Millions of people each year suffer some form of brain trauma, according to the CDC. These injuries range from minor concussions that leave no lasting symptoms to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that cause permanent impairments. Just as brain trauma can come in different degrees of severity, the related symptoms can vary as well.
If you’ve suffered a TBI, you may wonder if your memory will be affected as a result. Here is what you need to know about memory loss and brain injuries — and how a TBI attorney can help if your injury was caused by someone else in Florida.
How the Brain Suffers Trauma
There are several different ways that you can suffer a brain injury that can cause memory loss, including:
Blunt Force Trauma
A blow to the head can cause localized trauma to the brain that can lead to memory loss. Injuries sustained in sporting activities such as football are one common way you can suffer blunt force trauma. Car accidents in which you hit your head on the steering wheel can also cause blunt force trauma that impacts your brain.
Piercing Trauma
An object that pierces your skull can directly injure your brain and cause a traumatic brain injury. This type of injury is called a piercing brain injury. Severe motor vehicle accidents and acts of violence are two ways that this sort of force can be applied to pierce your skull.
Diffuse Axonal Trauma
A diffuse axonal injury is commonly referred to as whiplash because the violent and rapid back-and-forth movement of the head causes it. This movement can tear and damage the axons in your brain, which are fibers that help transmit nerve signals throughout your nervous system.
As a result, your brain is not able to communicate as effectively with itself or other parts of your body.
Anoxic Brain Trauma
Additionally, anoxic brain injuries describe damage to your brain caused by the reduction or deprivation of oxygen-rich blood. Strokes and drowning accidents are common causes of these injuries. Without oxygen, permanent impairment can happen within minutes, and brain death can follow shortly thereafter.
Memory Loss and Traumatic Brain Injuries
Any type of traumatic brain injury is capable of causing memory loss, although such memory loss is more common with moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries. Although your experience with post-injury memory loss is unique, studies of individuals who have experienced memory loss following a TBI reveal some common themes.
Your Short-Term Memory Is More Likely to Be Impacted
Short-term memory refers to your ability to process and recall information you learn from day to day. This includes recently acquired information and remembering things you are supposed to do in the future. For example, following a TBI, you might have trouble remembering:
- Where you place important items like keys, papers, and personal effects
- Details of conversations, such as instructions your doctor gives you
- The time of day or what day of the week it is
- Routes you take to get to work, the store, or back home
- When to set appointments or call people back after promising to do so
It is difficult to repair your short-term memory, so you may continue to experience difficulties on a long-term basis. You might need to cope by having a trusted family member assist you with daily activities or write down information you must recall later.
Your Long-Term Memory Is Likely to Be Unaffected
Conversely, it is unlikely you will forget who you are or information you learned a long time ago after suffering a TBI. This includes information you learned in school and as a child. Severe brain injuries can impact your ability to function, such as your ability to speak, but this sort of impairment is not because you have forgotten how to do so.
You Might Have No Memory of the Accident
Whether your TBI is severe or mild, it is common not to have any memory of the accident itself. This is information you will likely not be able to recover, no matter the passage of time.
How a Florida TBI Attorney Can Help
Memory loss of any type following a TBI can make your day-to-day life more challenging. In particular, you may find it difficult to make it through your day without assistance or to hold certain jobs. This can result in financial losses, emotional pain, and suffering.
If you experienced a TBI because of another’s negligent actions in Florida, a TBI attorney from Schrier Law Group can help. Our seasoned litigators have a proven track record of securing substantial results for our clients. Contact Schrier Law Group to schedule your consultation today.
