enjoy or reading the same paragraph over and over again.
- Feelings of disorientation and confusion can arise when performing tasks that were once second nature. A parent who has driven their child to school via the same route for years might forget what turn to take or wind up lost.
Physical Symptoms
A traumatic brain injury can be accompanied by numerous physical symptoms long after the accident that caused it. These symptoms can include:
- One of the most common symptoms of a delayed TBI is continuing headaches that worsen over time. A report published by the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center shows TBI-related headaches can persist for several weeks, and they don’t tend to respond well to non-prescription painkillers.
- Dizziness and problems with balance can cause you to be unstable on your feet. A once-stable waiter may suddenly find it difficult to carry drinks and food without falling, dropping them, or feeling off-balance.
- Changes to vision, such as blurriness, double vision, and sensitivity to light, can also develop in the days following a car accident. For example, a computer programmer with a brain injury may have trouble bringing on-screen text into focus or notice increased eye strain that wasn’t there before the collision.
Sleep and Emotional Disturbances
After a traumatic brain injury, subtle changes in personality and mood may appear. These include:
- Due to heightened emotional sensitivity, you may find yourself unusually stressed out or upset by situations that normally wouldn’t bother you. An accountant who is usually calm and even-tempered might find themselves holding back tears during an ordinary work conference.
- Sleep disturbances like excessive daytime sleepiness or insomnia can also indicate a traumatic brain injury. Victims may find themselves sleeping a lot more than normal or unable to fall asleep even though they are exhausted.
- Mood changes, such as depression, anxiety, or irritability, often appear gradually. Family and close friends typically notice these mood changes before the victim does.
What Should I Do if I Suspect a Delayed TBI?
Getting prompt medical attention for a traumatic brain injury is essential to your recovery and any future personal injury claim. If you notice possible signs of a brain injury following a car accident, you should:
- Seek prompt medical care: Let your physician know about your car accident and all the symptoms you have experienced, even those that seem insignificant. Medical documentation will create a definitive connection between your car accident and your brain injury.
- Follow your doctor’s orders: Traumatic brain injuries usually require specialized medical attention. Not following your doctor’s advice can cause your condition to worsen and potentially damage your claim.
- Keep a daily symptom journal: Document details such as what your symptoms are, when they occur, and the impact they have on your day-to-day life. This journal can provide valuable proof of how your injury has affected your life.
- Consult with a Virginia Beach brain injury attorney: Under Virginia law, the state abides by the law of pure contributory negligence. If you are found to have contributed even 1% to your accident, your case can be thrown out, and you could be barred from financial recovery.
Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp
Building a strong brain injury claim after a traffic accident requires both experience and specialized knowledge. Insurance carriers typically dispute TBI claims because symptoms are often subjective, and these injuries do not always show up on standard imaging tests. They will likely attempt to shift the blame onto you, which, under the contributory negligence standard, would prevent you from recovering damages
The Virginia Beach brain injury attorneys at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp have been advocating for injured clients and their families since 1985. In one recent case, our legal team obtained a $5.5 million settlement on behalf of a Virginia Beach family who sustained serious injuries, including brain injuries, when a truck driver crashed into their vehicle while it was stopped at a red light.
If you were diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury after a car accident, reach out to the skilled Virginia Beach brain injury attorneys at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp by calling (833) 997-1774 or filling out the contact form on our website. We will review your potential case and explain your options for recovery. Our offices are located in Virginia Beach, Hampton, Norfolk, and Portsmouth.