Headaches, sudden mood changes, dizziness, and brain fog are all signs of a concussion.
If you recently walked away from a car crash feeling fine, but you’re not feeling fine now, see a doctor. Mild traumatic brain injury and concussion symptoms after an accident don’t always show immediately, but if another driver was at fault, you could still be entitled to compensation for these injuries.
Your Lexington brain injury lawyer can give you the advice, representation, and support you need when seeking compensation for concussion injuries after a crash.
Common Physical Symptoms of a Concussion After a Crash
Emergency personnel look for specific immediate signs of a possible concussion whenever they’re at the scene of a non-fatal car crash. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms after an accident caused by another driver, you’re entitled to compensation.
- Headache
- Feeling pressure in the skull
- Nausea or vomiting
- Blurred or double vision
- Increased sensitivity to light and noise
- Appearing dazed, confused, or uncoordinated
- Slurred speech
- Having seizures or convulsions, and
- Unconsciousness or amnesia
Just because someone didn’t experience these symptoms at the crash site doesn’t mean they escaped a concussion. Other traumatic brain injury signs can appear hours later. These are:
- Worsening headaches
- Dizziness, and
- Sleep disturbances.
Any of these symptoms can appear immediately after the incident, or hours later. It’s important to understand that even “mild” symptoms can qualify as traumatic brain injury, both in the medical and legal contexts.
Concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) occur when a person’s head has been hit, rocked, or jolted hard enough to cause the brain to bounce and slosh around inside the skull. That kind of force can damage brain cells and even change neural chemistry.
Cognitive and Emotional Warning Signs
Even if one felt more or less normal immediately after a car crash, post-accident cognitive impairment can set in within 24 to 72 hours. These symptoms can be much harder for the affected individual to identify, because they rely on the very faculties that have been damaged or chemically altered by the crash.
These are the signs to watch for:
- Memory gaps or brain fog
- Difficulty concentrating
- Slow thinking or processing of information
- Uncharacteristic changes in mood
- Depression or anxiety
Post-accident cognitive impairment can appear subtle at first. Many of these warning signs can pass as normal behavior to those not paying close attention. It’s important to observe accident survivors closely for the first several days afterward.
If any of these warning signs show up more often by themselves or in combination with others, it will be important to get a medical checkup.
The Danger of Delayed Concussion Symptoms in Injury Claims
Delayed concussion symptoms after a car accident don’t just endanger one’s health. They can seriously compromise efforts to get compensated for the injury. Because symptoms can take one to three days (or even longer) to manifest, the affected individual will leave the scene and forego prompt medical attention.
This creates something called a “documentation gap.” Insurers love documentation gaps like elves love Christmas. They use it as leverage to delay processing, reduce payouts, or even to deny claims.
Lawyers working against a claim also have a fondness for documentation gaps. They use the gap to say, “This person stated they were fine right after the accident,” and then question whether the current symptoms are even crash-related.
Why Kentucky Accident Victims Need a Professional Diagnosis
Don’t wait for the symptoms after a crash. If you have been in an automobile accident, especially one involving another at-fault driver, see a medical professional as soon as possible. Only a licensed professional can diagnose a concussion or potential TBI.
Don’t wait until after work. Don’t wait until Monday. Don’t leave a documentation gap for the insurance company or the other driver’s lawyer to use against you.
It could literally cost you thousands of dollars in denied compensation.
A formal diagnosis creates a medical record to bolster your Kentucky personal injury claim. In fact, special imaging (CT, MRI) could be ordered to rule out more serious brain injury. That too can serve as head injury documentation.
Peterson Law Office Is in Your Corner
We’ve discussed what a concussion can do to you. Here is what skilled legal representation can do for you. An attorney can connect you with trusted medical professionals to evaluate your condition.
Your attorney can also bring your claim to your insurer, letting them know you mean business. While you focus on healing, your Lexington attorney will coordinate with your medical team, manage insurer communications, and help you recover the full compensation you deserve.