A new medical test can detect traumatic brain injury (TBI) early, and that could lead to significantly better treatment for people who have suffered head trauma in a car accident.
It could also lead to better financial outcomes – car crash victims often do not realize they have suffered a TBI until weeks or even months have passed, and an early, objective test result will make it easier for victims to get the compensation they deserve from insurance companies.
If you were in an auto accident with a sudden and violent stop, or if you suffered any kind of head injury in the crash, it is important that you are checked out and diagnosed as early as possible, that you get compensation for the future care that TBI will most likely require, and that you call your Myrtle Beach auto accident attorney as soon as possible after the accident.
TBI: Tough to Detect, Even Harder to Live With
Almost a third of trauma deaths in the US involve TBI. And car accidents are among the leading causes of this kind of head trauma.
Anyone who survives a car accident but suffers TBI has a tough road ahead – memory problems, erratic behavior, mood changes, and seizures are just a few of the long-term and life-changing problems associated with TBI.
The difficulty of diagnosing TBI has plagued the medical community and patients for years. Research has shown that emergency room personnel fail to diagnose TBI in about half the cases they encounter.
Even advanced diagnostic tools such as MRI and CT scans routinely miss evidence of TBI, which is known as the “silent injury.” This is because the injuries often have no visible signs – no blood, no penetration, and often no external bruising or swelling.
Without early detection, there is no early treatment. Without early treatment, patients’ chances of recovery go down significantly. And, it is difficult to get compensation from insurance companies for an injury that you can’t see.
The Banyan Brain Trauma Indicator (BBTI), which received FDA approval earlier this month, could help medical professionals detect TBI and begin treatment early. The test measures the levels of proteins that are released into the bloodstream after a head injury.
Insurance Companies Take Advantage of the Difficulty in Diagnosing TBI
The lack of a clear-cut medical test such as the BBTI has made it easy for insurance companies to do what they do best – deny the injury, deny the claim. Insurance companies also use lack of severe property damage and visible physical injuries to deny claims of TBI.
They will argue that such catastrophic injuries cannot result from “minor” collisions that result in little damage to the vehicles involved.
They argue this – and sometimes they win – despite plenty of evidence that even “minor” accidents can result in head trauma and damage to the brain. Even when there is no external sign of injury, the brain can be injured when the head hits a steering wheel or windshield or is hit by a loose object in the vehicle. Just the violent force of a sudden stop can cause the brain to slam into the inside of the skull.
Once it is widely available, the BBTI will hopefully transform TBI detection from a subjective, wait-and-see guessing game into an objective, provable diagnosis, one that insurance companies can’t undermine with counterarguments and outright denial.
SC TBI Auto Accident Attorneys in Myrtle Beach, Conway, Columbia, and Charleston
If you have suffered any kind of head injury in an auto accident, immediately get the medical care and ongoing care that you need. Then, call your Myrtle Beach car accident attorney at Coastal Law at (843) 488-5000 or fill out our online contact form to set up a free consultation about your case.
