Car accidents, as anyone who has ever been involved in one knows, can be scary things. Even a relatively minor fender-bender can leave everyone emotionally shaken, despite the fact that there may be no serious physical injuries.

Of course, the potential for serious physical injuries makes car accidents—here in Calgary and everywhere else in the driving world—that much scarier, and “invisible” injuries such as brain trauma make up a big part of that scariness. Traumatic brain injuries can have a profound effect on the rest of someone’s life, and they occur all too frequently during Calgary car accidents. Read on to learn how to detect a traumatic brain injury, the importance of seeking immediate care, and your legal rights if you or a family member has experienced a traumatic brain injury during a car accident caused by another Calgary driver.

Traumatic Brain Injuries Aren’t Always Obvious in Car Accident Aftermaths

The term “traumatic brain injury” conjures up extreme images of people rendered immediately unconscious, immobile, and permanently brain damaged. While these are all potential outcomes of traumatic brain injuries suffered during Calgary car accidents, these extreme signs are not always present. More subtle signs including blurred vision/lack of ability to focus the eyes, lack of appropriate pupillary response (pupils shrinking when exposed to direct light), slurred speech, or extreme drowsiness can all be signs of a brain injury.

It is even possible to suffer a brain injury and have none of these signs show up immediately. If any of these signs are showing, or if there’s any reason to believe that a head trauma might have occurred, it’s important to head to a Calgary hospital or other medical facility immediately for observation. Catching and treating traumatic brain injuries early can greatly reduce their long-term effects; mere minutes can make the difference between life and death in some cases.

Legal Help Following a Calgary Car Accident Resulting in Traumatic Brain Injury

Seeking medical assistance should be your first and immediate response after any Calgary car accident, especially if there is ANY reason to suspect a brain injury. The full extent of a traumatic brain injury can take weeks or months to make itself known, though, and the effects of a traumatic brain injury can be truly lifelong. This can make it difficult to establish the extent of the medical costs, lost wages, diminished capacity, and pain and suffering that a traumatic brain injury can lead to, and this can lead to legal complication for any personal injury cases arising out of the incident.

Cuming & Gillespie LLP has helped many traumatic brain injury victims get the help and the compensation they deserve, not only through our work as Calgary’s premier personal injury law firm but also through our partnership with Calgary’s Foothills Hospital Brain Injury Patient Experience Program that focuses on rehabilitation and a productive, positive experience in transitioning back to the Calgary community after discharge. We approach every traumatic brain injury case with unparalleled knowledge and compassion, and can provide you the legal assistance you need to make your family whole.

If you or a family member has suffered a traumatic brain injury in a Calgary car accident caused by someone else, please contact us today for a free initial consultation.