Can a slip-and-fall accident lead to aphasia?

Thanks to a popular celebrity’s diagnosis, aphasia has garnered national and international headlines in recent weeks. According to reporting from NBC News, this nightmarish condition interferes with a person’s ability to communicate. If you develop aphasia, you may struggle to talk, write and even comprehend language.

It is not uncommon for stroke victims to experience temporary or permanent aphasia. Still, it is possible to develop the condition after suffering a traumatic brain injury. If you hit your head during a slip-and-fall accident, you may be in store for significant communication challenges.

Your brain’s Broca’s area

The Broca’s area is the part of your brain that controls speech. This area is on the outside of the left side of your brain. While your skull typically provides effective protection, it is possible to damage your Broca’s area during a slip-and-fall accident.

Damage to the brain may happen in a couple of different ways. First, an impact to the Broca’s area may cause a direct injury. More commonly, though, swelling or bleeding on the left side of your brain may cause you to experience aphasia.

Your prognosis

It is important to note that aphasia may happen immediately or progressively over time. To improve your chances of making a full recovery, it is critical to go to the emergency room for an examination. After all, you may not realize you have a brain injury until hours or even days after your fall.

Doctors may recommend speech and language therapy to help combat aphasia. Ultimately, though, it may be necessary to seek financial compensation from anyone who caused or contributed to your accident to help you pay for the medical care you deserve.