Getting Help After a Car Accident: The Physical Toll

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

Traumatic brain injuries are one of the most common repercussions of a car accident. This is because of the violent impact the crash causes that can send your body flying. People can hit their heads on the steering wheel, dashboard, windows, or be thrown from the vehicle entirely. TBI affects how the brain functions and is a major cause of death and disability from a car accident. The intensity of a TBI can be as mild as a concussion, or it can be severe, even causing death.

Decreased Cognitive Capacity

If you did suffer from a TBI due to a car crash, the result can be a decrease in cognitive capacity. Unfortunately, the impact of a car crash on your cognitive abilities can vary quite dramatically. It can take the form of having trouble learning new information, a slower time to process information, trouble performing everyday tasks, and even a change in behavior.

Full or Partial Paralysis

One of the most devastating long-term injuries resulting from a car crash is a full or partial paralysis. This is an injury to the spinal cord where you lose the ability to move parts of your body. Full or partial paralysis can affect you for the rest of your life, which is one reason you need a top-rated car accident attorney by your side in order to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for such an injury.

Loss of a Limb or Extremity

Another devastating car accident injury that can impact you the rest of your life is the loss of a limb or extremity. This type of injury is often caused when a body part is pinned underneath the car somehow. This can not only impact your quality of life, but it can also impact your livelihood. Adjustment disorder is a common mental health condition resulting from car accidents. This stress-related mental illness makes it difficult to resume your normal daily activities as a result of you trying to adjust to your new life after car accident injuries. It's always best to speak to your physician who can then refer you to a qualified psychologist with experience who can get you the help you need.

Restricted Movement

The impact of a car accident is what causes very severe injuries. Another consequence of a car accident in Houston can be restricted movement caused mainly by broken bones. Some breaks are simple fractures, but sometimes whole limbs and extremities are crushed, resulting in multiple surgeries, reconstructions, and years of physical therapy in order to regain some movement. As you can imagine, if you can no longer do the activities you love, such as running or climbing, this can take not only a physical toll, but a mental toll as well.

Lack of Balance or Coordination

The lack of balance or coordination stems from a traumatic brain injury. Your brain stem and cerebellum are the parts of the brain that control movement. If you suffer an injury to this part of the brain, oftentimes, the result is problems with walking and keeping your balance. Mental health issues resulting from a TBI, such as anxiety, depression, or even a fear of falling, can also contribute to a lack of balance and/or coordination. This is known as psychogenic dizziness.

Chronic Migraines

Chronic migraines can be the result of a traumatic brain injury from a car accident. If you think about it, your brain has been injured and is in the healing stages. This can cause pain, in the form of headaches. Maybe you have a neck and skull injury that is still healing, or you are stressed. Migraines are ways your body is telling you that something is not right with your brain. Unfortunately, these migraines can be long-lasting and can affect your daily activities and your memory.