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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
From left to right: Attorneys Stephanie Schommer, Dean Salita, Doug Schmidt, Mary Beth Boyce and Josh Laabs.
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.
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.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Dean M. Salita, with more than 30 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.
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