Car accident victims may sustain vestibular disorder, which can vary greatly from person to person. While dizziness is a common symptom experienced following a vehicle accident, it may lead to other symptoms depending on the nature of the injury. Oftentimes, victims are diagnosed with whiplash, but injuries sustained may also cause vestibular disorder, a condition that affects the brain.
What Is Vestibular Disorder?
Vestibular disorder causes issues with coordination, spatial awareness, and balance as a result of a disruption of the vestibular system of the brain. Some symptoms include:
- Neck pain
- Dizziness
- Migraines
- Vertigo
- Lightheadedness
- Spatial awareness issues
Other symptoms of vestibular disorder may include difficulty focusing and concentrating, memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and a sensation of movement when not in motion.
Not everyone experiences symptoms immediately after sustaining a head injury. Some individuals have been found to experience little to no symptoms within three days of an injury. Others have experienced latent symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and dizziness that developed weeks following the initial injury.
What Causes Vestibular Disorder?
The most common causes of vestibular disorder for individuals under 50 include blows to the head and whiplash injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents. Other causes of vestibular disorder include ear infections or high doses of certain antibiotics over long periods of time. Some cases also result from sudden changes in pressure, such as those experienced while on an airplane or scuba diving. Aging has also been shown to cause changes to the vestibular system.
If a vehicle accident is the cause of vestibular disorder and symptoms take weeks to appear, injury victims may not associate the symptoms with the accident.
What to Do Following an Accident Resulting in Vestibular Disorder
The most important step to take following a vehicle accident that causes damage to the vestibular system is to seek treatment. Even if symptoms don’t appear, they may develop later. Seeing medical professionals for a thorough assessment and treatment can help identify vestibular disorder early on and connect it to the accident.
After seeking treatment and therapy, victims may be able to build a personal injury case with the help of an injury attorney. Taking these steps can help victims successfully treat the condition and seek compensation if another party’s negligence resulted in the injury.