People with serious medical emergencies after car crashes often know that they need help. They may not be able to exit the vehicle or may not even be conscious after the crash. In such cases, the injured party is likely to receive immediate medical evaluation at a local hospital.
Other times, they may only notice symptoms days after the crash occurs. At that point, they may face not a medical emergency but rather a legal one. Specifically, those who have delayed-onset symptoms of car crash injuries are at risk of losing the right to seek compensation due to well-known insurance company tactics.
Those experiencing brain fog, difficulty sleeping and other unusual symptoms after a car crash may need to see a medical professional, and possibly a lawyer, as soon as possible.
Brain fog is a sign of a brain injury
The worst traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) may leave people dependent on life support and in need of emergency surgery. However, mild brain injuries, sometimes referred to as micro-concussions, can also have major consequences for injured people.
They may incur tens of thousands of dollars in medical expenses. They may struggle to continue working or could lose opportunities at their job due to their confusion or memory issues. Brain fog, or a persistent sense of low-grade confusion, is one of several warning signs of a mild to moderate brain injury.
People may also notice symptoms that include:
- changes in their personalities
- a subtle shift in their daily mood/irritability
- forgetfulness, such as losing car keys
- light sensitivity
- chronic headaches
- difficulty sleeping
- consistent fatigue
- changes in their senses
- issues with balance
- challenges with fine motor control
Generally speaking, delays in diagnosing a car crash injury can limit the injured person’s future rights.
Particularly once two weeks have passed since the collision, the insurance company may be able to credibly claim that the injury wasn’t the result of the crash but something else that happened since the collision. The more time that has passed between the initial wreck and the development of symptoms, the more important it is to take immediate action to document what occurred.
People facing medical expenses and lost income due to car crash brain injuries may need help holding the driver at fault and their insurance company accountable, and that’s okay. Seeing a doctor and talking to an attorney are both generally very important steps when people start noticing the warning signs of a concussion several days after a crash.