TBIs Can Result In Personality Changes For Some Victims

On behalf of Lovett Law Firm posted in Brain Injury on Friday, October 11, 2013.

Serious brain injury is one of the unfortunate consequences of car accidents. In fact, other than falls, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in the United States, and motor vehicle accidents account for the largest percentage of TBI-related deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Once one understands what actually occurs during a car accident, those statistics are not all that surprising. But they are still concerning. Unfortunately for many people who suffer traumatic brain injuries, a lot of changes can occur, not only with respect to one’s ability to work and recreate, but also in one’s personality and ability to relate normally to others.

Personality changes due to brain injury are quite common among veterans, who suffer a great many such injuries as a group, due to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Oftentimes, personality changes in brain injury sufferers are only known to friends and family of the victim. It is family who suffer the most, seeing a loved one changed as a result of an accident. Sometimes intensive therapy can give brain injury victims a new set of coping skills, but there are usually still challenges.

When a traumatic brain injury occurs as a result of a motorist’s negligence and a personal injury suit is filed, it is important for the victim to account for the full range of loss they have sustained. This is critical with respect to calculating damages. For brain injuries, there is not only the cost of medical care and therapy, but the many little losses touching everyday life that crash victims suffer.

Source: NBC News, “‘A different person’: Personality change often brain injury’s hidden toll,” Bill Briggs, September 28, 2013.