A traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a car accident in Florida usually occurs because your head crashes against a solid surface or is violently shaken. This can cause the brain to crash against the inside of your skull, causing bruising, bleeding, swelling, and tissue damage.
It is always important to get any TBI checked out. Even if your symptoms are mild, you may have a serious injury that requires immediate medical intervention.
No matter what kind of TBI you have, you and your doctors will work on a treatment plan. For a mild concussion, you may be encouraged to get rest and to take pain medication to manage any pain. For more severe injury, you may need emergency care or surgery. You may be given medications, such as anti-seizure drugs or diuretics or even be placed into a medically-induced coma to reduce pressure on your brain.
Ongoing Treatment and Management
Once your medical situation is stabilized, you will focus on regaining any function you may have lost after your injury and you will begin rebuilding your life. This is the longest period of healing and may require on-going management, especially if some of your symptoms or injuries are permanent. After emergency treatment, ongoing treatment and management for a TBI may include:
- Rehabilitation: Depending on your injury, you may need to re-learn how to talk, walk, or do work tasks. How much rehab you need and how long it will take can vary widely. You may need to work with a physical therapist, occupational therapist, neuropsychologist, speech and language therapist, and other professionals during this process.
- Support: Speaking with a therapist or counselor can help you cope with any emotions that can come up after a serious injury such as a TBI. Working with a support group can also connect you with other injury survivors to learn coping techniques.
- Routines: A structured routine can help you feel grounded and organized. If, like many TBI patients, you have experienced memory loss or confusion, regular routines and keeping things in the same place can help you cope with your symptoms as you heal.
- Rest breaks: Giving yourself more time for tasks and taking breaks can help your brain rest and reduces some of the emotional stress on you.
- Keeping track: Keep track of to-dos, appointments, and tasks by writing them down. This will help if your TBI has resulted in memory loss. Writing down your experiences and symptoms can also help you and your doctors work together to notice any changes in your improvement, so you can find the right treatment.
- Keep it simple: Avoid distractions, such as music or bright lights. This can make it harder to focus and can be harder to process in some cases with a TBI. Take your recovery one day at a time and focus on one task at a time. This can help you make progress.
The journey to healing after a traumatic brain injury can be a long one. An experienced attorney can make a difference. If you’ve been injured, call Flaxman Law Group at 866-352-9626 or contact us online to schedule a free accident consultation about your potential case.