Concussion Symptoms in TBI Cases

As an attorney who has represented many clients who have sustained traumatic brain injuries of different severities, I’ve seen my fair share of cases where someone has concussion symptoms.  Such cases typically involve someone being in a car or tractor trailer accident when their car is struck and their head strikes a surface, or their head snaps back and forth in a whiplash incident, or the spinning forces cause their brain to experience violent rotational forces.

Most people who suffer a concussion will make a strong recovery. They will still need to get necessary medical treatment and go through various rehabilitations to recover. But they will hopefully be able to recover in a manner where there are no residual problems.

But there are a large number of people known as the “miserable minority” who have post-concussive syndrome problems that persist for years, decades, or never go away.[i] This can be due to many reasons, including the fact that their concussion was caused by a traumatic and preventable event. When that happens, there are deep feelings of regret, guilt, and fear that can enhance the emotional impact of the injury and deepen the effects of the injury. For people who have permanent symptoms, they will need to learn strategies to help them deal with their symptoms.

Generally speaking, symptoms of a concussion can be broken down into four different categories.  Those four categories are mental functioning and cognitive functioning, physical, emotional and behavioral, and sleep.  This article discusses some of these symptoms in depth.

Mental and Cognitive Functioning

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A concussion, like other types of brain injuries, can impact a victim’s cognitive and mental functioning.  A concussion can cause confusion, amnesia, mental fogginess, forgetfulness, an appearance of being dazed, difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking, dizziness, slowed thinking, and short-term memory issues.[ii]  One particular area of healthy brain functioning is what is called executive functioning. Executive functioning covers a large category of skills including problem solving, making plans, and dealing with evolving and changing circumstances that may arise. These problems can interfere with employment, particularly for individuals who are professionals and are in occupations that require high cognitive functioning.

Physical Symptoms

Someone suffering from a concussion may exhibit a number of physical symptoms.  Some of the main symptoms include headaches, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light (photophobia), sensitivity to sound (phonophobia), blurred vision, being dazed, numbness, tingling, problems with balance, and feelings of tiredness and lethargy.[iii] These various physical symptoms can interfere with someone’s quality of life in some dramatic ways. It may create constant distractions in life, and it can detract from being able to participate in everyday activities.

Emotional and Behavioral

Individuals who have experienced a concussion may have a number of emotional or behavioral symptoms.  Typical emotional problems include irritability, being easily upset or angered, sadness, moodiness, nervousness, and anxiousness.[iv]  We have found that many traumatic brain injury survivors report having less patience and can find themselves having explosive tempers when that had never been an issue previously in their lives.

Sleeping Issues Following Concussion

A number of sleeping issues can arise from a concussion ranging from the need for more sleep, drowsiness, the inability to sleep, or the inability to fall asleep.[v]  Sleep issues can be especially problematic for survivors of traumatic brain injuries.  This is because sleep deprivation can prevent the brain from healing. It can actually make symptoms worse and more pronounced.

Children with Concussions

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Like adults, children can experience concussions.  And children who have had concussions may exhibit many of the same symptoms as adults.  The symptoms are in the same categories as those for adults, but the symptoms may show up in different ways. In addition, symptoms for concussions in your children may not be evident for many years after the incident that caused the injury. When a traumatic event causes a traumatic brain injury for an infant or toddler, for instance, the significance of those injuries and many deficits that arise may not be evident for several years.

Some of the telltale signs of a concussion for children are:[vi]

1. Crying more than normal;
2. Changed behavior in play;
3. Temper tantrums;
4. Lack of interest in toys or activities;
5. Inability to perform recently learned tasks and activities (like potty training);
6. Loss of balance and trouble walking; and
7. Consistent and persistent headaches.

Concussions and Tractor Trailer Accidents

As an attorney who is Board Certified in Truck Accident Law, I have noticed that traumatic brain injuries and concussions commonly arise as a result of a tractor trailer crash. This makes sense given how much force can be involved in a truck accident. After all, the massive weight and forces involved in a truck crash create forces on heads and necks that can result in a traumatic brain injury. For that reason, it is critically important for an attorney handling truck accident cases to know the proper questions to ask, to know what to look for in the medical records and records from first responders, and to talk with those family members and friends closest to the injured person to see whether they sustained a concussion and whether they continue to experience symptoms from their brain injury.

Conclusion

If you or a loved one was involved in an accident and you have experienced one or more of the concussion symptoms listed above, you may need medical assistance to be checked for a concussion.  Again, most people recover well from a concussion.

Others, however, will become part of the “miserable minority” and will feel the effects of a concussion for a long time to come.  A concussion is, after all, a mild traumatic brain injury, and there may be a number of reasons why someone has had a difficult time healing.  For members of this miserable minority, they may face a lifetime of difficulties.

If you would like help, please contact one of our brain injury lawyers today.  We offer free consultations and we can schedule a time to meet that is convenient for your schedule.

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[i] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15545210

[ii] http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/concussions.aspx

[iii] https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/symptoms.html

[iv] https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/symptoms.html

[v] https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/symptoms.html

[vi] http://www.webmd.com/brain/tc/traumatic-brain-injury-concussion-overview#2

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