Oklahoma roadways are often the scenes of tragedy, especially when there are distracted or drunk drivers behind the wheel. When a collision occurs, sometimes multiple people suffer injuries that are severe, and perhaps, life-threatening. In cases where a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has occurred, an individualized treatment plan must be established.
If you were diagnosed with a brain injury following a car accident or other incident, you may have spent hours, days or longer in the hospital. Your treatment plan may depend on several factors, including whether you suffered a closed skull or penetrating skull injury. With the latter, it means that a hard object has cracked your skull and, perhaps, entered your brain, while the former means something has hit your head but did not break your skull.
TBI can cause physical, emotional and mental problems
The implications of TBI may be far-reaching and long-lasting. In fact, some effects might be permanent. Due to the traumatic incident that caused your injuries, you might also experience mental health problems, such as abrupt mood swings or difficulty controlling your emotions. Many TBI patients suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well.
After spending time in the intensive care unit for monitoring, you might need surgery and other emergency care. When you begin to recover, your doctor might recommend rehabilitation services. This would be likely if you need to learn to feed or dress yourself, to speak again or to use a wheelchair or other device. Some TBI patients transition back to living at home after a stay in a rehabilitation facility, while others must become permanent residents because they are no longer able to function on their own.
After-effects of TBI not often talked about
If you have suffered TBI in an Oklahoma collision, your physician or neurosurgeon might prescribe strong narcotics to help alleviate pain. Many such medications are highly addictive. While it is not often talked about, TBI patients are at risk for alcohol or drug abuse. If you are struggling with substance abuse following brain trauma, there are resources available to help you overcome addiction.
Another issue worth mentioning is that state law allows those who suffer TBI because of another person’s negligence to seek compensation for damages. This is typically done by filing a personal injury claim in civil court. The plaintiffs in such cases must provide evidence to convince a judge or jury that the defendants listed in their claims were negligent when a duty of care was owed, and that this negligence was a direct cause of injuries that occurred.
