DC Concussion Injury Lawyer

Concussions can be caused by many things, such as an especially hard hit during a football game, striking an airbag in a car accident, or even slipping and falling on a hard surface.  Concussions are considered mild traumatic brain injuries, but they can pose serious and even permanent problems if not treated properly. If you suffered a concussion in an accident, our DC brain injury lawyers can help determine if you are due for compensation.  It is extremely important to recognize the signs of a concussion so that actions can be taken to prevent long-term damage, like with other traumatic brain injuries.

Concussion Symptoms

In many instances, a concussion will result in a brief loss of consciousness. However, simply because someone does not lose consciousness does not mean that they did not suffer a concussion.  Other warning signs should be looked for as well, such as someone acting confused or sluggish, having difficulty balancing or walking, having a headache, memory loss of the event, sensitivity to light, ringing ears, “seeing stars,” nausea, failing to respond to questions, or seeming generally dazed.

Sometimes there may not be any symptoms of a concussion until well after the fact. In that case, symptoms to look out for include sleep issues, psychological changes, and sensitivity to noise and light.

In small children, parents need to be vigilant, especially with children who are not yet able to talk.  If your young child sustains a blow to the head, you should look out for crankiness, unsteadiness in their movements, increased crying, lack of interest in food or toys, fatigue or lethargy, or seeming dazed.

Also keep in mind that even though many concussions are caused by an impact to the head, concussions can occur even in the absence of a direct impact to the head. A concussion can actually happen when there is no impact at all if there is another force shaking the head, such as the sudden stop that someone would go through in a car accident.  In such cases, the brain can be injured while jolting around inside the skull.

Concussion Treatment in DC

Most often, the treatment for a concussion is rest, both mental and physical.  If a concussion occurs during a sporting event, the injured person should not return to the game until they have been evaluated and cleared by a physician. Oftentimes, the recovery period following a concussion can take days, weeks, or even months.

Sustaining a second injury shortly after the first can have deadly consequences. Second-impact syndrome is a rare but often deadly condition that occurs where an individual sustains a second concussion while still experiencing symptoms from the initial concussion, resulting in massive cerebral edema.

In the case of most people, concussions are treated with physical and mental rest, meaning staying away from sports and other activities, along with things that are mentally taxing, such as school, work, or reading.  Symptoms such as headaches can be treated with Tylenol, but it is not recommended that ibuprofen, aspirin or other pain relievers be used, as they may increase the risk of  bleeding.