As car accident lawyers, we’re aware that most people step away from a car accident, feeling a little disoriented, a little dizzy, and a little sore. The problem is not because these particular symptoms are so common that insurance companies and medical networks have started to downplay them. Essentially, if you step out of the car and complain about neck pain and dizziness, the other drivers are just going to get scared that you’re trying to fraud the system. In most cases, that couldn’t be further from the truth because these are genuine and concerning symptoms after a crash.
Without a doubt, if you’re feeling dizzy after an accident, whether it’s a few hours or a few days after the collision, contact your doctor. Take action right away to ensure that you are getting the medical support you need to address any underlying condition or injury. Here you’ll have the opportunity to learn a little bit more about dizziness as a symptom and the differences between dizziness and similar symptoms after a crash.
Dizziness is a Sign of Brain Injury
The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, which works closely with the National Institute on disability, independent living, and rehabilitation research, has looked closely at brain injuries and their symptoms. They know that about 30 to 65% of those who experienced traumatic brain injury report dizziness and lack of balance.
TBI, or traumatic brain injury, is common in car accidents. Even simple Whiplash can result in TBI from the drastic movement of the body and the brain within the skull. Of course, the symptoms you experience might be different, and they all depend on how serious the brain injury is, and there are other possibilities besides the TBI.
For example, after a collision, you might experience TBI, or you might experience a cervical spine injury in which can also prevent dizziness as a symptom. Both of these situations are severe and require medical attention and often, medical intervention.
Differences Between Dizziness and Vertigo
Dizziness and vertigo are not inherently the same thing. The Cleveland Clinic acknowledges that dizziness is distortion within your spatial orientation. It’s the perception that spatial orientation is off and that the balance is maladjusted. That doesn’t mean that people experiencing dizziness or actually having balance problems. They just feel as though they are off-balance, and they feel as though the spaces around them are uneven and uncertain.
Vertigo is a type of dizziness, but it targets the experience of self-movement. Rather than a general distortion with spatial orientation, vertigo is a distortion of your spatial orientation in regard to your movement.
For example, if you are standing still and feel as though the floor beneath you is unstable or rocking like a boat, that is dizziness. Now, if you are walking down the street and suddenly it feels as though you’re spinning while the world moves around you, that is vertigo.
Should You Call Your Doctor?
Experiencing dizziness or vertigo should call for medical attention. Even if you go in your doctor says this might be something you have to ride out, it’s worth getting a medical professional’s insight into your symptoms.
It is possible that dizziness or vertigo could be the only notable symptom of a serious condition or injury. Dizziness is one of the most common symptoms of injuries sustained in car accidents. It’s often a symptom of nerve damage, a neck injury, brain injury, and many others besides. Don’t hesitate to find the right support to recover from your crash.
Work with your doctor to assess what options you’ll need to consider moving forward. You might need medical intervention, ongoing therapy, or further support to make a full recovery.
Contact an Auto Accident Attorney in Atlanta
Working alongside an auto accident attorney in Atlanta might not have been the crash resolution you dreamed of, but it’s often necessary. Crashes that include brain injuries or trauma are often brushed off by insurance companies and severely downplayed. It leaves victims in a terrible position where they are often left wondering how they received ‘full’ compensation but still have all these medical bills to pay. Don’t get left in the lurch.
At the John B Jackson Law Offices, you can get all the support you need to evaluate your crash, consider your injuries, and move forward with your claim. Don’t hesitate to contact our local Atlanta office and speak with an auto accident attorney. John B Jackson serves the Atlanta Community, and we strive to go above and beyond in every case.
