Did You Suffer a Concussion? Would You Even Know if You Did?

Did you hit your head in an accident?  Do you even know if you hit your head? It may sound like a silly question, but it turns out that people regularly suffer concussions in accidental injuries without knowing they hit their heads on something like, for example, a headrest in a car.

Serious or Not? 

The public seems to have mixed emotions on the topic of concussions. On the one hand, we know that any injuries involving the brain can be serious. With the increased awareness of concussion protocols in professional sports, people have a much better appreciation for how serious concussions can be.

On the other hand, we see professional athletes get concussions and keep playing, or friends or family get concessions, and they seemingly recover without any lasting problems.

For this reason, juries sometimes struggle with putting a value on traumatic brain injury cases.  That’s why it is crucial to engage a lawyer with experience handling brain injury cases.

Did You Actually Sustain a Concussion? 

The first thing to ask is whether or not you have actually sustained a concussion. Many people aren’t even aware that they have. The irony is that the most serious type of impact to the head can lead to a blackout.  But when there is a blackout, the victim often doesn’t remember much about the accident, and thus, may not even remember hitting their head in the first place. Not remembering an accident, or having pockets of time during an accident or afterward that seem to be missing from your memory are good indications that you may have blacked out and suffered a concussion.

Knowing the Symptoms 

As hours pass, there are symptoms to look out for.  Confusion, excessive tiredness, dizziness, or just a feeling of being “out of it,” are all signs of a concussion. You may feel nauseous, or especially bothered by light or sounds, or be unable to focus on tasks that you once could easily focus on.

In more serious cases, victims may find that they lose bladder control, and may have a low pulse rate.

Getting Help and Recovery 

Of course, if you have these symptoms, you should tell the staff at the emergency room at the hospital, if you are able to, or at least at your first doctor’s visit after the hospital. You may need modifications to your work schedule or extra rest to help your brain heal.  Most concussion symptoms will resolve with time, but unfortunately that is not always the case.

Brain Bleeds 

Also be aware that anytime you hit your head, there is the chance for bleeding of the brain. The initial symptoms of a concussion can mimic the initial symptoms of a brain bleed. But with a bleed, blood is slowly accumulating in the skull, putting pressure on the brain. The effects can be deadly—even where the victim, immediately after an accident, may appear fine and normal.

Call the Knoxville personal injury attorneys at Fox Farley Willis & Burnette, PLLC, today if you injured your head or suffered any type of brain or head injury in an accident.

Sources:

cdc.gov/headsup/basics/concussion_symptoms.html#:~:text=Appears%20dazed%2

0or%20stunned.,Answers%20questions%20slowly.

mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/symptoms-causes/syc-20355594