If you are injured in a car crash that isn’t your fault, you deserve to be compensated for the medical treatment and bills you have due to your injury. When I meet with clients, however, many believe that their concussion is not an important part of their case. That’s not true; a concussion is a traumatic brain injury. Let’s review some of the common myths people have about car crash concussions.
Myth 1: Concussions are no big deal.
Until recently, most people believed that concussions were something you could just walk off and wouldn’t lead to long term problems. Our knowledge of what happens to the brain after a concussion was limited. Much of our understanding of what happens to the brain after a concussion comes from research into injuries sustained by NFL players. In the past few years, the public at large is starting to understand just how significant a concussion can be.
A standard concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. Just like any brain injury, they can have lasting effect on your life. While some concussion symptoms last for just a few days but others can last for well over a year. Those suffering from long term concussion symptoms are often diagnosed with “post-concussion syndrome” and long-term treatment is needed to get them to their maximum level of medical improvement.
Myth 2: You need to hit your head in the car to sustain a concussion.
In some crashes people may hit their head on the steering wheel or on the window of their vehicle. In other crashes, striking the back of your head on a head rest can cause a concussion. Even if you don’t hit your head a concussion can still occur after a crash. Concussions don’t necessarily occur from getting hit in the head but from your brain striking the wall of your skull. If your body is forced back and forth by the force of the crash, your brain will be flung around inside your skull. Even without a head strike, this whiplash movement commonly causes concussions as well.
Myth 3: If you sustain a concussion you will know right away.
Concussion symptoms won’t necessarily start right after a crash. Concussion symptoms can appear 24-48 hours after the initial trauma. Some common symptoms are: dizziness, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, changes in emotion, sensitivity to light, balance problems, headaches, and nausea. Just because you went to the doctor right after the crash and didn’t report concussion symptoms that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t receive additional treatment if new symptoms arise.
If you have been injured in a crash, call us. We can help.
