When you have been involved in a serious car accident, you may have suffered serious and debilitating injuries. One of the most common injuries incurred in car crashes that can have long-term results is a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although brain trauma can range widely in terms of its severity, many forms of TBIs can have debilitating consequences. If you sustained a brain injury in a collision caused by another driver’s negligence, you should speak with a Santa Fe personal injury lawyer about your case. In the meantime, we want to provide you with more information about brain trauma, motor vehicle crashes, and personal injury law in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Brain Injuries are Common in Motor Vehicle Crashes
The Mayo Clinic explains that traumatic brain injuries happen most frequently in motor vehicle collisions and falls. While car accidents are a leading cause of TBIs, they can also occur in other situations because of someone else’s negligence.
Signs of a Brain Injury can Take Hours (and Sometimes Longer) to Appear
Brain injury symptoms may appear immediately after a car accident. However, in many cases, signs or symptoms of a TBI will not appear until “days or weeks later,” according to the Mayo Clinic. As such, you always need to have a healthcare provider evaluate you after a crash.
Different Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries Exist
Traumatic brain injuries can be mild or severe. Concussions are a common form of a mild TBI, which result from “a violent blow or jolt to the head or body,” according to the Mayo Clinic. Severe TBIs often occur when an object actually penetrates the brain.
Failing to Seek Medical Attention Could Limit Your Recovery
Whether or not you immediately have signs of a brain injury after a crash, you should be assessed by a health care provider. If you do not seek medical help and your TBI worsens, the at-fault driver may be able to use New Mexico’s comparative fault law to argue that you are partially responsible for the severity of your injuries and that your damages award should be reduced accordingly. As soon as you can, seek a medical evaluation.
You Must File Your Brain Injury Lawsuit Quickly
If you do want to file a personal injury lawsuit after suffering a brain injury, you will need to get in touch with a personal injury lawyer quickly. Under New Mexico law, most brain injury lawsuits will need to be filed within three years from the date of the accident that caused your injury.
Seek Advice from a New Mexico Personal Injury Attorney
If you sustained a traumatic brain injury in a car crash or in another type of accident because of another party’s negligence, you may be eligible to file a claim for compensation. One of the dedicated Santa Fe personal injury lawyers at our firm can talk with you today about filing a car accident lawsuit to seek compensation for your brain injury. Contact Slate Stern Law for more information.