A traumatic brain injury (TBI) from a car crash could affect you for the rest of your life. While a mild concussion may not cause lasting symptoms, a moderate-to-severe TBI could cause significant changes to your life.
The worst brain injuries may leave someone comatose and dependent on life support. Even if your TBI is not that severe, the lasting, moderate symptoms you develop could have a long-term impact on your career. What kinds of symptoms will affect your finances and earning potential?
Cognitive and memory issues
If you work as a structural technician at an architectural firm, you need to make sense of blueprints and keep track of the load that a wall must support. If you have trouble performing mental calculations or retaining information, you may not be able to do the job as well as you did before.
The cognitive and memory consequences of a brain injury can range from difficulty making decisions to difficulty recalling older memories.
Changes in mood and personality
Your success at work largely relates to how you treat your co-workers and clients. A brain injury could change your personality or behavior in a way that affects your job. You may lose some of the charisma that made you a successful salesperson or a rising star in upper management.
Changes to your mood could make it more taxing to perform the same job you once did with little trouble. You may not be able to handle the stress of the workplace or hostile customer interactions appropriately.
Motor function and balance issues
An injury to your brain could affect your strength, flexibility and sense of balance. If you work in a physically demanding career, a noticeable reduction in strength or change in your flexibility could impact your job performance. Even those working in a retail setting could find that issues with vertigo or strength could make them unable to continue their employment.
Other symptoms that can cause workplace issues include sensory changes, headaches and chronic fatigue. You need to consider not only the medical expenses but also the career and income consequences of a brain injury after you get hurt. Recognizing the possible career consequences of a traumatic brain injury will help you negotiate an insurance claim for compensation in court.