Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are known for their complex and serious nature, as well as their potential to result in many short-term challenges and long-term term struggles. Due to the overwhelming risks inherent to brain injuries, anyone who experiences a head injury should make their health their top priority.

At The Daspit Law Firm, our Houston personal injury lawyers always advise accident victims to take their injuries – even if they are seemingly minor – seriously. This means seeking timely medical treatment as soon as possible after any type of accident, including car accidents, slip and falls, and more. In addition to ensuring your health and safety, seeking medical evaluations and subsequent treatment is critical to any personal injury claim you may choose to file against an at-fault party. Remember, when injuries are caused by the negligence of others, you can recover any expenses you incurred that were related to your treatment, as well as other damages.

When it comes to brain injuries, you should always take them seriously. Here’s why:

• Brain Injuries are unpredictable – Brain injuries are notorious for their unpredictable nature. Even seemingly minor head injuries can result in major complications and serious short- and long-term consequences for victims. While medical science has allowed us to gauge and assess numerous types of injuries – including soft tissue injuries and broken bones – the same is not always true when it comes to brain injuries. Some victims may suffer severe and debilitating symptoms, which can become worse when unaddressed, or they may not feel much, if any, symptoms at all, even if there are serious complications present. As such, it is best to always seek medical treatment following any injury to the head. Additionally, victims should also seek treatment in cases where head injuries may have resulted without direct impact to the head, including car accidents involving whiplash. This is because brain injuries can occur when forces cause the brain to rapidly accelerate backward and forward in the skull.
• There may be life-threatening issues – One of the most important reasons for taking brain injuries seriously and seeking immediate medical attention is because they can quickly result in complications or life-threatening issues, even if symptoms appear minor. When the brain suffers trauma, it can cause bleeding in the brain, or hemorrhaging, which can create pressure in the skull, swelling of the brain, and fatal consequences. Because tiny unnoticed trauma can quickly develop into serious bleeds, immediate medical attention can rule out the possibility of serious issues, or provide the opportunity for immediate treatment when they are present. When your life is on the line, there is no excuse not to take precautions.
• Treatment can help with symptoms and recovery – Brain injury victims can suffer from a range of symptoms that persist for days, weeks, or even months. These include fatigue, sensitivity to light or sound, headaches, dizziness, and other symptoms that can seriously impact one’s quality of life and ability to work or handle normal daily tasks. By seeking medical evaluations, brain injury victims can benefit from treatment approaches that help them manage or reduce symptoms as they recover. It can also allow them to obtain doctor notes that excuse them from working while they deal with recovery.
• You provide yourself with the opportunity to recover damages – While seeking medical care is always a matter of personal health, it can also prove important to victims whose injuries were caused by the negligent or wrongful acts of others. When you suffer an injury that was not your fault, you have a right to pursue a personal injury claim against the at-fault party for your damages, which, in addition to your medical expenses, can include your pain and suffering, lost wages, and more. By waiting to seek treatment because you didn’t take an injury seriously, you risk losing out on the compensation you need and deserve, as insurance companies commonly argue that treatment delays indicate a victim was not really injured in an accident caused by their policy holder, even if that victim had been suffering all along.

If you or someone you love has sustained a brain injury in an accident that was not your fault, our legal team at The Daspit Law Firm is ready to help you through all phases of your physical and financial recovery. Our attorneys have extensive experience helping victims immediately after their accidents, and offer weekend, evening, and home or hospital visits. To learn more about treatment, your right to file a personal injury claim, and what we can do to help, contact us for a FREE consultation.