Dealing With Memory Loss After a Car Accident

Millions of people in the United States sustain injuries in traffic accidents each year, and one of the most common injuries from collisions is a traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBIs can range from a mild concussion to a severe and permanently disabling condition, but one factor remains constant – brain injuries are complex and often misunderstood injuries. While the symptoms of a brain injury will vary significantly from person to person, many TBI victims may struggle with memory loss after their accident.

Car accident claims are already complicated, and they can become substantially more challenging if a victim suffers from memory loss. In this situation, it is critical to have the assistance of an experienced injury lawyer who understands how to pursue a brain injury case.

Identifying Memory Loss as a Symptom of TBI

Memory loss is common in patients with moderate to severe TBIs, but even concussion victims can experience short-term memory loss. Identifying memory loss as a symptom of a brain injury can be more difficult than you might expect, however. Often, after a car crash, it can be expected that victims may feel disoriented or have their thinking clouded. Many people associate the struggle to remember details of the crash with the stress and trauma of the event. In reality, such memory problems might be a sign of a brain injury.

As time passes, accident victims may continue to struggle with memory loss, which can impact their daily lives in many ways. Short-term memory loss can affect a person’s ability to work or finish school. Completing usual tasks around the house can be difficult, and parents with TBI may even forget to pick up their children or turn off the stove. Persisting memory loss can result in many financial and intangible losses in the weeks and months following a car accident.

Types of Memory Loss

To complicate matters further, memory loss can manifest in different ways for different people. The following are some common types of memory loss from a brain injury:

• Post-traumatic amnesia – This makes it difficult to remember what happened before, during, or after the car accident. Victims may feel confused or may have a feeling that they “blacked out” during the crash. Memories may never return, or they may return gradually or all at once.
• Anterograde amnesia – This common type of memory loss from traffic accidents makes it difficult or impossible to form new memories. Anterograde amnesia can involve a lack of focus, confusion, and constantly forgetting what you are doing or what you are supposed to do. 
• Retrograde amnesia – This condition causes the loss of past memories before the car accident occurred. It can involve forgetting the date, your name, or even the identity of close family members.

The type of memory loss someone experiences will depend on the part of the brain that was damaged, as well as the seriousness of the tissue damage.

Memory loss can increase your damages in a car accident claim, and the condition can also complicate the claim itself. You should always ensure you have the right legal representation if you are dealing with any type of memory loss following your car accident – contact us to reach a trusted Tustin car accident attorney today.