What Type of Brain Injury Causes Memory Loss?

Any injury or disease that affects the brain can ultimately impact a person's memory. Amnesia can occur because of changes in the brain structures that control memories and emotions. This can include hippocampal functions and the thalamus, found deep in the center of the brain. Possible causes of neurological amnesia can range from serious isolated events to ongoing degradation associated with an illness. 

Some of the most common causes of neurological amnesia include seizures, long term alcohol misuse, lack of oxygen in the brain, brain inflammation, stroke, Alzheimer's disease and certain medicines. Furthermore, any head injury that causes a concussion, such as something from sports, a slip and fall or a car accident can lead to problems remembering new information and overall confusion. This is very commonly reported in those accident victims who are in the early stages of their recovery. Typically, someone who sustains a mild head injury will not have lasting amnesia, but more significant and severe head injuries may cause permanent amnesia. 

Emotional trauma or shock can also cause a condition known as dissociative amnesia. If someone is a victim of major trauma, such as a violent crime, they may lose information and memories not just about the incident in question but about other aspects of their life. There are certain conditions that can increase your chances of suffering from amnesia or memory loss. This includes a history of seizures, stroke, alcohol abuse, head injury, brain surgery, or trauma.

It may not be easy for you to realize that you have suffered a brain injury that has led to memory loss. For far too many people who are seriously injured in vehicle accidents, there are numerous questions and legal concerns that need to be addressed as soon as possible. You need to gather all of your evidence and communicate with an experienced personal injury lawyer about the best course of action for recovering compensation. If a lawyer can help with your case, you may get your treatments covered and receive additional damages for the harm done to you. Knowing what to do in a personal injury claim is difficult. Make sure you have committed brain injury lawyers like the team at Morgan & Morgan to manage your case for you. 

You may be experiencing many different symptoms because of a preventable personal injury accident. You may also be concerned with recovering compensation for your injuries when you have been critically injured and need to hold someone else accountable for these incidents. The support of a brain injury lawyer may be the only way for you to get the help you need in your legal claim. Our dedicated personal injury attorneys are here to help you understand the impacts of your brain injury and to assist you with making the best possible recovery. 

Far too many brain injury victims have substantial medical costs and are unable to recover the compensation they need to move on with their lives without hiring a qualified personal injury lawyer. An experienced and dedicated personal injury lawyer is there to answer your questions at each phase of your case and to help you if there are any major changes in your condition. Amnesia varies in scope and severity, but even a mild case of amnesia and memory loss can take a toll on your quality of life and daily activities. You may find yourself experiencing different problems at school, at work and in social settings. Make sure that you report any problems with amnesia to your doctor and also communicate with your personal injury lawyer to determine how this fits into your overall scope of your case.

Memory is one common impact of a traumatic brain injury. As your brain injury lawyer can tell you, there are many far-reaching circumstances of suffering a TBI in a car accident or other preventable incident. Memory problems related to traumatic brain injuries are not often similar to what you would see portrayed in the media as amnesia. You are more likely to remember things from your past because these things may be stored in your long-term memory, however, you may have difficulty identifying and remembering new information, such as what's happening from one day to the next. This is because you are accessing your short-term memory. Some of the most common short-term memory issues reported by people with TBIs include forgetting part or all of what you read in a book or saw in a movie, feeling unsure of what you said yesterday or earlier today, forgetting important details in a conversation and forgetting where you left things.

Any patient who is experiencing memory loss after a serious accident should be prepared to identify the different types of memory loss and consult with their doctors regarding it. One common term used in conjunction with this is prospective memory. This is also known as remembering to remember. Perhaps you set intentions or plans and cannot recall them long enough in order to take action on them. People who have moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries are more likely to struggle with prospective memory. This can lead to things like:

• Forgetting to pick up your children from a certain location at a specific time.
• Forgetting to take medications that should be taken at the same time.
• Forgetting to show up for appointments or showing up on different days or times.
• Forgetting important occasions in your life or your loved one's life, such as family events or birthdays.

Many people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury do not remember the injury itself because the brain has not stored that as a memory or a series of memories. These people are unable to store memories or seem confused for some time after the injury. This can last anywhere from just a few minutes to several weeks or months. 

Any major changes in your medical condition should be told to your physician. 

Your doctor is best equipped to help you with comprehensive and difficult personal injury claims. A knowledgeable brain injury lawyer, like those working at Morgan & Morgan, can help you to sort out the various details in your personal injury claim and help you to structure a plan to recover compensation. 

The support of an attorney can be vital for a successful case and added support for you during this trying time. Our Morgan & Morgan brain injury lawyers know that it can seem very overwhelming to figure out how to move on with your life. We also know that it can be difficult to think about filing a claim for compensation, especially when you're unclear about timelines and deadlines and are already struggling to remember things. We can handle the complicated parts so that you can focus on your health and happiness.

To get started, contact Morgan & Morgan today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.