Brain injuries from car accidents don't always show symptoms immediately. Car crashes cause thousands of brain injuries each year in Texas, particularly along high-traffic corridors like I-10 and I-35 in San Antonio. You might feel fine at first, then notice changes days or weeks later. Understanding the warning signs of traumatic brain injury helps you get proper medical care and protect your legal rights. Speaking with an experienced San Antonio brain injury lawyer can also ensure your rights are protected throughout the recovery process.
The sudden impact forces your brain against the skull, potentially causing damage that isn't immediately apparent. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, headache, dizziness, confusion, and fatigue may start immediately after an injury but emotional symptoms may develop during recovery.
Schedule A Free Case Consultation
What Is Traumatic Brain Injury From Car Accidents?
Traumatic brain injury occurs when external force damages brain tissue. Car crashes cause TBI through rapid acceleration and deceleration that makes your brain move inside your skull. This movement can bruise brain tissue, tear nerve fibers, or cause bleeding. Approximately 144,000 Texans sustain TBIs annually, and of those approximately 7,285 hospitalizations per year are due to motor vehicle traffic accidents.
TBI ranges from mild concussions to severe injuries that require emergency surgery. Facilities like University Hospital's Level I Trauma Center in San Antonio handle the most severe cases that require immediate neurosurgical intervention. Even mild traumatic brain injuries can have lasting effects on your daily life, work performance, and relationships.
Brain injuries from car accidents may result from the head striking objects inside the vehicle or whiplash motion that doesn't involve direct head impact. Your brain can suffer damage even when your head never hits anything during the crash.
How Brain Injury Symptoms May Develop Over Time
Many people feel relatively normal immediately after a car accident. Adrenaline and shock can mask brain injury symptoms for hours or days. Some symptoms appear gradually as brain swelling develops or chemical changes affect brain function.
The delayed onset of symptoms makes brain injuries particularly dangerous. You might think you escaped serious injury, only to develop severe headaches, memory problems, or personality changes days later. This delay can lead to misdiagnosis or delayed treatment that may worsen outcomes.
Physical Signs of Brain Injury After Car Crashes
Physical symptoms may provide the first indication of brain injury after car accidents. These signs may appear immediately or develop over several days following the crash.
Common Physical Symptoms
Persistent headaches represent the most common early sign of brain injury. These aren't typical headaches that respond to over-the-counter pain medication. TBI headaches may feel different from any headaches you've experienced before. They may worsen with activity, light exposure, or noise.
Dizziness and balance problems frequently accompany brain injuries. You might feel unsteady when walking, experience vertigo, or have difficulty maintaining your balance while standing.
Nausea and vomiting can occur with brain injuries, especially in the first few hours or days after the accident. Unlike stomach illness, TBI-related nausea may not improve with typical remedies and may worsen with movement or changes in position.
Sensory and Sleep Changes
Sensitivity to light and sound commonly develops after brain injuries. Normal lighting may seem painfully bright, and everyday sounds might feel overwhelming. This hypersensitivity can make it difficult to work, drive, or participate in social activities.
Sleep disturbances frequently affect people with brain injuries. You might have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping much longer than usual. Some people experience a complete reversal of their normal sleep patterns.
Vision problems can include blurred vision, double vision, or difficulty focusing. You might notice that reading has become more challenging or that your eyes tire quickly when looking at screens or books.
Cognitive and Mental Signs of TBI
Brain injuries may affect thinking processes in ways that may not be immediately obvious. These cognitive changes can significantly impact your ability to work, maintain relationships, and handle daily responsibilities.
Memory and Concentration Issues
Memory problems frequently develop after brain injuries. You might have trouble remembering new information. You may forget conversations that happened recently. Some people struggle to recall details about the accident itself.
Concentration difficulties make it hard to focus on tasks for normal periods. You might find yourself easily distracted. You may be unable to follow conversations. Some people struggle to complete work projects that were previously routine.
Processing and Communication Problems
Processing speed changes affect how quickly you can understand and respond to information. Conversations might feel too fast to follow. You may need extra time to answer questions or make decisions that were previously automatic.
Executive function problems involve difficulty with planning, organizing, and problem-solving. You might struggle to prioritize tasks, make decisions, or adapt when plans change unexpectedly.
Language and communication difficulties may include trouble finding the right words. Some people have difficulty understanding complex sentences or expressing thoughts clearly.
Brain injuries may also cause difficulty with:
- Short-term memory and recall
- Focusing on conversations or tasks
- Understanding spoken or written language
- Making decisions or adapting to changes
- Organizing and completing daily routines
Emotional and Behavioral Changes After Brain Injury
Brain injuries can dramatically alter personality and emotional regulation. These changes may surprise family members and may not be immediately recognized as injury-related symptoms.
Mood and Personality Changes
Mood swings and emotional instability frequently occur after brain injuries. You might experience rapid shifts from happiness to anger or sadness without clear triggers. These emotional changes can strain relationships and make social situations challenging.
Increased irritability and aggression may develop in people who were previously calm and patient. Minor frustrations that wouldn't have bothered you before the accident might trigger intense anger or emotional outbursts.
Personality changes might make you feel like a different person than before the accident. Family members may notice that you seem fundamentally different in ways that go beyond temporary mood changes.
Social and Motivational Changes
Depression and anxiety commonly accompany brain injuries. These may result from both the direct effects of brain damage and the psychological impact of dealing with cognitive changes and life disruptions.
Loss of initiative and motivation can make it difficult to start tasks or maintain interest in activities you previously enjoyed. Social withdrawal may occur as cognitive and emotional symptoms make interactions more challenging.
When Brain Injury Symptoms Require Immediate Medical Attention
Certain brain injury symptoms indicate a medical emergency that requires immediate hospital care. These severe symptoms suggest significant brain damage that may worsen without prompt treatment:
- Loss of consciousness
- Repeated vomiting
- Seizures
- Severe confusion or agitation
- Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
- Pupils that are different sizes
Loss of consciousness lasting more than a few minutes indicates serious brain injury. However, many people with significant brain injuries never lose consciousness, so staying awake doesn't rule out serious damage.
Repeated vomiting, especially when accompanied by severe headaches, suggests increasing pressure inside the skull. This combination of symptoms requires emergency evaluation to prevent further brain damage.
Seizures following a car accident indicate serious brain injury that requires immediate medical attention. Brief seizures or episodes that might be seizures should be evaluated by emergency medical professionals.
Severe confusion, agitation, or combativeness may indicate significant brain swelling or damage. These behavioral changes may worsen quickly and require emergency treatment.
Weakness or numbness in arms or legs, especially on one side of the body, suggests damage to specific brain areas controlling movement and sensation.
Pupils that are different sizes or don't respond normally to light indicate serious brain injury requiring emergency neurosurgical evaluation.
How Texas Law Addresses Brain Injury Claims
Texas recognizes brain injuries as serious personal injuries that may entitle victims to compensation under state law. These cases are complex, so having professional legal assistance may be beneficial to ensure fair treatment by insurance companies.
Proving brain injury claims can be challenging because symptoms may not appear immediately and diagnostic tests don't always show brain damage clearly. Medical documentation becomes crucial for establishing the connection between your accident and brain injury symptoms.
Texas follows a modified comparative negligence rule for personal injury claims under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §33.001. This means you may recover compensation if you were partially at fault for the accident, as long as your fault doesn't exceed 50 percent.
The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Texas is generally two years from the accident date under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003. However, brain injuries may not be diagnosed immediately, which can complicate the timing of legal claims.
Economic damages in brain injury cases may include medical expenses, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and reduced future earning capacity. Non-economic damages address pain and suffering, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life.
Long-Term Effects of Car Accident Brain Injuries
Brain injuries from car accidents can have lasting effects that continue long after other injuries heal. Understanding these potential long-term consequences helps with treatment planning and legal case evaluation.
Chronic headaches affect many brain injury survivors for months or years after their accidents. These headaches may resist typical treatments and can significantly impact daily functioning and quality of life.
Persistent cognitive problems may continue affecting memory, attention, and processing speed. Some people require workplace accommodations or career changes due to ongoing cognitive limitations.
Increased risk of future brain injuries makes it important to take precautions against additional head trauma. Second brain injuries can be more severe than the first injury, even from relatively minor impacts.
Getting Proper Medical Care for Brain Injuries
Seeking appropriate medical evaluation after car accidents is crucial, even when you feel fine initially. Brain injuries require specialized diagnosis and treatment that general emergency care may not provide.
Specialized Medical Care
A neurological evaluation by specialists who understand brain injuries can identify problems that might be missed in emergency room assessments. San Antonio facilities like Methodist Hospital's Neurosciences Institute provide specialized neurological care.
Neuropsychological testing can document cognitive changes that may not be apparent in routine medical examinations. These detailed assessments measure memory, attention, processing speed, and other brain functions.
Diagnostic and Treatment Options
Brain imaging studies like CT scans and MRIs may reveal structural damage, though many brain injuries don't show up on standard imaging. Advanced techniques like DTI and functional MRI can sometimes detect damage not visible on routine scans.
Rehabilitation services including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and cognitive rehabilitation can help maximize recovery and teach strategies for managing ongoing symptoms.
Dealing With Insurance Companies After Brain Injury
Insurance companies may challenge brain injury claims because symptoms may not be immediately apparent and diagnostic testing can be inconclusive. Understanding common insurance tactics helps protect your interests.
Common Insurance Challenges
Insurance adjusters may argue that your symptoms are unrelated to the accident, especially when symptoms develop days or weeks later. Detailed medical documentation becomes crucial for establishing the connection between the accident and your brain injury.
Quick settlement offers may fail to account for the long-term nature of brain injuries. Insurance companies may pressure you to settle before the full extent of your injuries becomes apparent.
Protecting Your Claim
Independent medical examinations requested by insurance companies may downplay your symptoms or suggest that pre-existing conditions caused your problems. Having your own medical team document your condition helps counter these tactics.
Pre-existing condition arguments are common in brain injury cases. Insurance companies may claim that your symptoms existed before the accident, making detailed medical records important for your case.
The Importance of Legal Representation for Brain Injury Cases
Brain injury cases involve complex medical and legal issues that may benefit from experienced legal guidance. The hidden nature of many brain injury symptoms can make these cases particularly challenging.
Medical expert testimony may become necessary to explain how car accidents cause brain injuries and connect your symptoms to the crash. Attorneys who handle brain injury cases frequently maintain relationships with qualified medical experts.
Calculating damages in brain injury cases requires understanding both current and future medical needs, lost earning capacity, and quality of life impacts. These calculations may require expert economic and vocational testimony.
Insurance companies typically have teams of lawyers and medical experts working to minimize brain injury claims. Having legal representation helps you level the playing field and protect your interests.
The statute of limitations creates time pressure for legal action, but brain injuries may not be fully diagnosed immediately. Attorneys may be able to help you navigate these timing issues and protect your legal rights.
FAQ About Brain Injury Signs After Car Crashes
What Are the Most Common Early Signs of Brain Injury After a Car Accident?
The most common early signs include persistent headaches that feel different from normal headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and memory problems. Sensitivity to light and sound also frequently develop. However, symptoms may not appear immediately and can develop over several days following the accident.
Can You Have a Brain Injury Without Losing Consciousness?
Yes, many people with significant brain injuries never lose consciousness during their accidents. Staying conscious doesn't rule out brain injury. In fact, most concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries don't involve loss of consciousness.
How Long After a Car Accident Can Brain Injury Symptoms Appear?
Brain injury symptoms can appear immediately or develop over days, weeks, or months following an accident. Post-concussion syndrome symptoms may persist for months or years. The delayed onset of symptoms makes it important to monitor your condition carefully after any car accident.
When Should I Seek Medical Attention for Potential Brain Injury Symptoms?
Seek immediate medical attention for severe headaches, repeated vomiting, seizures, loss of consciousness, confusion, or weakness in arms or legs. For milder symptoms like persistent headaches, memory problems, or mood changes, see a doctor within a few days of noticing these issues.
Moving Forward After Recognizing Brain Injury Signs
Recognizing potential brain injury symptoms after a car accident is the first step toward getting proper medical care and protecting your legal rights. Brain injuries can have lasting effects that extend far beyond the initial accident.
If you're experiencing symptoms that might indicate brain injury after a car accident in San Antonio, the attorneys at Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock understand the complexities of these cases. Our attorneys handle motor vehicle accident cases involving brain injuries and collaborate with qualified medical professionals as needed.
Brain injury cases require careful documentation and expert medical testimony to establish the connection between accidents and symptoms. Insurance companies may undervalue these claims or argue that symptoms are unrelated to accidents. Legal guidance may improve your chances of having your brain injury fully evaluated under Texas law.
Experiencing brain injury symptoms after a car crash? Schedule your free case review.
Contact Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock at (210) 941-1306 for a free consultation with a dedicated San Antonio personal injury lawyer about your brain injury case. We serve clients throughout San Antonio and across Texas. No fee unless we recover compensation for your injuries.