Why Your Injury Might Not Show Up on an MRI, But Still Deserves Compensation
- Zachary Port
- Jun 16
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 24
How Traumatic Brain Injuries and PTSD Symptoms Can Affect Your Personal Injury Case
Many injuries sustained by clients pursuing personal injury claims are easily identified and treated. If someone hurts their back in a car crash, x-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will show fractured bones or damage to discs, and a physical exam by a doctor or chiropractor might reveal tight muscles or strains or sprains. If someone suffers a dog bite, the injury will likely present with visible puncture wounds or scratches for a medical professional to stitch up or bandage. These injuries are often quickly recognized and documented in medical records, which then allows for personal injury attorneys to follow a standard procedure while seeking just compensation for their client.
But what happens when the injury isn’t visible to the human eye?
As modern medicine advances and research reveals more about the human body––especially about the brain––new diagnoses arise to better describe the unique injuries and difficulties individuals face after experiencing a traumatic event like an automobile accident.
These diagnoses include several ‘invisible’ injuries––injuries that are challenging or impossible to see or quantify with data––including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These diagnoses may be difficult to pin down at times, but their effects are undeniable and can lay a heavy burden on individuals’ shoulders. It’s crucial for everyone––the injured client, attorneys, family members, friends, and even insurance adjusters––to develop a strong understanding of these injuries and how they currently and will continue to affect personal injury cases.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
Many people have personally experienced or know someone who has suffered a concussion, a mild traumatic brain injury that affects brain function and often presents symptoms like headaches, concentration issues, and memory issues. However, some incidents, especially high-impact vehicle collisions or trucking accidents, can lead to moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries.
The Mayo Clinic reported that individuals most at risk for a TBI are:
· Children (from newborn to around age four)
· Young adults (between ages 15-24)
· Adults over 60
· Males in any age group
According to the National Institute of Health, TBIs bring forth a broader and more adverse list of symptoms and side effects, including but not limited to the following:
· Convulsions or seizures
· Loss of consciousness
· Blurred vision
· Memory issues
· Changes in sleep patterns
· Feeling depressed or anxious
· Mood changes or swings, agitation, combativeness, or other unusual behavior
While concussion side effects are typically short-term and fade over time, TBIs present side effects that can last for many years or even for the rest of the individual’s life.
A person may experience drastic personality changes, going from cheerful and upbeat to irritable and down. They may also develop mental disorders like depression and anxiety. MSKTC reported that an individual who has suffered a TBI is eight times more likely to have major depressive disorder than individuals in the general population. They might struggle with serious memory challenges, unable to recall events from a few hours before or forgetting things that happened years ago, depending on whether or not their long- or short-term memory is more affected by the traumatic incident. It is possible for memories to return over time and with diligent effort, including spending time looking through photos or other objects related to the various memories.
TBIs can also affect an individual’s ability to learn, hold conversations, and make rational decisions. As with mild brain injuries like concussions, TBIs make it challenging to remain focused on any given subject for an extended period of time, which can present problems related to organization and planning for the individual.
In addition to cognitive issues, TBIs can also cause problems in the rest of the body. A person may experience paralysis in the facial muscles along with altered senses of taste, smell, and sight.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition caused by being part of or witnessing an extremely stressful or terrifying event. For some, this injury may arise after getting into a serious car accident or suffering a dog bite.
The symptoms may present shortly after the event or emerge years later. A child who experiences a car crash may show signs of PTSD right away, demonstrating clear distress when placed in a vehicle or while witnessing traffic pass, or their symptoms may appear years later, perhaps when learning to drive a car for the first time.
PTSD symptoms are often broken up into four categories: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.
A person experiencing intrusive memories may find themselves unwillingly recalling the traumatic event repeatedly or having dreams related to it.
Someone struggling with avoidance will likely try to keep from thinking or talking about the event. An individual with PTSD from a vehicle crash may stay away from cars and seek other transportation options.
Negative changes in thinking and mood often relate to the individual rather than the specific event. A person may withdraw from family and friends, think negatively about themselves, or constantly experience emotions like fear, anger, or guilt. They may struggle to feel joy or find pleasure in activities they were previously fond of.
Changes in physical or emotional reactions are symptoms regarding the person’s behavior and cognitive function. An individual suffering from these symptoms may be easily startled and constantly on guard for potential dangers. They may have difficulties sleeping or focusing and might be more prone to angry outbursts.
PTSD can be treated with talk therapy that involves discussing and dismantling unhelpful thought patterns that perpetuate the trauma and building confidence to safely face the source of the fear in controlled environments.
How an Attorney Can Help
Navigating the side effects of these invisible injuries is challenging enough: you shouldn’t have to work through legal issues on your own, too.
That’s where a personal injury attorney can come in. If you’re struggling with one of these injuries as the result of a car crash, falling incident, or any other situation that could become a personal injury claim, don’t hesitate to reach out to someone who can help. Many personal injury attorneys offer free consultations, which can help them determine if they can help you and if you have a viable claim.
By seeking help from a legal team who will fight for your rights and interests, you can dedicate your time to healing and moving forward from injury.
Sources:
Contributed to by Abby Chalmers.
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