You’ve survived a serious Indiana car accident with no injuries except for a concussion—you should be back to your normal, healthy self in no time, right? Maybe not. Unfortunately, too many people believe that a concussion isn’t a serious head injury with possible long-term consequences.
One Teen’s Car Accident Concussion Story
In Franklin, Indiana, 18-year-old Gabrielle Moore is preparing for her graduation from high school. But her life has been tough since a January car accident left her with a major concussion and short-term memory problems. When her boyfriend’s car slid off of an icy road, rolled, and struck a tree, she was left with broken bones and a brain injury. Now, she attends regular therapy sessions so that she can remember school assignments, appointments, and phone conversations. While her other wounds have healed, her brain injury may continue to affect all areas of her life.
Car Accidents and Concussions
What can we learn from Moore’s story? Brain injuries—even relatively minor ones—can lead to long-term health issues that can affect your life, your medical bills, and your ability to succeed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 75 percent of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that occur each year are concussions. TBIs can permanently affect various brain functions, including the following:
- Thinking. Short-term and long-term memory and reasoning can be affected by even a minor concussion.
- Sensation. Along with touch and movement, a loss of sensation can affect sight and balance.
- Language. The ability to communicate and express oneself can be affected by a concussion, as can one’s ability to understand language.
- Emotion. A concussion can also cause depression, anxiety, personality changes, aggression, acting out, and social inappropriateness.
It is absolutely vital that you take head injuries seriously and seek medical assistance after suffering a concussion or head injury in a car accident—and equally as vital to get the therapy and care you need after a concussion.
