Memory Loss After a Car Accident – What You Should Know

Memory loss after a car accident can be scary. You may forget the crash itself, activities from a few hours prior, or names and conversations. The memory loss could improve on its own during the next few days or weeks, but it could indicate serious issues requiring intensive treatment. You could have a traumatic brain injury, concussion, emotional trauma, or other conditions.

If you’ve suffered memory loss after a car accident, get medical help as soon as possible. You should also consider contacting an Alabama car accident lawyer, who can help you understand your legal options and protect your claim while you focus on your recovery.

Why can people get memory loss after car accidents?

Often, memory loss during car accidents occurs because the brain absorbs some type of impact. This can be true even if your head never touched anything, such as a window or steering wheel, because of how your brain rattles inside your skull during violent collisions. You can be fully conscious for an entire accident, never hit anything, and end up with serious memory loss. Other causes of car accident memory loss can include:

• Swelling of the brain
• Concussions
• Lack of oxygen to the brain
• Emotional shock
• Severe stress, insomnia, and other reactions to the crash

Even some of the medications given after a crash may induce memory loss.

What if you feel foggy after a car accident? Is that memory loss?

It certainly could be. Your processing speed may feel noticeably slower, multitasking may be impossible, and you could forget why you walked into a room. Time may pass without you realizing it, and conversations might not stay in your head. These can be symptoms of memory loss or brain injuries. If you ever find yourself asking, “Could I have memory loss?” that is a sign to seek medical attention.

Other signs of brain-related issues after a car accident include headaches, nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light, and excessive fatigue. These issues, and memory loss, may show up a few hours after a crash rather than right away due to adrenaline. This is one reason medical personnel may not be able to diagnose memory loss immediately after a car crash. If you go to the doctor but later develop confusion, light sensitivity, brain fog, or related issues, seek follow-up care from a specialist.

How long can the memory loss last?

It really varies, but it could be days, weeks, months, long-term, or lifelong. Some people may have memory loss that mostly resolves within a few months, but still have permanent cognitive effects. Factors influencing how long car accident memory issues last include:

• The force of the crash
• If you suffered a TBI or concussion (either could indicate more persistent memory issues)
• Your age and health before the crash
• How promptly you got medical treatment and if you got follow-up care from a specialist

Your car may not look all that damaged, but you could still have bad, longer-term memory loss. Also, your memory loss issues may show up even later (days or weeks after a crash) if they are due to emotional trauma, insomnia, or related effects. It is still important in these situations to seek medical help. This assists in your recovery and can help show the link between the crash and your cognitive problems.

How do doctors diagnose memory loss after car accidents, and what type of memory loss is it?

Diagnosis typically incorporates a medical history (what happened and what your memory problems are like), a neurological exam, and perhaps brain imaging and cognitive testing.

A detailed history can offer a wealth of insight. Questions you’ll answer may include:

• What happened right before the crash? Right after?
• What’s the last thing you remember before the impact?
• What is the first thing you remember afterward?
• Do you forget new conversations or appointments?
• Do people say you repeat yourself?

Your answers could help indicate the type of memory loss. Retrograde amnesia is memory loss before the accident. A severe injury could cause you to lose as many as several days before the accident.

Meanwhile, anterograde amnesia (post-traumatic amnesia) indicates you struggle to form new memories. You may not remember who visited you in the hospital and forget conversations from even 15 minutes ago.

Alternatively, your memory loss may have more to do with working memory/processing than whether you remember specific things before or after the accident. You may have little focus, decreased processing speed, and an inability for things to “stick.” It is also possible to experience all three types of memory loss or two of the three.

If you have memory gaps but your brain scans are normal, you could be dealing with a mild TBI or a concussion. If your memory issues have emotional triggers or seem more like flashbacks, you could have psychological trauma (and possibly physical injuries, too). Mental Health Stats reports that about 5.2% of Alabama adults have a PTSD diagnosis, but many do not receive adequate treatment

Can mild memory loss affect your daily life?

Yes. You may have a harder time parenting, working, driving safely, keeping track of appointments and medications, and managing your finances. Depending on the type of job you have, the effects can be profound and cut into your ability to earn an income. And then there are the possible emotional effects, such as decreased self-confidence.

How much compensation can you get in Alabama for memory loss after a car accident?

Each situation is unique. A few things to keep in mind:

• Alabama fault laws are strict. If you are found to be partly at fault for the accident/your own injuries, you might not be able to recover any compensation in a negligence claim, even for severe memory loss and other serious injuries. It is important that your car accident lawyer is able to illustrate your lack of fault.
• The strength of your evidence matters, which is one reason to seek medical attention and follow-up care. Symptom journals, neurological records, medication records, and statements from loved ones and colleagues who notice your changes can help a good deal.
• Minimizing your symptoms can hurt your recovery from memory loss as well as the compensation you receive.

Prince Glover Hayes can help

Of course, memory loss or cognitive problems make it even more difficult to meet with lawyers, remember what you discussed, and follow medical treatment. Be sure you consult with lawyers who have experience with car accident memory loss. For possible next steps, get in touch with Prince Glover Hayes today.