Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Signs and Symptoms of a Concussion
What is a Concussion?
Concussions are a mild form of traumatic brain injuries that can range from minor to severe and are usually caused by a blow to the head. Even a minor concussion can temporarily damage the brain’s control over functions including memory, reflexes, speech, balance, and coordination.
What Causes Concussions?
Concussions are commonly caused by car accidents as well as sports injuries or even slip and fall accidents if the head is hit. You can suffer from a concussion without losing consciousness, and in some cases, might not even be aware that you have experienced a concussion.
Fortunately, concussions tend to be mild and most people recover fully from the damage concussions cause to the brain.
Symptoms of a Concussion
As with other types of brain injuries, the symptoms of a concussion may appear directly after an accident or appear later on, sometimes lasting days, weeks, or in some cases even longer.
It’s important to get immediate medical attention after a Massachusetts accident, especially if your hit your head in the process. The most common symptoms of a concussion are confusion and a loss of memory surrounding the accident that caused the concussion.
Other immediate symptoms of a concussion include:
- Confusion
- Headache
- Dizziness
- A ringing in the ears
- Nausea or vomiting
- Slurred speech
- Fatigue
There are also symptoms of a concussion that appear days or weeks after the initial accident, including:
- Irritability
- Memory or concentration problems
- Light and noise sensitivity
- Trouble sleeping
- Depression
Medical Treatment for Concussions
Most concussions will heal on their own given time and rest; however, some serious concussions can lead to more severe brain injuries if they aren’t treated promptly and correctly.
You should seek medical assistance if you experience the following symptoms following your accident:
- Prolonged headache or dizziness
- Ringing in your ears
- Dilated pupils, pupils of unequal sizes, or other eye disturbances
- Extended memory Loss
- Nausea or vomiting
- Issues with balance
- Loss of senses such as taste or small
In addition to common causes such as car accidents and direct blows to the head, a sudden acceleration or deceleration (from car accidents, shaking a baby, etc.) can also result in a concussion.
If you have been injured in a car accident and have suffered a concussion due to someone else’s negligence, you should consider consulting with a personal injury attorney in your area who can help you determine if you should take legal action.
Contacting a Boston Personal Injury Lawyer
A severe brain injury can completely change your life. If you have a sustained a concussion or other brain injury through someone else’s negligence in Massachusetts you should contact a Boston personal injury attorney to learn about your rights and determine liability.
What To Ask Personal Injury Lawyers?
When you are interviewing personal injury attorneys, do not be afraid to ask critical questions, such as:
- How long have you been practicing personal injury law?
- What is the largest settlement or verdict you have obtained for your clients?
- Do you have experience with brain injury cases?
Kiley Law Group, a personal injury law firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, has been representing brain injury victims for over 30 years and has secured million-dollar settlements for our clients in a variety of brain injury cases.
The Kiley Law Group founder and star attorney Thomas Kiley takes time when speaking with you about your case and works with you on a contingent fee basis so there are NO FEES unless our trained lawyers win your case.
Call now for a FREE evaluation of your case.
