In some cases, when someone suffers from a brain injury, the most extreme symptoms happen right away. Perhaps they strike their head in a car accident and lose consciousness, for example. Once they regain consciousness again, they begin the road to recovery.
But things do not always go this smoothly. In some cases, a brain injury can actually get worse over time. This is why it’s so important to speak with medical professionals after suffering injuries in a car accident or any other such event. Never assume that injuries are minor and do not need treatment.
A subdural hematoma
As an example, consider the subdural hematoma. This is a condition where there is bleeding in the tissues surrounding the brain. This creates excessive pressure between the interior wall of the skull and the brain itself. Over time, as that pressure grows and the bleeding continues, this can lead to severe symptoms and even the death of brain cells.
In fact, this is why people sometimes say that you should not sleep after a brain injury. They used to believe that sleep itself made the injury worse. But it’s now clear that sleep is safe; the problem is just that a person won’t notice their symptoms progressively getting worse. Monitoring those symptoms is so important that it’s often wise to wake someone up to check on them periodically.
Once again, the chance for severe complications is the reason why it’s so important to talk to medical professionals after an injury. Those who have been hurt due to the negligence of others – such as when someone else caused the car accident – need to know how to seek financial compensation.