A brain injury occurs when the brain sustains a jolt or violent blow to the head, neck, or body, which can result in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Sometimes, head injuries such as an object penetrating through your brain tissue, such as shattered skull fragments, may also cause damage and result in common signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injuries after a motorcycle accident.
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) data, hundreds of fatalities of motorcycle accident victims are reported every year, including Newport Beach, CA.
While mild brain injuries may have temporary effects on brain cells, severe head and brain injuries can result in torn tissues, bruising, bleeding, and other damage to your brain. Here are the most common signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injuries suffered from motorcycle accidents.
Common Signs and Symptoms of TBI After a Motorcycle Accident
A traumatic brain injury can result in various physical and physiological symptoms. Some are more common and may appear right after a head injury, while others manifest over time.
Common Signs and Symptoms of a Mild TBI
The symptoms of a mild traumatic brain injury may be physical, sensory, or psychological. The physical symptoms of TBI immediately after trauma may include a headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, a problem with speech, and loss of balance or dizziness.
However, these symptoms may not appear immediately but after a few hours, a day or two after the accident. Therefore, you must not take a chance and have yourself examined by a doctor.
The sensory symptoms of a traumatic brain injury may include blurred vision, sensitivity to sound or light, bad taste in your mouth, ringing or buzzing sound in the ears, or changes in your ability to smell.
The cognitive effects of minor brain injuries may result in loss of consciousness, memory problems, concentration issues, confusion, disorientation, anxiety, mood swings, and sleeping issues.
Common Signs and Symptoms of a Moderate to Severe TBI
Symptoms of a moderate traumatic brain injury and severe traumatic brain injury may appear within an hour or a couple of days after head trauma. The physical symptoms include loss of consciousness, constant headaches, nausea or repeated vomiting, seizures or convulsions, pupil dilation, and clear fluid through your ears or nose.
Other symptoms may include loss of coordination, inability to wake up from sleep, and numbness or weakness in your toes and finger. The psychological symptoms include agitation, confusion, slurred speech, and in some cases, coma.
Risk Factors and Complications
Traumatic brain injury is a serious concern for any age group. However, some are at more risk than others, such as children, young adults, and senior citizens.
While mild brain traumatic injury symptoms dissipate over time, moderate to severe symptoms can lead to further physical complications such as seizures, a buildup of fluids in your brain, brain infections, damage to blood vessels, and vertigo.
Several signs and symptoms include coma, vegetative state, or a minimally conscious state. In severe cases, the doctors may declare a patient brain dead.
Brain death is when a person’s brain activity is non-existent, and removal of breathing devices will cause the patient to cease breathing, further leading to heart failure. Brain death is an irreversible condition.
Tips for Motorcyclists to Prevent Traumatic Brain Injury
According to Insurance Information Institute (iii), over 5000 motorcyclists died due to over speeding and crashes. The statistics further revealed that motorcyclists are 29 times more at risk than car drivers to sustain fatal injuries. Following the below-mentioned tips can help reduce the risk of TBI.
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If you are a motorcyclist, always ensure to protect yourself from the elements that may cause an accident and result in traumatic brain injury. For this, you will need to wear appropriate gear including a DOT-approved helmet, goggles (to protect your eyes from debris), etc.
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It is always advisable to inspect the bike before you start your journey. Obey the traffic rules, drive at a safe speed limit and use your signals. You must always wear bright clothing, use turn and hand signals to stay visible to other drives.
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Always be observant and watch for those road hazards.
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Always maintain a safe distance between your bike and other vehicles, especially the one in front.
Legal Help After a TBI
Common signs and symptoms of a severe brain injury after a motorcycle accident do not only appear immediately after motor vehicle accidents. Certain injuries may show signs and symptoms days or weeks later.
In case you or a loved one suffered severe injuries to the head or brain trauma that was not your fault, you can always seek legal assistance from a personal injury attorney specializing in accident law in Newport Beach, CA.
