CONCUSSION FACTS – CAR ACCIDENTS.
Concussion Injury Lawyers know that car accidents are a major cause of concussion injuries. Rear end collisions cause a “whiplash” force that injures both the neck and the brain.
The Concussion Injury Lawyers at the Schmidt Salita Law Team have collectively over 100 years of experience in successfully handling concussion injuries. They are award-winning, 5 star rated personal injury lawyers.
1. CAR ACCIDENTS ARE A MAJOR CAUSE OF CONCUSSION INJURIES.
Several recent studies have recognized car accidents as a major cause of concussion injuries. A high percentage of car crash collisions involve a rear end collision between two vehicles which cause the head to sustain forces sufficient to cause whiplash injury to both the neck and the brain (concussion). This can result in your head hitting something inside the vehicle or simply from the back and forth movement of the brain striking the hard surface of the inside of the skull.
2. CONCUSSION VICTIMS ARE OFTEN NOT ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY HAVE SUFFERED A LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS, TOTAL OR PARTIAL.
It is a matter of simple fact. If a person is unconscious, they cannot be conscious of the fact that they were unconscious. Many, if not most, concussion victims will give a false answer when asked whether they were unconscious, denying the loss of consciousness that actually occurred.
3. LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS CAN BE TOTAL OR PARTIAL.
The most highly respected medical authorities recognize the loss of consciousness can be total, as in a “coma” (“ knocked out cold”) or partial, as in “brain fog”. The World Health Organization has a diagnostic code for “concussion without loss of consciousness” referring to any alteration of mental function.
4. CONCUSSION VICTIMS USUALLY DO NOT REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION.
Studies show that the general public does not understand or appreciate the symptoms of concussion. For that reason, many concussion victims do not realize that they suffered a concussion.
5. MOST LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS HAVE LITTLE OR NO TRAINING IN CONSCUSSION ASSESSMENT.
All 50 of the United States have laws requiring people involved in youth sports to have education and training in the recognition of concussion injuries. The NCAA requires personnel in college sports to have similar training. Yet, it is amazing and unforgivable, that almost all states have no laws requiring law enforcement officials who are required to attend to car accidents to have concussion education and training.
6. FIRST RESPONDERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE DOCTORS DO NOT PERFORM PROPER CONCUSSION ASSESSMENTS.
First responders and emergency medicine doctors are trained to focus on physical injuries as opposed to concussion injuries. Reliable studies have indicated that as many as 80% of the victims of concussion injuries are overlooked and undiagnosed by first responders and emergency medicine doctors.
7. ANYONE WHO HAS SUFFERED A SERIOUS WHIPLASH INJURY TO THE NECK HAS PROBABLY ALSO SUFFERED A CONCUSSION OF THE BRAIN FROM THE SAME EVENT.
The laws of physics tell us that the forces that cause a whiplash injury to the neck must also have caused equal or greater forces of whiplash to the brain, causing a concussion.
8. MANY CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS ARE NOT IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZABLE, DEVELOPING IN DAYS AND WEEKS AFTER THE TRAUMATIC EVENT.
The most highly respected medical authorities, including the National Institute of Medicine and Science and the Mayo Clinic, recognize that the symptoms of a concussion are not immediately apparent and progressively develop over days, weeks and months after the traumatic exposure.
9. CONCUSSION EXPERTS BELIEVE THAT 50% OR MORE OF CONCUSSIONS ARE OVERLOOKED.
Many highly respected concussion experts believe that more than 50% of all concussions are overlooked and “fly under the radar screen” of the medical community. One respected study indicated that more than 80% of concussion injuries are overlooked and undiagnosed in the emergency department of the hospital. Many concussion victims simply do not seek medical attention.
10. MANY CONCUSSION INJURIES RESULT IN LONG TERM DISABILITY.
It is a falwe misconception that concussions are only “mild” events that heal up and go away in a short period of time. Quite the contrary, many concussion victims end up with “Post Concussion Syndrome” where the symptoms of concussions last for a long time or forever.
WHAT ARE THE IMMEDIATE SIGNS OF A CONCUSSION INJURY?
- INITIAL “BRAIN FOG”: “Brain Fog” is a major important symptom of a concussion, with or without a total loss of consciousness.
- DIZZINESS AND/OR BALANCE PROBLEMS;
- BLURRED VISION;
- HEADACHE: Headache can be an immediate or, in many cases, a delayed symptom.
- VISION PROBLEMS: Blurred or double vision is often an immediate symptom. Excessive sensitivity to bright light is more often a delayed symptom. Inability to track moving objects or to change focus from one object to another are a common delayed vision symptom.
WHAT ARE THE LONGER TERM CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS?
- COGNITIVE PROBLEMS: Deficits of memory, comprehension, concentration and organizational abilities (executive functions) are longer-term symptoms of a post concussion syndrome where concussion symptoms persist for a longer period of time.
- IRRITABILITY;
- PERSONALITY CHANGE;
- SLEEP PROBLEMS; and
- ANXIETY/DEPRESSION.
- VISION PROBLEMS.
The Schmidt Salita Law 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.
“PERSONAL INJURY LEGAL SERVICES WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH!”
The Schmidt Salita Law Team offers high quality legal services to the victims of car accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle crashes, bicycle collisions, distracted driving, and pedestrian collisions. The firm serves clients in the entire Twin Cities Metropolitan area, including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Anoka, Apple Valley, Blaine, Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Buffalo, Burnsville, Carver, Chanhassen, Chaska, Cottage Grove, Delano, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Elk River, Golden Valley, Lakeville, Mankato, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Medina, Minnetonka, Monticello, Mound, New Ulm, Oakdale, Orono, Ostego, Plymouth, Prior Lake, Richfield, Rockford, Roseville, Sartell, Savage, Sauk Rapids, Shakopee, Shorewood, South St. Paul, St. Cloud, St. Louis Park, St. Michael, St. Peter, Stillwater, Waconia, Waite Park, Wayzata, Woodbury and surrounding areas.