Car Accidents and Concussion Injuries: Facts, Tips, and Injury Claim Insights

How a Car Accident Can Cause a Concussion

What Is a Concussion?

When the brain undergoes a sudden jolt within the skull from an impact, it can sustain injuries that adversely affect its function. This condition is commonly referred to as a concussion and is categorized as a traumatic brain injury. With the head being jolted in a car accident, the chances of sustaining a concussion in a car accident are high.

Car Accidents Cause Concussions Often

Car accidents result in concussions fairly often because within the confines of a car accident, the brain can be subjected to forces that shake the head in multiple ways. Direct impacts, such as when a person’s head collides with the steering wheel or window, can cause immediate trauma. Additionally, even without direct head trauma, rapid deceleration or changes in direction, like in rear-end collisions, can result in whiplash. This whiplash effect leads to the brain moving swiftly within the skull, potentially causing injury.

Secondary impacts following the primary collision pose another risk. If a car strikes another object and halts abruptly, unsecured items, including passengers, can be propelled forward. Such subsequent impacts can exacerbate the risk of concussions. Furthermore, the brain’s position within cerebrospinal fluid allows it to be jolted against the skull’s inner walls during sudden accelerations or decelerations.

Concussion Signs or Symptoms to Check After a Car Crash

How to Check for a Concussion at Home

We strongly recommend that anyone involved in a car accident seek evaluation from a skilled medical professional. They are best equipped to detect and diagnose potential hidden injuries, such as concussions. If you’re at home and suspect you might have sustained a concussion, here are some key signs and symptoms to watch for:

• Headache or Pressure in the Head: This is one of the most common symptoms of a concussion.
• Dizziness or Balance Problems: Feeling unsteady on your feet or having difficulty walking straight.
• Nausea or Vomiting: This can be a result of the brain being jolted during the accident.
• Blurred Vision or Double Vision: Changes in vision can be an indicator of a concussion.
• Sensitivity to Light and Noise: You might find bright lights or loud noises more bothersome than usual.
• Feeling Sluggish or Fatigued: A sudden onset of fatigue or feeling like you’re “in a fog” can be a symptom.
• Confusion or Disorientation: Trouble remembering the accident, or the events leading up to it, or feeling generally confused.
• Memory Problems: Difficulty remembering new information or asking the same questions repeatedly.
• Difficulty Concentrating: Struggling to focus on tasks or conversations.
• Mood Changes: Increased irritability, sadness, or becoming more emotional than usual.
• Sleep Disturbances: Sleeping more or less than usual, or having trouble falling asleep.
• Ringing in the Ears: This is also known as tinnitus.

Symptoms following a car accident can manifest at different times. While some may appear immediately, others might surface hours or even days later.

How Medical Professionals Will Check for a Concussion

Not all tests will be performed, but here are some methods that doctors and nurses will perform to test for a concussion:

• Patient History and Symptom Checklist: The doctor will ask about the details of the injury, the events leading up to it, and any symptoms the patient is experiencing. This can include questions about headaches, vision problems, dizziness, and memory issues.
• Neurological Examination: This involves checking vision, hearing, strength, balance, coordination, and reflexes.
• Cognitive Testing: The doctor might assess memory, concentration, and the ability to recall information.
• Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS): This is a 15-point test that assesses a person’s level of consciousness. It evaluates eye, verbal, and motor responses.
• Balance Testing: This can include the Romberg test, where the patient stands with feet together and eyes closed to check for swaying, or more advanced tests like the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS).
• Imaging Tests:
  • CT (Computed Tomography) Scan: This can help detect bleeding, tumors, structural abnormalities, and certain brain injuries.
  • MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): While not commonly used immediately after an injury, an MRI can identify changes in the brain or more detailed images after the acute phase.
• Observation: Some patients may be observed in a hospital or clinic setting, especially if symptoms are worsening.
• Symptom Severity Scales: Tools like the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) can help quantify and track the number and severity of post-concussion symptoms over time.
• Neuropsychological Tests: These are more detailed tests that can evaluate learning, memory, and problem-solving skills. They might be used in more prolonged cases or when symptoms don’t resolve as expected.
• Pupil Light Reflex Test: Checking the pupils’ response to light can help identify abnormal brain function.

What Different Types of Concussions Are There

Mild (Grade 1):

Symptoms:

• Loss of consciousness for a few seconds to a few minutes (if at all).
• Temporary confusion and disorientation.
• Symptoms resolve within 15-30 minutes.

Treatment/Rehab Options:

• Rest: Physical and mental rest is important during recovery. Avoid activities that require sustained concentration, or that are mentally taxing, so the brain can heal.
• Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers: There are many types of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers that can provide relief after a concussion, although you should consult with a physician before taking any medication.
• Graduate Return to Activities: Resumption of normal activity should be gradual to prevent a recurrence of symptoms.
• Recovery Timeline: Most people recover within 7-10 days, though some symptoms might persist longer.
• Cost to treat: A few hundred to a couple of thousand dollars, covering doctor visits, over-the-counter pain relievers, and potential follow-ups.

Moderate (Grade 2)

Symptoms:

• Loss of consciousness lasting a few minutes to a few hours.
• Confusion that may persist for days or weeks.
• Physical, cognitive and behavior impairments may last from days to weeks, to even months.
• Treatment and Rehabilitation Options:
• Extended rest: Longer periods of mental and physical rest might be required in your situation.
• Medication: OTC or prescribed pain relievers for headaches, neck or back pain as needed. Please check with your physician before starting new medication.
• Supervised Return to Work, School or Activities: A health care provider can provide guidelines or even a step-by-step plan to gradually get back to normal life.
• Physical or Occupational Therapy: Might be helpful in the case of balance or stability issues.
• Recovery Timeline: Recovery can range from a couple weeks to a few months depending on the extent of your symptoms.
• Cost to Treat: Treatment can cost a couple of thousand to several thousand dollars and may include medical visits, prescription medications, imaging and physical or occupational therapy.

Severe Grade 3 Concussion Symptoms:

• Extended loss of consciousness or coma.
• Post-traumatic amnesia.
• Prolonged or persistent confusion.
• Symptoms can last for weeks to months depending on symptoms, with the potential for long-term complications or even disability.

Treatment and Rehabilitation Options:

• Hospitalization: Might be required for treatment and monitoring to ensure there is no brain hemorrhage or swelling.
• Rehabilitation Therapies: Physical, occupational or speech therapy may be required depending on the extent of your symptoms. May include chiropractic care if cervical misalignment is suspected.
• Medication: To manage symptoms or prevent long-term complications.
• Long-term Rest and Monitoring: Extended follow-up with a healthcare provider to manage residual symptoms and avoid complications.
• Recovery Timeline: Can last several months to a year or more; some cases may precipitate long-term or permanent issues such as sensory loss, balance issues, amnesia, head and neck pain or cervical mobility issues.
• Cost to treat: Several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. Hospitalization, multiple imaging tests, rehabilitation therapies, and long-term medications can significantly drive up costs.

Additionally, while not specific “types” of concussions, there are particular patterns or clusters of symptoms that can be observed:

Cervicogenic Concussion

Symptoms stem from the neck and may include headaches, dizziness, and neck pain.

Treatment Options:

• Physical therapy focusing on the neck.
• Pain management strategies.
• Recovery Timeline: Weeks to months, depending on the extent of neck issues.
• Cost: Physical therapy sessions can range from $50 to $350 per session, depending on location and facility.

Vestibular Concussion

A vestibular concussion is a brain injury impacting the balance center of the brain and the inner ear, resulting more often than not in balance and spatial perception issues, dizziness, nausea and issues with motor coordination.

Treatment Options:

• Vestibular therapy with exercises to improve balance and spatial orientation.
• Medication for dizziness or nausea.
• Recovery Timeline: Weeks to months.
• Cost: Vestibular therapy can cost as much as physical therapy. Medications for dizziness or nausea can cost anywhere from $10 to several hundred dollars a month.

Oculomotor Concussion

This type of concussion affects vision and eye movement, including tracking, and might result in prolonged instances of blurred vision, double vision or light sensitivity.

Treatment Options:

• Vision therapy can address tracking, focus or other types of vision problems.
• Adjusting ambient lighting and limiting digital screen usage.
• Recovery Timeline: Several weeks to a few months, or longer depending on severity of symptoms.
• Cost To Treat: Vision therapy can cost between $100 and $200 per session with additional costs for specialized equipment, including prism lenses, specialized filters, eye patches and computerized visual tracking programs.

Post-Traumatic Concussion Migraine

Intense headaches, sensitivity to light and sound, and nausea.

Treatment Options:

• Medications specifically for migraines.
• Lifestyle adjustments to avoid migraine episodes and triggers.
• Recovery Timeline: Several weeks to months, or more, with some requiring long-term therapy,  medication or equipment.
• Cost to Treat: Migraine medications can range from $10 to $700 per month or more, depending on the medication type, dosage and frequency. As a rule, first generation medications tend to be far less costly (many are available in generic form) than second- and third-generation pharmaceuticals.

It’s important to note that while the above categorizations offer a framework, each individual’s experience with a concussion is unique. Factors like the direction of impact, speed of the vehicles involved, and whether or not seat belts or airbags were used can influence the nature and severity of a concussion resulting from a car accident. Always seek medical attention if a concussion is suspected.

What Evidence Proves a Concussion Resulted from a Car Accident?

Proving a concussion, an injury that isn’t visibly apparent, can be challenging. Simply informing an auto insurance company about your concussion doesn’t guarantee compensation for medical bills. You must first establish that you sustained a concussion and then demonstrate that the car accident caused it. This is because a concussion could result from incidents unrelated to the accident. Insurance companies recognize that concussions are common and might not always be due to the reported accident, suspecting that some claimants might be attributing unrelated concussions to their car accidents for compensation.

Evidence for Proving a Concussion

To prove the actual injury, we would encourage pulling together the following:

Medical Imaging Tests

Medical imaging, such as CT scans, MRIs, fMRIs, MEG, SPECT, and PET, can serve as evidence for concussion injuries. CT scans primarily identify severe injuries like bleeding or fractures, while advanced MRI sequences can detect subtle brain changes. fMRIs track variations in brain activity, MEG measures the magnetic fields of neural activity, and both SPECT and PET provide insights into the brain’s blood flow and metabolic activity. However, even with these tools, the primary diagnosis of concussions is clinical, relying on symptoms, physical examinations, and neuropsychological assessments since many concussions don’t show visible changes on standard scans.

Medical Reports

Medical reports for a concussion injury can be used as evidence in a car accident legal claim. For proving an injury in a car accident, medical documentation is crucial. These reports provide objective evidence of the injury, its severity, the treatment received, and the prognosis. They can help establish a direct link between the accident and the injury, especially if the concussion was diagnosed shortly after the incident. It’s essential for the injured party to seek medical attention promptly and follow any recommended treatment plans to strengthen their legal claim. An attorney can use these medical reports to demonstrate the extent of the injury and its impact on the claimant’s life, potentially supporting claims for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages.

Medical Bills

Medical bills can be used as evidence in legal claims supporting the existence and treatment of a concussion injury. The bills themselves don’t prove the nature or severity of the injury, but they lend credence to other evidence – like medical reports and records- that the injury sustained has been substantial. In a legal context, presenting medical bills can demonstrate the financial and personal impact a concussion injury has caused. It’s important to complement the bills with detailed medical records and, if warranted, testimony from medical and rehabilitation experts.