Signs & Symptoms of a Concussion After a Car Accident
Of the 3 million people who are injured in car crashes each year, almost 600,000 suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBI). In fact, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of TBI-related hospitalization and deaths. Yet estimates show that over 200,000 concussions and other TBIs remain undiagnosed!
The most likely reason for this is that nearly 75% of the TBIs sustained in motor vehicle crashes are mild. We know these injuries as concussions. Although concussions are very common in car accidents, misconceptions about these injuries abound. In fact, these misconceptions prevent the victim from seeking timely medical help for a concussion, and the victim will often lose the benefits of having an early diagnosis.
Debunking the dangerous myths about concussions:
- You
will always lose consciousness: Actually, only a small percentage of
people are knocked out or even experience a blackout after a concussion. Most
people simply feel confused and dazed, while some may experience short-term
amnesia. - Concussions only result from a direct hit to
the head: Yes, a bump or blow to the head has a very high chance of
causing a concussion. But according to the CDC, a concussion can also be caused
when the head is jolted, and the brain is jostled against the skull, like in the
case of rear end accidents that cause whiplash injuries. - Imaging tests will show all signs of brain
injuries: Concussions involve microscopic brain injuries that CT scans and
MRIs cannot always detect accurately. - You will experience post concussive symptoms
immediately after the accident: Often the effects of a concussion don’t
manifest for weeks after the accident. Microscopic brain injuries can cause
tissue atrophy over a period of time and only then are they picked up by
imaging tests. Unfortunately, the damaged brain tissue may never completely
recover. In such cases, post concussive symptoms are slow in the coming, but
they can be severe and last for several years.
The real face of a concussion: 15 signs that can help tell you if you have suffered from mild TBI!
- Chronic headache: One of the most
common post concussive symptoms is a headache. As many as 90% of patients
suffer from headaches following the trauma, while 75% still continue to suffer
from headaches after 3 months, and 20% experience them even at 4 years. If
headaches suddenly appear or are more intense after the accident, they may be a
cause for concern. - Visual and auditory abnormalities: Ringing
in the ears and the appearance of lightning flashes or bright spots in the
vision field are often symptoms of a concussion. - Nausea: Dizziness, nausea and
vomiting after the injury are the first signs of a concussion. If you
experience nausea or can’t seem to hold on to your meals, you may be suffering
from a mild TBI. - Loss of coordination and balance:
These are classic signs of brain trauma that result from damage to the brain
stem, which often occurs in case of a concussion. - Confusion and reduced awareness:
Lack of awareness and confusion or feeling dazed after the accident are often
dismissed as signs of shock. But these can be a result of injury to the frontal
or parietal lobes. - Memory problems: Although many crash
victims suffer from short-term amnesia, a typical symptom of concussions, a
bigger problem for many people is the long-term impact on memory. For up to 6
months or more, memory deficits, including the inability to remember new
information and learn new things, are often experienced by those who suffer
from a TBI. - Cognitive deficits: Mental fog,
trouble with problem solving, inability to follow conversations, inability to
perform complex tasks and slower reactions times can all be the results of damage
to the frontal lobe. These symptoms tend to appear within a week of the
traumatic event and can get progressively worse over time. - Behavioral changes: Injury to the
frontal and temporal lobes can cause a range of behavioral abnormalities such
as aggressiveness and agitation, depression, anxiety, mood swings and lack of
empathy. Unfortunately, these are also often ignored because most people
believe they stem from the stress caused by the accident. - Sleep disturbances: Insomnia, the
inability to fall asleep or get up, sleeping more than normal, extreme and
chronic drowsiness and the inability to stay awake, all result from significant
impact to the brain stem. These sleep disturbances are often experienced by
victims for 6 months or more after the accident. - Lack of focus and awareness: Even
micro-injuries to the frontal lobe can have a profound impact on person’s
ability to concentrate on a task and be aware of his/her surroundings. This is
another post concussive symptom that has a delayed onset. - Verbal deficits: Many patients
suffer from distinct verbal deficits after a concussion. This symptom usually
does not make an immediate appearance after the trauma, but it can be
progressive in nature after onset. Verbal deficits after a concussion are not
just limited to the inability to recall the right words, but also include the incapability
to form words and pronounce words/sounds properly. Slurred speech often results
immediately after a severe TBI. - Auditory deficits: Injury to the
temporal lobes can lead to hearing issues and difficulty in understanding
spoken words. - Vision problems: The occipital lobes
at the back of the head control the sense of sight. When you receive a hard
jolt that makes the brain ricochet front and back, it can lead to blurred
vision, cuts in the visual field, vision illusions and difficulty in
identifying colors and objects. - Fatigue: This is another post
concussive symptom that is often ignored because it is considered a side effect
of painful physical injuries. Sudden and significant mental and physical
fatigue, the kind that impedes day to day activity, can be a sign of brain
trauma. - Sensitivity to light and sound: Mild
TBIs can also cause abnormal sensitivity to visual and auditory input.
Loss of consciousness and seizures are also manifestations of brain injury and these can be the symptoms of a mild or severe TBI. Once again, outward signs of head injury such as a bleeding wound are not always indicative of the seriousness of the brain trauma.
Another important point to understand is that the initial classification of a brain injury does not always accurately indicate the severity of the long-term symptoms or even the onset and duration of such symptoms.
A mild TBI (MTBI) is anything but mild!
- In 20% of the patients, depression, cognitive
issues and memory problems are experienced for more than 6 months. - 15% of patients with a MTBI don’t show a
complete recovery even after 1 year. - Concussions lead to a 17% increase in the risk
of suffering from dementia. - MTBI increases the risk of suffering from a
stroke by ten times.
But here is the truly shocking bit, and it comes from the developers of the Glasgow Coma Scale. Most victims of TBI, regardless of the initial classification of the injuries, continue to suffer from chronic symptoms and persistent disability even an entire 14 years after the injury.
In light of all that, and considering the fact that insurance companies know about the tremendously high risk of suffering from a concussion in a car crash, you’d expect them to play it fair and simply pay out your claim for MTBI.
But that is not how these corporate giants work. That is why you need an experienced attorney on your side. DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers knows how to use expert testimony and the latest medical technology to prove that a brain injury was indeed suffered and to accurately anticipate its impact on your life.
If you or a loved one has suffered a concussion after a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact us today at 316-888-8888 and we will help you to get the restitution you need and deserve.
References:
- http://www.kdheks.gov/idp/download/2015_TBI_Special_Emphasis_Report.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3217580/
- https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(17)30482-5/pdf
- https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html
- https://www.asnr.org/patientinfo/conditions/tbi.shtml
- https://www.biausa.org/brain-injury/about-brain-injury/concussion
- http://braintrauma.org/concussion?tab=3
- https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/brain,-spinal-cord,-and-nerve-disorders/brain-dysfunction/brain-dysfunction-by-location
