Many New Mexico residents who suffer a serious brain injury must live with painful aftereffects and disabilities for the rest of their lives. However, in one recently publicized case, a man who suffered a catastrophic injury to his brain developed a special math ability as he recovered from his injury. According to him, he never had any interest in mathematics prior to the injury.
The man was injured in 2002 when two men in a karaoke bar attacked him. The men hit him on the back of his head. The attackers punched him and kicked him as he lay on the ground. Later, a trip to the hospital showed that he had a bruised kidney. The next day, however, he saw strange lines and other visuals and found himself becoming more and more obsessed with mathematical concepts and pi.
The man has since written a book, which is about to be released, about his experience of becoming a mathematical marvel following his brain injury. Apparently, the man is one of the rare examples of an individual developing exceptional cognitive powers after a brain injury. Other examples include people who spontaneously developed incredible skills in music, art, and math.
It is certainly an inspiration to see something positive come out of the tragedy of this man’s injury. However, the sad truth is that cases like this are extremely rare. Unfortunately, most of those who suffer a catastrophic injury to their brain suffer from severe and permanent disabilities.
Indeed, many brain injury victims in New Mexico require around-the-clock medical services, expensive rehabilitation programs, and special assistance to perform their daily life tasks. In cases where someone suffers this kind of brain injury due to the negligence or intentional acts of another person, the injured victim may elect to pursue a personal injury claim for damages. Even this man, who eventually recovered from his injuries, may have had valid claims for financial damages against the men who attacked him.
Source: myfoxdfw.com, “Head injury turns man into math whiz“, April 22, 2014
