What is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) isn’t as straightforward as other conditions or injuries. The brain is a marvelously complex organ, and brain injuries can affect people in different ways. Because many people have an incomplete understanding of TBI, they often suffer through symptoms without understanding the root cause of their condition.
To begin with, brain injuries typically occur when a bump or jolt causes damage to the brain. Truck accidents are a common cause of TBI due to the difference in size between cars and commercial trucks. TBI symptoms may include:
- Changes in memory and speech patterns
- Emotional or psychological changes
- Difficulties with motor functions
You may have questions or concerns about the various misconceptions surrounding TBI. The attorneys at Fried Goldberg can provide compassionate legal representation because we understand what TBI victims go through. Let’s have a look at the top five trucking accident TBI misconceptions.
TBI Misconception #1: Traumatic Brain Injury Is Not Dangerous
Perhaps the most common myth about traumatic brain injury is that it isn’t dangerous. People suffering from TBI are sometimes dismissed or brushed off by those around them. This can happen when family or friends don’t recognize the risks and dangers that TBI can present.
For instance, even mild TBI cases can lead to long-term impacts, like altered emotional responses or degenerative brain disease. TBI can be even disabling for periods of time. In certain cases, effects can be permanent.
As a result of these long-term effects, TBI can create challenges for the entire family, who may need to adjust to changes in the victim’s lifestyle. So, even if a trucking accident seems minor, TBI symptoms and effects can dramatically alter one’s life. Don’t hesitate to seek additional medical treatment if you’re noticing changes in your behavior after a trucking accident.
Misconception #2: I Don’t Have TBI Because I Didn’t Hit My Head
Another common misconception is that TBI is only caused by direct strikes to the head. However, trucking accidents can result in TBI even if your head never made contact with anything else. Symptoms can result from a wide range of causes. For example, shaken baby syndrome can also cause TBI, where the infant’s head never contacted any object.
In a trucking accident, even a small jolt to the body can cause the brain to move inside the skull in ways it’s not supposed to. This can result in TBI symptoms that begin to show up after the accident. You can still experience TBI even if you didn’t hit your head directly. For this reason, you should always seek medical attention if a truck struck your car, even if you never hit your head or weren’t knocked unconscious.
Misconception #3: TBI Symptoms Are Always Detectable Through Scans and Tests
Another issue to consider is that TBI can affect a person even when medical scans come back normal. If medical tests don’t immediately show any significant changes in brain functioning, it doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have TBI.
Signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injury can show up in ways that aren’t detected by medical instruments. TBI might affect a person’s speech or memory despite when medical tests showed no physical changes in the brain structure.
Be sensitive to changes in behavior or any new difficulties that you or a loved one might have after a truck accident. They could be experiencing TBI, regardless of whether it shows up on a medical scan.
Misconception #4: TBI Symptoms Are the Same for Everyone
A crucial part of coping with TBI is understanding that the symptoms are different in each individual case. This is largely because traumatic brain injury can affect specific areas of the brain. There is no single set of TBI symptoms that applies to all truck accident victims. Many factors can determine the type of symptoms that appear after an accident, including:
- The nature of the vehicle accident
- The victim’s physical condition at the time of the accident
- Characteristics of the patient, such as their age or weight
Since each case may involve varying symptoms, the traumatic brain injury recovery process will also be unique to each person. You may legitimately have a brain injury even if your experience is different from another TBI survivor’s.
Misconception #5: Effects and Symptoms Appear Immediately
Lastly, TBI symptoms don’t always appear immediately after the accident. An accident victim might experience physical symptoms like pain or headache right after a crash. However, other symptoms like those affecting mental functions may not appear until hours or even days after the incident.
Certain TBI issues might not become noticeable until the person tries to perform everyday tasks. Each case is different, so being aware of changes in habits or behavior will help you in providing support and care.
Be sure to take note if you notice a loved one struggling even well after an accident. Being patient also goes a long way, as challenges can increase in complexity and seriousness as time goes on. You can provide meaningful support by staying adaptable as their needs and routines shift.
Empathy and Guidance for Your TBI Claim
Managing TBI in yourself or a loved one can be challenging. People don’t always experience the same symptoms, and it can manifest differently in each case. An inaccurate understanding of TBI can have effects on important matters like medical treatment, insurance coverage, and the ability to recover legal damages.
When finding legal representation for a TBI claim, you need to select a firm that understands the individual needs of each victim. Contact the truck accident attorneys at Fried Goldberg at 877-591-1801 if you need representation for a TBI claim from attorneys who understand the complexities of such an injury. We have the experience, insight and understanding necessary to support TBI victims in their recovery journey.