Brain injuries are increasingly becoming recognized as serious health concerns in the U.S. From severe traumatic brain injury to relatively mild concussions, blows to head can have lasting negative health consequences. For people with brain injuries and associated conditions like post-concussion syndrome from motor-vehicle accidents, compensation may be available to help with treatment and rehabilitation costs.
Traumatic brain injury can occur in car crashes and other instances of sudden acceleration or deceleration when the brain hits the inside of skull, damaging delicate brain tissue. The Mayo Clinic states that concussion is a mild form of traumatic brain injury that can lead to further health concerns like post-concussion syndrome.
Post-concussion syndrome comprises a variety of symptoms that can last for months or even years. The signs of post-concussion syndrome usually appear within the first week or two after a head injury that causes a concussion. According to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of post-concussion syndrome include:
Headaches
Noise and light sensitivity
Dizziness
Insomnia
Fatigue
Loss of concentration and memory
Anxiety
Irritability
The effects of post-concussion syndrome can be similar those of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. For this reason, treatment of post-concussion syndrome often involves medication and therapy intended to treat psychological factors.
One of the most common causes of post-concussion syndrome is trauma from a car crash or other collision such as a pedestrian or bicycle accident. If another driver was responsible for a crash that resulted in an individual’s post-concussion syndrome, the injured person may be able to make a claim against the at-fault driver in a personal-injury lawsuit. Through a lawsuit, the injured person may be able to obtain monetary compensation, or damages, for his or her injuries, medical bills, lost wages and future medical care and rehabilitation expenses.
