Amnesia After a Car Accident

Colburn Law

Posted in Car Accidents on March 2, 2021

During a car accident, you can experience severe, devastating injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). These brain injuries are one of the most serious car accident injuries, but they are also very common. TBIs often require hospitalization and could result in death without prompt treatment.

One common symptom of TBI is memory loss, also known as amnesia. Temporary amnesia can occur even after mild cases of TBI and can greatly impact your quality of life. If you experience amnesia after a car accident, you need a qualified Seattle car accident attorney on your side to help you secure the compensation you need to recover.

What Is Amnesia?

Amnesia is a condition that results in the loss of memories. Unlike popular depictions of amnesia in television or movies, people with amnesia usually remember their identities. However, amnesia victims often struggle with establishing new memories, recalling facts, or learning new information.

Symptoms of this condition include the following:

• Difficulty learning new information, also known as anterograde amnesia
• Difficulty remembering past memories and familiar information, also known as retrograde amnesia
• Confusion or disorientation
• False memories, also known as confabulation

Amnesia occurs when you sustain damage to the part of the brain that is responsible for memory processing. Illnesses, such as stroke, brain inflammation, and tumors, can contribute to amnesia. However, traumatic events such as car accidents can also cause this condition. Depending on the severity of the injury, amnesia can be permanent or temporary.

What Types of Amnesia Occur After a Car Accident?

There are three types of amnesia that may occur after a car accident. You may develop anterograde amnesia, which involves difficulty creating or forming memories following the collision for a certain period of time. You may experience retrograde amnesia, which involves the inability to recall past information. A third type of amnesia, known as post-traumatic amnesia, may also occur; this condition develops when you are in a state of shock after the accident, and only lasts for a short period of time.

In addition to symptoms of amnesia, you should also check for signs of a TBI after a car accident. If you experience any of the following symptoms, seek emergency medical attention as soon as possible.

• Nausea or vomiting
• Difficulty concentrating
• Severe, worsening headache
• Loss of consciousness
• Loss of coordination
• Slurred speech
• Mood changes or mood swings
• Weakness or numbness in the extremities

TBI symptoms can vary from person to person. If you sustain any kind of head injury during a car accident, seek medical treatment immediately.

Memory Loss and Car Accident Claims

In Washington, you have the right to collect compensation from an at-fault driver after a car accident. To secure this compensation, you will need to provide evidence that proves you sustained injuries due to the at-fault driver’s actions. However, amnesia can be difficult to prove in car accident claims, and you may not know you suffer from this injury until days after the collision.

Since memory loss can be subjective, it can be difficult to receive a diagnosis or treatment for it. However, the impact of amnesia can be devastating, potentially impacting your quality of life and ability to work, go to school, or maintain relationships with your loved ones. In these situations, you need an attorney on your side who can validate your claims and advocate for your right to compensation.

As soon as you receive medical attention after your accident, contact a Seattle brain injury lawyer as soon as possible. Your Seattle personal injury lawyer can enlist the support of expert witnesses, conduct an in-depth investigation into your accident, and craft a compelling claim for your maximum recovery.