The MINNESOTA CONCUSSION AND BRAIN INJURY LAWYERS at the Schmidt Salita Law Team report on new reseach regarding concussion injuries in the area of vision problems resulting from concussion injuries in car accidents, motor vehicle collisions, and other traumatic events.
Early Vision Symptoms of Concussions.
It has long been well-known that vision problems accompany concussions. Blurred vision is an immediate indicator. “Can you count how many fingers?” Has been a need has been an age old preliminary test of whether a person’s “bell has been rung.”
Light sensitivity (photophobia) is another early-onset symptom of concussion injuries. Long-term light sensitivity is a frequent factor in the more severe concussion injury cases.
Delayed Vision Symptoms From Concussions.
Respected medical literature has established that other, more serious vision problems often developed after a delayed period of time following the concussion injury.
The Clinical Update of the American Academy of Ophthamology notes that diagnosis of an mTBI-related visual impairment is complicated by the fact that the symptoms of vision problems resulting from a concussion “can take time to manifest, creating a delay in diagnosis.” See Traumatic Brain Injury and Visual Disorder: What Every Ophthamologist Should Know, Clinical Update of American Academy of Ophthamology, March 2014.
The delayed symptoms of concussion include double vision, poor eye tracking ability ability, difficulties in shifting gays from one point to another, focusing, loss of binocular vision due to eye misalignment, eye strain, eye fatigue, light sensitivity, inability to maintain visual contact, headaches, blurred vision.
It is well-known that visual symptoms following concussion can produce problems with spatial disorientation, shifts and ability to judge location of objects, difficulties with balance and posture, poor depth perception, memory loss, poor handwriting, and other vision related problems.
Vision Problems Exist Even With Normal Eye Examinations.
The Clinical Update reports that many concussion victims experience significant vision deficits even with normal eye examinations, according to respected research literature. The fact that conventional eye examinations don’t reveal any problem in the eyes is yet another reason for the “silent epidemic”. The head of the Neuro-ophthamology Clinic of a Big Ten medical school recently acknowledged that, in his practice, many concussion victims complain of significant vision problems of the type commonly affecting concussion victims where typical eye examinations produce normal results.
Another highly respected neuro-ophthamologist from another Big Ten medical school with extensive experience in treating the vision problems of military service personnel returning from combat zones states, “routine ophthalmic exams typically look normal. Yet, patients commonly report problems including blurred vision, squinting, light sensitivity, double vision, and difficulty reading, watching television, and using computers. Most have been told that their eyes look fine, but they know they test having trouble seeing. Visual acuity might be 20/20, but they’re struggling and want help.” This doctor has called for the development of more reliable tests to assess visual dysfunction.
Vision Problems Often Go Hand in Hand With Headaches.
The Clinical Update notes that a high percentage of concussion victims with vision problems also experience concurrent headaches. They can occur independent of each other. On the other hand, vision difficulties often “trigger” headaches.
The Schmidt Salita Law Team Handles a Wide Variety of Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Claims.
The Schmidt Salita Law Team handles cases involving car accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian car accidents, and bicycle accidents. It has many years’ experience in workers compensation , products liability and medical malpractice cases.
The Schmidt Salita Law Team has extensive experience with concussion injuries, traumatic brain injuries, neck and back injuries, whiplash injuries, broken bones, injured joint injuries (knee, hip, shoulder, wrist, ankle, spinal), amputation injuries, and vision and eye injuries.
The Schmidt Salita Law Team has offices through out the State of Minnesota. Its primary location is at Ridgedale Office Center in Minnetonka, near the intersection of I394 and I494. The offices are handicap accessible with ample parking.
The Schmidt Salita Team Offers Contingent Fee Arrangements.
The firm offers contingent fee agreements (You don’t pay lawyers fees until you collect and then only as a percentage of the settlement). It also offers home and hospital visits to clients whose injuries present difficulty in coming to the office.
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The Schmidt Salita Law Team has locations throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Plymouth, Osseo, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Brooklyn Center, Fridley, Blaine, Shoreview, Woodbury, Falcon Heights, Columbia Park, Stillwater, Hastings, Inver Grove, Cottage Grove, South St. Paul, Apple Valley, Eagan, Burnsville, Savage, Shakopee, Richfield, Bloomington, Chaska, Chanhassen, Edina, Eden Prairie, and Hopkins.