Brain injuries are a serious matter that can come from many sources. Some of the more common causes include motor vehicle crashes of all sorts, including car, truck, motorcycle, and pedestrian accidents. The vast majority of people who have a traumatic brain injury won’t require hospitalization. Of the 1.5 to 2 million people impacted by this injury annually, around 235,000 are admitted to the hospital because of a moderate to severe injury. Around 50,000 patients die from the injury.
Regardless of the severity of the injury, anyone who thinks they have a brain injury should seek medical care. This enables doctors to determine what areas of the brain suffered damage in the accident so they can establish a proper treatment plan.
The symptoms that you experience can give doctors clues about what areas of the brain have damage. They can also use imaging tests, such as an MRI or CT scan, to verify some aspects of the injuries and come up with a treatment plan. Using all the information they have available can ensure that you receive appropriate care.
There are several ways that doctors can treat patients who have a traumatic brain injury. People who have a mild case will likely only need medication and rest to control pain and allow the brain to rest. More serious cases might require neurocritical care, which is a form of intensive care reserved for patients who have serious brain injuries.
Some patients might need to have surgery. This is a common practice for people who have brain swelling that may lead to more damage due to pressure from the skull. When fluid is building up in the skull, a procedure to drain the excess fluid is often done to protect the brain.
The severity of the brain injury directly impacts the long-term effects. Patients will heal at different rates, so you can’t judge a recovery based on what happened with someone else. Therapy and personal care are sometimes necessary, at least in the period immediately following the injury.
If you have a brain injury, you might have costly medical care. You do have the option of seeking compensation for the wreck if it was the result of another driver’s actions. A Lakewood personal injury lawyer seeks to shift the financial responsibility from you to the liable party.