One of the most unpredictable injuries that can result from a car accident is a traumatic brain injury. A TBI can affect any number of brain functions. You may be able to work around some of them, but others could cause you to be unable to work or relate to your loved ones and friends in the same way you did before the accident.
If your injury resulted from the negligence of someone else, you are entitled to compensation to help with your financial and medical needs. As part of a personal injury claim, it’s helpful to understand the debilitating issues you have so you can explain it to the court.
Information issues
Many individuals with TBI have issues processing and understanding information. Such an issue could result in the following:
- Your reaction time may be slower, which could make driving hazardous for you, your passengers and others on the road.
- It may take you longer to perform daily tasks such as dressing, eating or cooking.
- You may have trouble understanding what other people say to you at first.
- Understanding and following directions could frustrate you.
- Your reading speed may slow.
- Keeping up with movies and television shows may be difficult.
Dealing with these limitations may be possible, but you may no longer be able to perform the job duties you had prior to the accident.
Language issues
Nearly everyone forgets words from time to time, but when you suffer a TBI, this can happen often. Other language issues you may experience include the following:
- You may have trouble organizing your thoughts during a conversation.
- You may misinterpret someone’s intentions or emotions and react inappropriately.
- Sarcasm and jokes may not make sense.
- You may not remain on topic during a conversation.
These may not seem like a big deal, but if your job required you to socialize or speak with others often, it could create issues for you.
Memory and learning issues
Your ability to remember people, places and things could suffer. You may not retain new information. You may forget conversations or events. Your brain may attempt to piece things together for you, but that could easily result in a false memory. If you can’t retain new information, learning something new would more than likely be a source of frustration.
Judgment, problem solving and reasoning issues
With a TBI, your ability to identify a problem may malfunction. Your ability to think about numerous solutions to a problem could suffer as well. You may get attached to one idea and be unable to waiver from it, even if it doesn’t work. You may rush into a decision without considering the downsides, especially if your judgment is impaired.
Legal issues
Any of these issues and more could affect your ability to perform in your chosen career. You may need to consider employment that does not pay as well as your former job, if you can work at all. Sometimes, these issues make it nearly impossible for you to function in a work environment.
In addition, your personal life could suffer as well. No matter how supportive your friends and loved ones may be, they may still become frustrated with you. You may not be included in activities you used to enjoy. In essence, your livelihood and parts of your life could go away.
If you face an uncertain future because of a traumatic brain injury, you may seek compensation from the party or parties responsible for your current condition. It would more than likely benefit you greatly to involve an experienced legal advocate in your claim.
