CHICAGO, IL – If you’ve been in a car accident, you know how common concussions are. Concussions affect everyone differently, which can make it difficult to manage. Brain injuries, such as concussions, can leave sufferers with long-term challenges and changes that can impact a person for the rest of their life.
Concussions are very common, and people everyday experience events that leave them concussed and left to deal with life-altering symptoms that linger. For example, you could slip and fall in your driveway going to get the mail and suffer from a concussion.
Some concussions are caused by others negligence. It’s important to understand the common causes of concussions, symptoms to look out for, and complications you should be made aware of.
Overview of a Concussion
Concussions are classified as traumatic brain injuries that alter a persons normal brain function. Concussions are normally a result of a violent jolt or force to the head, which causes the brain to slam against the inner wall of your skull.
A person will usually suffer from short-term side effects, including:
- Headache
- Temporary loss of consciousness
- Feeling as if your brain is foggy
- Dizziness
- Delayed response to questions
- Ringing in your ears
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
- Lack of balance
- Problems concentrating
Concussions are divided into three main categories, which are graded by severity:
- Grade 1 – Low-Grade: You may experience a headache, difficulty focusing, memory loss, nausea, and dizziness. You can typically return to normal activities within a few days following a Grade 1 concussion, after symptoms have fully passed.
- Grade 2 – Mid-Grade: This is a moderate type of concussion that is similar to a grade 1 concussion; however, a grade 2 concussion typically involves a brief loss of consciousness that can last shorter or longer than 5 minutes. This type of concussion requires many days of rest before returning to normal activities.
- Grade 3 – High-Grade: A severe concussion is where you can lose consciousness for more than 5 minutes. Symptoms may last for weeks before they begin to subside. You are at-risk of permanent brain damage with a grade 3 concussion.
Causes of a Concussion
Our brains have the consistency of gelatin, in which it is cushioned by everyday jolts and bumps to our heads. A violent blow to your head or upper body can cause your brain to forcefully slide back and forth against the inter walls of your skull, according to Mayo Clinic.
Concussions may lead to bleeding in or around your brain, causing symptoms such as prolonged drowsiness and confusion. You can feel an onset of symptoms immediately or later.
Risk Factors
Activities and factors that may increase your risk of a concussion include:
- Participating in high-risk sports, including football, hockey, soccer, boxing, rugby, and other contact sports
- Participating in high-risk sports without property safety equipment and supervision
- Falling, especially for young children and older adults
- Being involved in a motor vehicle collision
- Being involved in a pedestrian or bicycle accident
- Being a soldier involved in combat
- Being a victim of physical abuse
- Having had a previous concussion
Complications
Potential complications of a concussion may include:
- Post-traumatic headaches: You may experience concussion-related headaches up to 7 days after a brain injury.
- Post-traumatic vertigo: Some people experience a sense of dizziness for days, weeks, or months after suffering from a brain injury.
- Post-concussion syndrome: A small portion of people have symptoms including headaches, dizziness, and thinking difficulties that persist past 3 weeks. If these symptoms last more than 3 months it’s characterized as post-concussion syndrome.
- Second impact syndrome: This is rare to happen, but when it does, this is experiencing a second concussion before signs and symptoms of a first concussion have resolved, as it may result in rapid and fatal brain swelling. Athletes should never return to sports while they still have signs and symptoms of a concussion.
Contact an Experienced Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer
The skilled attorneys of the Dinizulu Law Group are here to help you understand your legal options. A brain injury claim can be filed to help you receive compensation for any losses or damages you accrued as a result of another’s negligence.
The personal injury lawyers at the Dinizulu Law Group are ready to help you navigate through these difficult times. Contact us today for a free case consultation at (312) 384-1920 and to start getting your life back.
