Readers of this blog know that motor vehicle accidents have consequences. There are the financial consequences of a damaged or totaled vehicle, lost or damaged items in the vehicle and lost wages from missed work or an inability to work at all. There are also the physical consequences of the impact: pain, cuts, bruises, broken bones and traumatic brain injuries. It is the latter, TBIs that are the focus of this Placerville, California, blog post.

Traumatic brain injuries

To be clear, you can get a TBI from any jolt or blow to your body or head. This is why TBIs are so common in car accidents because even slow-speed Placerville, California, accidents jolt the body and head. However, TBIs can also be caused by objects impacting or piecing the head. Mild TBIs can heal on their own, but more serious TBIs cause brain bruises, bleeding, tearing and other brain injuries.

Common physical symptoms

The most common TBI physical symptom is a headache. The next most common symptom is nausea and vomiting. However, vomiting does not always follow the nausea. Third, you likely will experience fatigue and drowsiness, However, you can separate one from the other. You may also find keeping your balance difficult or become dizzy. Of course, the persistence and continuance of any one or more of these systems could mean your TBI is more severe.

Common sensory symptoms

A common TBI sensory symptom for those with more severe TBIs is speech problems, like an inability to speak, or the words you are meaning to use are not the words that are actually coming out of your mouth. You could also experience blurred vision or ringing in your ears. More severe TBIs can also change your ability to smell and taste and even give you sensitivity to light and sound.

Common mental symptoms

TBIs also have common cognitive, behavioral or mental symptoms. Routinely, even when a TBI is not severe, you could lose consciousness, even if only briefly after the impact. Some people may faint from the shock of the experience alone.

However, even if you do not lose consciousness, you will likely experience some level of disorientation (a dazed feeling). More severe TBIs could cause concentration and memory problems. Additionally, it could even change who you are as a person, including causing severe mood swings, depression, anxiety and a variety of other behavioral issues.

For our Placerville, California, readers, the key takeaway here is that all car accidents are serious. You need to get checked out by a medical professional, including for TBIs.