If you’re involved in a serious car accident caused by a negligent driver, you may suffer severe injuries. Many of these injuries will heal over time. For instance, if you have a compound fracture, you might require emergency medical treatment, but the injury should heal, allowing you to regain full mobility in the months ahead.
With traumatic brain injuries (TBI), however, this is not always the case. While symptoms may improve as the initial severity decreases, this doesn’t mean they will disappear entirely or that you will fully recover. In many cases, a TBI can result in life-altering symptoms that persist indefinitely. It may feel like your recovery has plateaued, leaving you unable to progress further.
Why does this happen?
This occurs for a few reasons, but the main issue lies in the body’s limited ability to repair the brain. In many parts of the body, cells can divide and replicate, enabling the body to replace damaged or lost cells. Although this healing process takes time, it is often successful. In the brain, however, most neurons cannot regenerate. Only a few specific areas of the brain have the capacity to create new neurons.
In other words, if a traumatic brain injury results in lost or irreparably damaged neurons, your body may have no alternative but to attempt to form new neural pathways or connections. If this is not possible, the symptoms associated with the injury may last for the rest of your life.
Seeking compensation
In such a situation, it’s crucial to understand how to seek financial compensation from the negligent driver. Be sure to consider both the short-term and long-term costs associated with your injury.