A concussion is a serious brain injury that can affect your memory and mood. This can affect your relationships, job, and much more. While some concussions are diagnosed immediately, others can go unnoticed for weeks or longer.
Concussions are strongly associated with car accidents. According to the most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), car crashes were responsible for roughly 25% of all hospitalizations related to concussions and other brain injuries.
This article helps people involved in car accidents and their loved ones learn more about how concussions can affect memory, mood, and personality. It also discusses how to document these changes and why they aren’t always obvious. Finally, it explains how a Birmingham car accident lawyer can help.
What Is a Concussion?
A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is a brain injury caused by an outside force. A concussion is a type of TBI.
Generally, concussions happen when a blow to the head causes the brain to move rapidly inside the skull. Because car accidents often cause sudden, jerky body movements, concussions are a common car accident injury.
While many people think that you must lose consciousness to have a concussion, this is not true. Also, while doctors often refer to concussions as a “mild TBI,” this does not mean that they are harmless. It simply means that they are generally less severe than other types of brain injuries.
How Are Concussions Diagnosed and Treated?
Concussions can only be diagnosed and treated by qualified medical professionals. This is yet another reason why it is crucial to seek medical care immediately after any car accident.
During diagnosis, doctors will ask about your symptoms. They may also test your memory, concentration, balance, and other functions. Scans such as MRIs and CTs may also be ordered.
The treatment for a concussion depends on its symptoms. A simple concussion may require little more than rest and limited activity. More severe injuries may require rehabilitation, counseling, or medication.
While medical treatment matters, some concussions don’t show symptoms until days or even weeks later. The force of a crash causes the brain to twist inside the skull, triggering chemical, metabolic, and blood-flow changes. These changes can continue after the initial injury, so their effects may not be obvious during the first exam. Many people are alert and able to answer questions normally at their first appointment. Also, the type of damage caused by concussions doesn’t always appear on brain scans.
After your appointment, you may notice a persistent headache or suddenly have trouble remembering instructions. Your loved ones might say that you’re more irritable than usual. Report these and any other new symptoms to your doctor immediately.
How Can a Concussion Affect Your Memory, Mood, and Personality?
A concussion can affect how you think, feel, and behave. Worse, these effects can overlap. So, someone with memory problems may become angry about this new issue.
Memory
A concussion can also make learning and remembering new information harder. You might:
- Forget conversations or instructions
- Miss appointments
- Ask the same question repeatedly
- Misplace things more often
- Forget why you entered a room
- Lose track of steps while completing a task
Concussions can also cause brain fog, poor concentration, and slower thinking.
Mood
A concussion can change how you experience and respond to emotions. Possible symptoms include:
- Irritability
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Sadness
- Feeling unusually emotional
- Becoming frustrated or overwhelmed easily
Personality
Mood concerns how you feel, while personality and behavior involve broader patterns in how you respond to situations and people. Put another way, mood is more temporary while personality is more consistent.
Concussions can affect personality. Someone who was usually patient before the accident may become easily irritated. Someone who enjoyed socializing pre-crash may avoid gatherings because conversations, noise, or fatigue have become difficult to manage.
How Long Can Memory, Mood, and Personality Changes Caused by a Concussion Last?
It depends. A person with a mild concussion may feel better within a couple of weeks. However, those with more serious concussions can experience symptoms for months or longer.
Medical history also matters. People with a history of concussions tend to be more affected by new concussions than those who have never experienced a brain injury.
How Can a Concussion Affect Your Daily Life?
The memory and emotional problems associated with concussions can interfere with work, household duties, parenting, relationships, and much more. You may also need help with responsibilities you previously handled alone.
Here’s an example: A woman returns to her office job one week after her car accident. She starts forgetting instructions and missing deadlines. At home, she becomes frustrated during conversations and stops attending family gatherings. Although she has returned to work, her recovery is not complete.
Be sure to tell your Alabama injury attorney about all of the ways the accident affected your life. They can help you build a negligence case.
How Can You Document the Effects of a Concussion?
If you believe that you suffered a concussion after an Alabama car accident, your medical records are very important. Your Alabama personal injury attorney will likely ask for these. But medical records tell only part of the story. Keeping a journal can help you remember what to mention to your doctor. It is also a record of how the concussion affected you. The journal should include specific examples of incidents related to:
- Forgotten tasks
- Missed work and reduced hours
- Changes in job performance
- Needing help with household responsibilities
- Observations from family, friends, or coworkers
- Before-and-after comparisons (e.g., “I didn’t use to need reminders to take medication, but now I do.”)
How Can a Birmingham Brain Injury Lawyer Help?
A concussion, even a mild one, should never be taken lightly. If your concussion was related to a car accident, a Birmingham accident attorney can help you in many ways, including:
- Talking to insurance companies on your behalf
- Gathering medical and employment records
- Consulting qualified medical experts
- Obtaining statements from people who witnessed how the concussion changed you
- Documenting medical expenses
- Evaluating your lost income and reduced earning capacity
If a concussion has affected your memory, mood, or everyday life, and you need legal help, contact Collins Law, LLC. We provide each client with compassionate assistance and representation. We’ll keep you informed during every step of your injury claim. To learn more about how we can help you, schedule a free consultation by calling 205-588-1411 or using our online form.
