As you navigate traffic, you enjoy the sound of the music emanating from your radio. However, all of a sudden, another car strikes your motor vehicle. And the next thing you know, you are suffering a splitting headache as you regain consciousness.
Unfortunately, sometimes, a brain injury may result from the negligence of another driver in Hawaii. Fortunately, in this situation, it is within your rights to pursue compensation for the injuries you have suffered. Here is what you need to know about brain injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes.
Closed versus open brain injuries
In a car accident, you may suffer one of two types of injuries to the brain. The first is a closed injury, which involves no fracture. Meanwhile, the second is an open injury, where your skull has suffered a fracture due to directly striking a hard object or surface.
Closed injuries have the potential to be more dangerous because your brain could swell, and blood clots could form in your skull. However, both types of injuries could cause you to lose consciousness and may also lead to paralysis in serious cases.
How to tell if you have a brain injury
After you have been in a car crash, you can tell that you have suffered injury to your brain if you notice any of the following:
- Trouble recalling recent events
- Feeling confused
- Feeling numb or weak on a side of your body
- Feeling unusually sluggish or tired
- Feeling dizzy and nauseous
- Having a severe headache
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is critical that you seek medical attention immediately. The reason for this is that you could easily suffer injury to your brain while still feeling fine.
Your rights following a car accident that causes you a brain injury
If another motorist caused your brain injury due to his or her carelessness, you may file a personal injury claim against him or her, seeking the reimbursement of monetary damages. You must establish his or her liability in the crash before a judge will decide your claim for damages. If you are successful in your lawsuit, you may receive a monetary award to cover your related medical costs, the loss of wages resulting from the crash, and other losses associated with the motor vehicle accident.