No matter how alert and cautious you are behind the wheel, unexpected issues on a Texas roadway can turn an otherwise uneventful trip into tragic circumstances. Perhaps you were entering an intersection on a green light when another vehicle blew through a red light and slammed into your driver’s side door. Maybe a drunk driver drifted across the yellow line and hit you head-on.
Surviving a motor vehicle accident doesn’t necessarily mean you are okay. In fact, many injuries are not immediately apparent. That’s why it’s so important to monitor your condition in the hours and days that follow a collision. If you notice any signs of trouble, such as symptoms that suggest a brain injury, you’ll want to seek a medical examination as soon as possible and make sure the doctor knows you were recently in a car accident.
Post-accident symptoms that are cause for concern
You likely felt shaken and frightened after your vehicle came to a halt when another car crashed into it. It’s not uncommon for such scenes to replay themselves in a victim’s mind, such as hearing the sounds of clashing metal or glass breaking, or having bad dreams at night. In addition to emotional trauma, the symptoms listed here suggest you might have suffered physical injury as well:
- If you have little to no recollection of the accident itself, or the time immediately before or afterwards, it might mean you have suffered a brain injury.
- Feeling disoriented in the immediate aftermath of a collision is typical, but if you continue to feel that way, you’ll want to discuss it with a licensed physician.
- Vision trouble is also suggestive of trauma to the brain.
- Nausea or vomiting are symptoms that should prompt you to return to the hospital for further medical examination.
- Headache, facial or jaw pain, or other upper body discomfort may also be signs of a traumatic brain injury.
It’s possible to suffer a brain injury even if your head didn’t directly hit a hard object during a collision. A sudden jolt can be enough to cause brain trauma. No issue or adverse symptom is insignificant following a car accident. It’s better to get a checkup than to disregard symptoms and wind up in worse condition.
Who’s going to pay for it all?
It’s no secret that medical care is expensive, even if you have decent health insurance coverage. There are also other expenses and economic damages associated with post-accident care that you might not be prepared to meet, such as gas money for traveling to and from physical therapy or lost wages from time you have to take off work while you recover.
Texas law allows accident victims to seek financial accountability against the person or persons whose negligence or reckless driving behavior may have resulted in the injury-causing collision.