A TBI is a traumatic brain injury from any outside force; a jolt bump or blow to the head or neck can injure the brain. The most common causes for TBI involve falls, car accidents, recreational activities, sports injuries, assaults and blast injuries.
Effects of a traumatic brain injury
A common injury after a car accident is a concussion. A concussion is a mild form of traumatic brain injury, but it can result in multiple neurological and behavioral issues that affect the quality of life. Concussions can affect mental state, cognition and behavior. Symptoms of a TBI include insomnia, depression, anxiety, headaches, memory loss, inability to focus, speech problems, anger, poor judgment and cognitive impairments.
Traumatic brain injury from a car accident
A person who suffers a traumatic brain injury from a motor vehicle accident can seek legal action against the party that caused the accident. After getting medical attention, an injured person needs to undergo particular brain imaging and assessments and get evaluated by their primary physician. They should see a neurologist next. Depending on the situation, a court will sometimes need the victim of a car accident to see a neuropsychologist or a forensic neuropsychologist.
Brain imaging and brain function scans
The two types of brain imaging are susceptibility-weighted MRI and diffusion tensor imaging. An SWI is an MRI that can see the brain’s gray matter and structure. An enhanced contrast magnitude image scans hemorrhage, venous blood and iron storage. A DTI checks the brain’s white matter. Imaging can see nerve structures and the wiring of the brain. A quantitative electroencephalogram is a diagnostic tool that checks the electrical activity of the brain waves.
All of these scans and imaging are useful after a car accident. Such evidence may help an injured car accident victim prove their claim for compensation.