Traumatic brain injuries are among the most common injuries following a car accident. During the collision, your body or head may suffer a violent blow from various objects within the car. Additionally, the back-and-forth motion can cause the soft tissue to collide with your skull and lead to bruising, contusions or a concussion.

Mayo Clinic explains that TBIs can affect the brain cells temporarily or permanently.

Physical signs of a TBI

Symptoms of a TBI do not always show up during or directly following the accident. In some cases, the adrenaline from the accident keeps people from noticing the symptoms until later. In other cases, you may not recognize the symptoms related to traumatic brain injuries. One of the first signs may include loss of consciousness. If you lose consciousness, even for a short time, following the accident, the odds are that you have a brain injury.

Other symptoms include persistent headaches that become worse over time, repeated vomiting, convulsions, loss of coordination, dilation of pupils and weakness in your fingers or toes. You may experience the symptoms right away or it may take days to recognize the signs of a TBI.

Mental signs of a TBI

In addition to physical signs, you may also undergo cognitive symptoms. Many people feel confused after a TBI; they may have difficulty expressing themselves or feel agitated or quick to anger. Unusual behavior often ties to a problem with the brain following an accident. An injury to your brain can leave you feeling confused, tired and anxious.

While some cognitive symptoms may be due to the shock of an accident, you do not want to rule out TBI.