Stroke remains a leading cause of both serious injury and death in the U.S. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 800,000 Americans have a stroke every single year. The vast majority of these strokes are first-time occurrences.
If you maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, you are doing your part to minimize your stroke risk. Unfortunately, though, a traumatic event, such as a car accident, may cause you to suffer a stroke.
Stoke and car accidents
Head trauma can cause a hemorrhagic stroke. This type of stroke occurs when there is damage to a blood vessel in the brain. If a blood vessel ruptures because you hit your head, blood can quickly fill your skull. The resulting pressure on your brain is what causes a hemorrhagic stroke.
While trauma and stress can contribute to your stroke risk, your most significant danger is from accident-related injuries. For example, whiplash can damage brain tissue, potentially causing you to suffer a stroke long after your car accident is over.
Medical treatment
Because they can cause death and catastrophic injuries, strokes are medical emergencies that require critical care. If you have one or more of the following stroke symptoms, you should go to the hospital immediately:
- Numbness in any part of your body
- Confusion or disorientation
- Speech difficulties
- Vision impairments
- Headache
Your prognosis likely depends on how promptly you receive treatment, so you should not let the cost of going to the hospital keep you from seeking medical care. Remember, you may have grounds to pursue significant financial compensation for your accident-related injuries, including a potential stroke.
