Virginia residents can experience a traumatic brain injury after a car accident. While the symptoms can sometimes take hours or days to show up, the effects of a TBI can last much longer. Not all TBI patients have the same outcomes, but some can have life-altering effects.

SpinalCord.com states that some injuries result in permanent brain damage but others can recover over time. Some of the most common effects include stroke risk increase, partial paralysis, memory loss, loss of balance and impaired language skills. Some patients can experience mood swings and have a higher risk of degenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

The long-term effects of a TBI depend largely on the type of head injury. Crushing injuries can cause skull fractures and severe bleeding in the short term. Closed head injuries are the most common type resulting in no external damage, but inside there may be nerve damage or bleeding. Penetrating brain injuries are more graphic and expose the brain to outside conditions.

According to BrainLine.org, moderate to severe TBIs can cause a patient to experience motor deficits or disabilities that last their lifetime. A patient may experience difficulties remembering, carrying objects, thinking, social relationships, moving objects and controlling their movements. Fine motor skills loss, paralysis, vision problems and recognition problems are other potential side effects.

Beyond these, patients may find it challenging to simply be a part of social situations. Changes in their ability to communicate and physically care for themselves can greatly alter their lives. A TBI does not guarantee any of these outcomes, but they are possible.