Traumatic brain injuries can have many causes, including whiplash. While whiplash is often linked to auto accidents, it can occur whenever there is enough force to jolt the head severely in one direction. When it comes brain injuries resulting from whiplash, our legal team at Callahan & Blaine know all too well the physical effects that can follow. We also know it’s important for accident victims to get the care they need in order to have the best chance at recovery.
According to Healthline, concussions caused by whiplash and other occurrences may sometimes have long-term effects. Mitigating these effects is extremely important, and this can be accomplished by abstaining from certain activities until given clearance by a medical professional. Repeated concussions are shown to have a lasting impact, including the development of permanent brain damage that may alter one’s physical or mental capability.
For more serious concussions, emergency medical treatment is usually required. To this end, it’s important to know just what to look for in order to prevent more lasting effects from occurring. Slurring of speech or prolonged confusion is a sign that immediate treatment is necessary, as is abnormal pupil dilation (i.e. one pupil is much bigger than the other). The type of trauma that causes brain injuries is also associated with damage to the spine. Accordingly, a person suspected of having sustained a spinal injury should be moved with the utmost care and only when it’s absolutely necessary.
Even those exhibiting symptoms related to mild concussions should seek medical care. Vision can be blurred, or the person may begin to feel nauseous or have trouble maintaining balance. Diagnosis of a concussion typically begins with a physical assessment and but can also entail a CT scan or MRI to check for more significant damage. To learn more about what you can do when suffering from serious head trauma, please visit us online.