The Devastating Coping Stages A Person Goes Through After Suffering A TBI In An Accident
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control estimates that 1.5. million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury each year. One of the ways that you can sustain a traumatic brain injury is through a car accident. In fact, car accidents are believed to be among the top two leading causes of traumatic brain injuries.
There are generally three levels of traumatic brain injuries: mild, moderate, and severe. Whereas a mild and moderate TBI might affect you temporarily, a severe TBI can affect you permanently. A severe traumatic brain injury can even result in death.
During auto accidents, people are usually subjected to sudden, violent movements. Such sudden and violent movements can cause a person’s head to hit the steering wheel, window, or dashboard. It is because of such movements that quite many people suffer traumatic brain injuries in car accidents. Some of the car accidents that can result in TBIs include;
- Front-end collisions
- Side-impact collisions
Coping Stages After a Traumatic Brain Injury
After suffering a TBI in a car accident, you will probably need quite some time to recover. Every victim’s journey is different, but most survivors transition through the following emotional stages:
- Confusion, Denial, and Agitation – This stage usually comes right after the trauma. Confusion, denial, and agitation can cause you to act unusually. At this stage, you might feel confused about your daily life. You might find yourself in complete disbelief of your situation. Being in disbelief can then cause you to be extremely nervous/anxious.
- Anger – The anger stage might occur at the same time as confusion, denial, and agitation, but it can also occur later. Generally, you will start feeling angry after you begin coming to terms with your situation. Therefore, it is crucial for you to note that some TBIs can cause an individual to experience anger.
- Depression – This stage can make you start blaming yourself and feeling like you want to give up. Also, it is common for TBI survivors to feel worthless when they get to the depression stage.
- Acceptance – People find acceptance in different ways. For example, you might reach a point where you realize you can’t change what happened and then decide to begin making the most of the current situation.
You Have the Right To Seek Compensation
If someone else’s negligence led to you suffering a TBI and going through the above phases, remember that you have the right to seek compensation. Going through the above-discussed phases after a TBI or healing from a TBI is never easy for survivors or their families. Fortunately, Florida law allows victims of negligence to file lawsuits against at-fault parties and obtain compensation for economic, non-economic, and, sometimes, even punitive damages. So, allow a qualified attorney to help you if you or a loved one sustained a TBI because of another party’s negligence.
Contact Us for Help
If you need legal representation after suffering a TBI due to someone else’s negligence, reach out to a skilled attorney for help. Our Miami personal injury attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm can help you obtain compensation from an at-fault party. In addition, we can assist you in claiming compensation even in a case where you lost a loved one after they sustained a TBI due to another party’s negligence. Contact us today for an appointment.
The Pendas Law Firm also has a mandate to represent whether you are in Bradenton, Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa, Daytona Beach, Ocala, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach areas.
Resource:
cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/pubs/tbi_report_to_congress.html
