Dispelling Common Myths about Brain Injury

Brain injuries are caused by traumatic blow to the head and can be a result of car accidents or even slip and fall accidents.

March was National Brain Injury Awareness Month to put the spotlight on life with these catastrophic injuries and the way forward for car accident victims and other people who live with these injuries.

There are many myths about brain injury. Here are some common ones.

Concussions are not serious brain injuries.

Out of the many myths about brain injury, one of the most common is that a concussion is a mild brain injury that need not be taken seriously. Concussions can have long-term consequences, including an impact on the person’s ability to focus and concentrate, and his ability to work and perform routine tasks. If you or a loved one has suffered any kind of head injury in a car accident or bicycle accident, however minor, get it checked out by your doctor immediately.

Maximum improvement can be seen within two years after the injury.   

Many people falsely believe that there is only so much improvement that a brain injury patient can show before all hope is lost.  In fact, advancements in medical science have resulted in the scope for significant improvement in outcomes and long term prognoses for patients.  Improvements in these patients can continue to be seen years, or even decades, after the injury has occurred, provided the right therapies are administered.  In other words, it’s never too late to continue to provide the right therapies and treatment programs for patients who suffer from a brain injury,

A brain injury can be detected by a CT or MRI scan.

A brain injury may exist and remain undetected by CT or MRI scans with the result that treatment does not begin on time. A CT or MRI scan can look for physical signs of damage like swelling, bleeding or a skull fracture, and if there are no physical signs, there may be no diagnosis of a brain injury. Do not hesitate to inform your doctor about any symptoms you are suffering from like headache, blurred vision, confusion, disorientation or other symptoms after suffering from a brain injury. Brain injury diagnosis continues to be an evolving science.

Sleep can be fatal after a brain injury.

Many people continue to believe that allowing a person to rest after a brain injury could be potentially fatal to the patient.  In many cases, doctors in fact recommend that the person get sufficient sleep and rest and give the brain time to recover and rejuvenate.

Cognition and thinking are the only areas that are seriously impacted by a brain injury.

In fact, a brain injury can impact a person’s behavior.  A person who was prone to aggressive behavior before the injury could become even more aggressive after the injury.  Caregivers also need to look out for signs of anger, irritability, post symptomatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and other mental disorders after a brain injury.

If you or a loved one have suffered brain injuries due to an accident in the metro Atlanta region or anywhere in Georgia, talk to an accident attorney to determine if you have legal rights to a claim for damages. You may qualify for damages that include medical costs, lost income as well as pain and suffering and other damages.    You might qualify for damages that include medical expenses, lost income, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering and other types of damages.