When someone gets hurt in a major car accident, their body will usually sustain severe damage that is often described as “catastrophic.” Because of this, the physical and mental trauma it inflicts on them can alter the way they live their life permanently.
Below are two types of catastrophic injuries caused by car crashes and the long-term effects they pose for the victims:
Diffuse axonal injury (DAI)
A DAI is a type of traumatic brain injury that often occurs in high-speed accidents. When a person’s head shakes from a rapid acceleration, their brain can rotate inside their skull. This movement then stretches and tears their brain’s nerve fibers, disrupting communication across multiple areas of their brain.
While the severity of DAI will depend on the speed and force of the impact, four common symptoms include persistent headache, loss of consciousness, cognitive impairments and/or coma.
Spinal cord injury (SCI)
An SCI pertains to damage in any part of the spinal cord. Since the spinal cord is responsible for sending and receiving signals between the brain and the rest of the body, an SCI can lead to significant or permanent changes in movement and sensation.
Depending on the severity of the spinal cord damage, an SCI may cause the crash victim to experience loss of bladder control, exaggerated spasms, respiratory issues and/or paralysis.
You deserve compensation for your life-changing injury
If you are a car accident survivor who is experiencing long-term changes in your physical and emotional health because of your injury, you must seek the help of legal counsel who can advocate for your rights and your decreased quality of life.
