Many of the types of injuries suffered in a car accident are just short-term in nature. For instance, someone suffers a broken leg and needs medical treatment. They can’t return to work for a few weeks while they heal, and it may be months before their injury feels 100% recovered. But they know they will eventually get there and shouldn’t have long-term symptoms.
With traumatic brain injuries, things can be much different. These injuries often lead to long-term symptoms, such as mental fatigue, memory problems, excessive sensitivity to light and sound, mood swings, depression and anxiety. So why don’t these symptoms always heal as quickly as other types of injuries?
The brain has limited healing abilities
The problem is simply the nature of the human brain, which can’t create new neurons outside of a few limited situations. This means that if an injury is serious enough to cause the death of a brain cell, that cell may be lost forever.
This is different from other types of injuries. The body can create new skin cells, new blood cells and much more—but neurons are different.
To heal, the brain seeks new neural pathways and connections. When it finds those, healing is possible, but recovery can plateau or reach a point where no more progress is made. This is when people begin to identify long-term or even permanent symptoms, which can significantly change their lives.
Seeking compensation
Because these injuries can be so serious, and the symptoms may last for years or even the rest of a person’s life, it’s important for them to know all the steps they can take to seek financial compensation. This can help cover medical bills, lost wages and many other costs.