In some cases, even with catastrophic brain injuries, the worst of the symptoms are going to be obvious right away. Someone could lose consciousness after a car accident, for example, and only regain consciousness hours or days later. They may have trouble with mobility or struggle with cognitive issues, depending on the type of injury and exactly how severe it was.
When they get treatment, the whole process involves trying to build back the skills that they have lost, understanding what the symptoms are. This can be done with rehab and as the brain creates new neural pathways.
But it’s important to point out that this is not always how it happens. There can sometimes be delayed brain injury symptoms, which may be incredibly serious, but that you are not necessarily going to recognize immediately. This is why working with a medical team is so important. It’s very dangerous for people to assume that they don’t have severe injuries because something could be happening without their knowledge.
A subdural hematoma
One example of how this can happen is with a subdural hematoma, which may occur after head trauma. This could be anything from a car accident to a fall at work.
With a subdural hematoma, there is bleeding in the tissues between the brain and the skull. This bleeding may be minor at first, and so it doesn’t cause any symptoms and the person doesn’t realize it. But that pressure is slowly building up all of the time, and this can lead to significant symptoms like seizures, migraines, the loss of skills and abilities and much more. It can even be fatal if it goes untreated.
Additionally, a subdural hematoma is only one example. The brain is incredibly fragile and any time that it has been subjected to a traumatic event is a time that medical professionals need to do a thorough check to see just what the damage looks like.
If you do end up suffering from severe complications after such an injury, it may leave you with life-altering complications. Be sure you know what legal options you have.