Posted in News on September 1, 2021

Traumatic brain injuries can leave victims suffering from long-lasting or permanent disabilities. These injuries can completely alter a person’s ability to enjoy their day-to-day life. Unfortunately, vehicle accidents regularly lead to those involved sustaining traumatic brain injuries, along with other types of injuries that the victim may have to contend with. Here, we want to discuss how often TBIs occur in vehicle accidents in Montana as well as how you can stay protected from sustaining these types of injuries in the event an accident occurs.

How Can I Stay Protected From a TBI in an Auto Accident?

Data available from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that vehicle accidents are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in the US. These types of injuries can occur anytime a person sustains a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. Additionally, a traumatic brain injury can also occur anytime a person experiences a penetrating injury to their head. Any of these traumatic brain injury mechanisms can happen in a vehicle accident.

There are various ways that you can keep your head protected when you go out on the roadways of Montana. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Defensive driving. Even though we cannot control the actions of other drivers around us, we can control how we react to them. When you practice defensive driving on the roadways of Montana, this means you are taking the steps necessary to remain vigilant and alert at all times. Defensive drivers are better able to react to unsafe situations on the roadway.
  • Safe vehicles. All vehicles undergo safety testing. When you are deciding which car to buy for yourself or a family member, you should look to make sure that the vehicle has a good safety rating so that you can be comfortable behind the wheel. Safety testing in these situations includes testing a vehicle for how drivers and passers are affected by collisions from every side of the car. We also strongly encourage you to buy a vehicle with side-impact airbags.
  • Wearing a seat belt. Seatbelts are one of the best ways to prevent drivers and passengers from sustaining severe injuries in the event a collision occurs. Again, we cannot control the actions of other drivers around us, and not all accidents are preventable. However, when a person is wearing a seat belt, they are much less likely to strike their head on other objects inside the vehicle if a collision occurs.
  • Wearing a helmet. Motorcyclists should always wear a helmet when they are on the roadways of Montana. Even though this state does not have a universal motorcycle helmet law, we still recommend that all motorcyclists wear a helmet to prevent a severe traumatic brain injury from occurring.

If you or somebody you care about has sustained a brain injury in a vehicle accident caused by the actions of another driver, reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. A Montana vehicle accident lawyer will be able to handle every aspect of your claim. This includes conducting a complete investigation into the incident in order to determine liability and negotiating with the insurance carriers to recover the compensation you are entitled to.