March Is Brain Injury Awareness Month: 2026

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month in Michigan, a reminder that traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are serious, life-changing, and all too often undiagnosed. Knowing the signs, getting prompt care, and protecting your rights after a crash or fall can make a lasting difference, long after the ER visit, for survivors and their families.

Michigan recognizes March as Brain Injury Awareness Month, and the national effort is led by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIA). A TBI can be caused by “a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain,” and the severity can range from brief symptoms to extended unconsciousness or amnesia. The CDC warns that TBIs are a major cause of death and disability and can lead to significant health problems, including issues that are missed or minimized early.

March Brain Injury Awareness month is not only about statistics, but also about preventing avoidable harm and taking TBI symptoms seriously when they appear after a collision, fall, or violent impact.

To be honest, I think every month – not just March – should be Brain Injury Awareness Month. There is an extraordinary gap still between what most people know about TBIs and what they need to know.

As a community, we need to raise awareness of how brain injuries happen, both during March and throughout the year, and find better ways to protect TBI survivors

And we need to help the public better understand what TBI survivors are going through and help them to overcome the many obstacles that have been thrown in their path. Perhaps no place needs this more than within the medical community itself. The overall lack of awareness about TBIs among too many doctors and many medical professionals is still shocking. I have far too many real life examples with my own clients of very clear TBIs that are overlooked in the emergency rooms and ignored by family doctors.

Having served as President of the American Association for Justice’s Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, I’m committed to doing everything in my power to help raise this much-needed awareness in March and beyond about the challenges faced by car accident victims – and all accident victims – who have suffered TBIs.

March Brain Injury Awareness Month 2026: Past Video Of Attorney Brandon Hewitt Talking to WZZM About TBIs and Their Long-Term Impact

In honor of March Brain Injury Awareness Month 2026, we’re sharing a past video of Michigan Auto Law attorney Brandon Hewitt discussing the effects of TBIs on both survivors and society with WZZM 13 Grand Rapids.

Acknowledging the jaw-dropping statistic that 2 million Americans are affected by TBI every year – with car accidents being the cause for most – Brandon explained the following:

“More than half of those people are going to be struggling with that a year after their injury. Long term consequences . . . four years post-injury. Many of these people are living at home. They’re not working. They’re not in school. So we’re talking, not just acute, but really long-term, lifelong problems. From an economic standpoint, it’s estimated that it has a $76.5 billion effect on our economy. So it’s a true national emergency.”

To see WZZM’s full interview of Brandon, please check out the video below.

Brain injury statistics to know about for March Brain Injury Awareness Month 2026

• 58,500 people sustain TBIs in Michigan every year (Brain Injury Association of Michigan)
• Car crashes are the cause of 30% of the traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that occur in Michigan every year (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services)
• There are more than 1,800 TBI-related deaths in Michigan every year (State of Michigan)
• There are more than 9,300 TBI-related hospitalizations in Michigan every year (State of Michigan)
• Every day, 190 people die in the U.S. because of a TBI-related injury (CDC)
• Every day, nearly 590 people are hospitalized in the U.S. because of a TBI-related injury (CDC)

TBI symptoms to learn about during national March Brain Injury Awareness Month 2026

In honor of March Brain Injury Awareness Month 2026, our TBI Symptoms page, highlights the signs people should watch for after a car accident or other traumatic event—and explains how those symptoms can affect victims.

The BIA of Michigan on its “Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)” provides the following list of TBI symptoms:

• Extended loss of consciousness and coma
• Headache
• Amnesia surrounding the traumatic event
• Dizziness
• Ringing in ears
• Slurred speech
• Confusion
• Memory loss
• Feeling in a fog
• Nausea or vomiting
• Emotional instability
• Delayed response to questions
• Hypersensitivity to light or sound
• Sleep disturbances

The ‘invisible’ injury

TBIs are often called an “invisible” injury because a survivor can look and sound normal while still dealing with real cognitive, emotional, and neurological dysfunction, and because symptoms are sometimes delayed or “masked” by pain, stress, and other crash-related injuries.

When a TBI is suspected, early legal help can be as important as early medical follow-up because the strongest evidence can disappear quickly. A lawyer who concentrates on TBI cases can preserve crash and scene proof, obtain complete EMS and hospital records, coordinate neuro specialists and testing, document work limits and future care needs, and push back when insurance companies try to frame a TBI as “minor” or unrelated. A strong TBI case also requires the right kind of medical documentation, because many TBIs do not show up neatly on routine imaging, and insurers often seize on that gap to minimize the claim.

For a deeper breakdown of how TBIs present after crashes and what steps help protect both health and the claim, see Michigan Auto Law’s resource on TBI after a car accident.

What is a traumatic brain injury, and why is awareness important in March and year-round?

A TBI happens when an external force disrupts how the brain normally works, such as a violent jolt in a crash, a hard fall, or a blow to the head. Some TBIs are immediately obvious, but many are not. A person can look “okay” and still have real brain dysfunction that shows up as confusion, slowed thinking, memory problems, dizziness, headache, sleep disruption, mood changes, or sensitivity to light and sound. In many cases, the person does not fully recognize what is wrong until they try to return to normal routines, such as driving, working, reading, multitasking, or handling stress, and the symptoms become impossible to ignore.

Raising awareness of brain injuries in March and throughout the year matters, because TBIs are frequently overlooked early on—especially when symptoms are attributed to stress, medication, shock, or “just being shaken up.” Imaging may not capture every TBI mechanism, and symptoms can evolve over days or weeks. When families know what to watch for and insist on appropriate follow-up, they are more likely to catch worsening symptoms early, connect with the right specialists, and avoid the common mistake of returning to full activity before the brain has stabilized. This is also why “normal” CT scans are not the end of the conversation in many TBI cases, as physicians often rely on symptom history, functional assessment, and follow-up testing to understand what is really happening.

Awareness of brain injuries in March and year-round also plays a critical role in the real world, where insurers and defendants assess these claims. These cases are only as strong as the documentation, including prompt reporting of symptoms, consistent treatment, accurate medical histories, and a clear record of how the injury affects school, work, and daily life. When TBI’s are taken seriously from the start, both health outcomes and legal outcomes tend to improve.

What to do if you suspect a TBI after a car accident or fall

The first days after a suspected TBI are about two priorities: (1) protecting health, and (2) creating a clear record of symptoms so the injury is taken seriously and treated appropriately. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services emphasizes that a TBI can be “a bump, blow or jolt to the head” that disrupts brain function, and symptoms can range from brief changes to prolonged unconsciousness or amnesia.

Here are practical steps that protect you and your family:

• Get evaluated promptly and describe the full symptom picture – Don’t limit the report to “headache.” Mention confusion, memory issues, dizziness, nausea/vomiting, sleep changes, mood changes, and sensitivity to light or sound, even if imaging is “normal.”
• Treat worsening or red-flag symptoms as an emergency – If symptoms escalate, especially repeated vomiting, seizure activity, severe confusion, one-sided weakness, or declining alertness, seek urgent care immediately.
• Follow through with the right follow-up – TBIs can create problems with thinking, coordination, and emotional regulation, and recovery is not always linear. Staying connected to appropriate follow-up care reduces the risk that problems are missed or written off.
• Write symptoms down day-to-day – A simple log of cognitive issues, headaches, sleep disruption, and functional problems helps doctors see progression and helps prevent the injury from being minimized.
• Avoid “pushing through” too fast – Returning to full activity before the brain stabilizes is a common way people prolong symptoms and complicate recovery.
• Use a Michigan-specific resource when you need clarity – Michigan Auto Law’s TBI page is a solid, practical explainer for crash-related TBIs, symptoms, and next steps.
• Know that diagnosis is not always “one scan and done” – Depending on symptoms, doctors may use specialized evaluation and functional testing, and neuropsychological assessment can help identify the existence and extent of cognitive impairment.
• Do not sign releases or settlement paperwork early – Insurance paperwork signed too soon can cut off rights before the full impact of a TBI is understood.

Suffered a TBI from a car accident in Michigan and need a lawyer? Call our attorneys now for a free consultation!

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