Life after suffering a Chicago traumatic brain injury is unique to each patient and difficult to predict in the first few months following the accident. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents cause 17.3% of all brain injuries each year. The side effects of Chicago head trauma that you or your loved one may have to live with will vary according to the cause, location, and severity of the injury.

The location of the brain injury following a Chicago car accident plays a large role in which lasting effects of the trauma each patient might experience. The brain is divided into six lobes, each responsible for a different function. Depending on which lobe is injured, the victim may face loss or impairment of the following functions:

• Frontal lobe: Difficulty with attention, organization, speaking, personality, and emotions
• Temporal lobe: Difficulty with memory, hearing, and understanding of language
• Parietal lobe: Loss of sense of touch, visual perception, and differentiation of size, shapes, and colors
• Occipital lobe: Loss of vision
• Cerebellum: Difficulty with balance, coordination, and motor skills
• Brain stem: Difficulty maintaining breathing, heart rate, consciousness, and sleep and wake cycles

Effects of the traumatic brain injury will also vary depending on whether the damage to the particular lobe or lobes is on the left or right side of the brain. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, if the damage occurs on the left side of the brain, the victim can expect to live with the following possible challenges:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Difficulty with logic
• Decreased control over right-sided body movements

Conversely, if the damage following the Chicago car crash is located on the right side of the brain, the victim may need to adjust to living with the following limitations:

• Visual-spatial impairment
• Difficulty with visual memory
• Decreased use of the side of the body

Patients who incur brain damage throughout both sides of the brain following a Chicago car wreck may also experience confusion, fatigue, and reduced cognitive abilities.

Life following an Illinois traumatic brain injury may be complex, frustrating, and expensive as a result of medical bills and lost income. You may be entitled to damages following your injury. Contact a Chicago brain injury attorney for a complimentary consultation by filling out our online form or calling our office at (847) 651-7191.