If you suffer from any kind of blow to the head, there is a distinct possibility for an injury. One condition that can be a result of a brain injury can lead to the scariest question you have to ask yourself: Who am I? If your brain injury leads to amnesia, your life takes a dramatic turn for the worse. You don't know who or where you are. You literally have to put your life together again from scratch, and that is a scary situation to try and live with. The first thing you need to do after your accident car accident, slip and fall accident or sports injury is get checked out by a doctor. If what caused your amnesia isn't your fault, contact an experienced brain injury lawyer in San Diego to help you through the complex legal process.

What Is Amnesia?

Easily defined, amnesia applies to loss of memories like facts, experiences and information. It is usually caused by damage to parts of the brain that are important for memory processing. Unlike temporary memory loss (or transient global amnesia), amnestic syndrome can be permanent.There are two main symptoms of amnesia:
  • Impaired ability to learn new information following the initial onset of amnesia (anterograde)
  • Impaired ability to recall past events and previously familiar information (retrograde)
Most people with amnestic syndrome have short-term memory difficulties and cant retain new information. Don't confuse amnesia with dementia. Dementia does include memory loss, but there are other significant cognitive problems that lead to the inability to carry out daily activities.

What Causes Amnesia?

Amnesia generally results from damage to the parts of the brain that make up the limbic system the system of the brain that controls your memories and emotions. The limbic system includes the thalamus (deep in the middle of the brain) and the hippocampal regions located in the temporal lobes.Head injuries have been known to cause confusion and difficulty remembering new information in early recovery stages, but thankfully, these injuries usually don't cause amnesia.

How Do I Know If I Have Amnesia?

In order to diagnose amnesia, a doctor will have to do a thorough exam to eliminate any other possible causes for your memory loss such as things like Alzheimer's disease, depression or dementia. Several questions will be asked to determine what type of memory loss you have and what could have happened to trigger the condition. The next step in diagnosis consists of a physical and cognitive exam. The physical exam could include a neurological exam to check balance and reflexes. The cognitive test tests your short and long-term memory with knowledge of general information such as the name of the current president or personal information and past events. This evaluation helps determine how bad the memory loss is and provide some idea of what kind of treatment is necessary.

How Is Amnesia Treated?

Treatment for amnesia uses different techniques that supplement the current memory problem. If you have amnesia, you may have to work with an occupational therapist to learn new information. This is to replace what information was lost. Other methods of memory training may include ways to organize information so its easier to remember.Some people with amnesia can be helped with personal digital assistants (PDAs), such as a BlackBerry or an iPhone. If you have severe amnesia, these devices can help you remember to perform , important events and even when to take medications.

Call us now to Maximize your Brain Injury Settlement

Since 1992, the San Diego brain injury lawyers at the Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers, APC have been helping people just like you deal with a personal injury claim if you have physical and emotional damages as a result of a traumatic brain injury. We know that the legal process can at times be very confusing, but our experience can help guide you through the process. Don't worry about fighting insurance companies. Our experienced brain injury attorneys in San Diego are here to help you recover the maximum personal injury settlement with the least amount of stress.If you or a loved one has symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, we urge you to contact our bilingual offices in San Diego as soon as possible following the cause at 1-858-551-2090 or please click here for a FREE consultation with an experienced brain injury attorney. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you owe nothing until we recover money on your behalf.