Concussions are common traumatic brain injuries that can happen within and outside of sports settings. Sports, such as football, soccer, and ice hockey have a heightened risk of causing this type of head injury.

In 2019, roughly 1 in 450 Canadians aged 12 years and older reported suffering from sport-related concussions or other types of brain injuries. Home to the largest multipurpose facility in Canada, Nova Scotia has a considerable share of reported concussion cases.

In Nova Scotia, approximately 11,300 people experience a concussion every year. While concussions aren’t usually life-threatening, their effects can be devastating, and some can even lead to permanent brain damage and disability, especially when left untreated.

It’s a common misconception that concussions always result in a loss of consciousness. That’s why many accident victims don’t realize that they’ve suffered a concussion. They often leave the accident scene without going to the emergency room, only to discover later that they suffered a severe brain injury.

If you suffered a concussion because of someone else’s negligence, you can seek compensation for your losses with the help of a personal injury lawyer. However, knowing the signs of a concussion is crucial to getting proper medical treatment, which is a critical factor in pursuing a legal claim.

Key Takeaways

A concussion is one form of mild traumatic brain injury, typically caused by a sudden impact on the head.
When left untreated, concussions can result in long-term complications and permanent damage.
Signs and symptoms of a concussion can fall into four categories: physical, cognitive, emotional, and sleep-related.

Understanding Concussions and Their Potential Causes

Medically, a concussion is known as a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBIs are characterized by a physical injury to brain tissue that can cause temporary or permanent impairment in brain function.

While concussions are the most common form of TBI, they’re also the least serious. Unlike more severe TBIs, concussions don’t show evidence of any visible structural brain injury in imaging studies.

Although the damage to the brain cells is microscopic, concussions can significantly impact cognitive function. A recent study found that repeated concussions, typically three or more, are associated with a further decline in brain function during the later stages of life.

A forceful bump, strike, or jolt to the head is a common cause of concussions. Any impact on the body that forces the rapid back-and-forth motion of the brain within the skull can also trigger a concussion. In fact, you can also suffer a concussion even if there is no direct impact on the head.

Aside from participating in sports-related activities, there are other ways you can sustain a concussion. Typical situations include the following:

Being involved in a car accident
Slipping and falling due to workplace hazards
Walking on icy sidewalks during the winter

How To Know You Have a Concussion After an Accident

Depending on their severity, the symptoms and long-term effects of concussions can vary for every person.

Doctors across the globe use a grading system to diagnose a concussion. It helps them assess the severity of the injury and anticipate potential symptoms. This system consists of three grades of concussions:

Grade 1: This concussion is mild, with symptoms typically lasting for a few days.
Grade 2: This concussion is moderate and has more severe symptoms that will last longer than a mild concussion.
Grade 3: The most severe type of concussion, with symptoms that can last months and carry the risk of permanent brain damage.

Regardless of the severity, concussions can pose significant health issues and lead to permanent symptoms that negatively affect your regular activities and quality of life. Early concussion detection is critical to ensure timely treatment and prevent complications.

Without visible injuries, detecting a concussion can be tricky. For starters, here are a few essential points to remember if you think you have a concussion after an accident:

Look for signs and symptoms of concussion

Identifying whether you have a concussion isn’t always easy. Although indicators can be wide-ranging, the signs and symptoms of concussions can fall into the following categories:

Physical symptoms

Typically, these are symptoms you feel within the body, and they can vary among those who have sustained concussions. Common physical symptoms include:

Headaches or migraines
Dizziness
Blurry vision
Balance problems
Nausea and vomiting

Cognitive symptoms

Even people who experience a single concussion may suffer from cognitive difficulties. Each additional concussion can have a more pronounced and long-term impact on cognition. Common cognitive symptoms associated with concussions include:

Feeling confused or disoriented
Trouble concentrating
Difficulty remembering
Amnesia or memory loss
Slow reaction times
Long-term personality changes

Affective symptoms

People with concussions may also experience emotional and psychological changes. Since they’re less noticeable than physical symptoms, they can be trickier to connect to concussions. These affective symptoms typically include:

Changes in mood
Intense feelings of sadness
Irritability or easily angered
Excessive worry or anxiety

Sleep-related symptoms

Concussions can damage the neurons responsible for controlling the sleep-wake cycle, which is why you may experience disturbances in your sleeping patterns. The following are some of the common symptoms specific to sleep:

Excessive daytime drowsiness
Difficulty falling asleep at night
Increased sleep needs
Sleep disruption

See a doctor for immediate medical attention

See a doctor immediately if you or a loved one lost consciousness or experienced a brief loss of consciousness. Even a momentary loss of consciousness must be taken seriously. Repeated vomiting, slurred speech, and decreased coordination are some of the dangerous symptoms of concussions.

Even when there aren’t any visible signs and symptoms of concussions, seeking immediate medical attention after being involved in an accident is very important. If a medical professional suspects a concussion, they may perform physical exams to assess your balance, coordination, and reflexes.

It’s worth noting that a concussion isn’t always visible on MRI or CT scans. Therefore, expect a doctor to conduct neuropsychological tests, which will help detect any emotional changes or difficulty with cognitive function.

Watch out for post-concussion syndrome

Some people eventually make a complete recovery after sustaining a concussion. However, there are instances where the effects of the injury are permanent. Post-concussion syndrome is when the injured person experiences concussion symptoms that last longer than the initial injury.

The specific timeline varies for what healthcare providers consider to be a post-concussion syndrome. But mostly, post-concussion syndrome is when symptoms last longer than three months or a year after the injury. Those who forgo appropriate medical care are at risk of experiencing post-concussion syndrome.

Legal Options When You Sustain a Concussion After an Accident

If you sustained a concussion because of someone else’s negligence, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries. An experienced concussion injury lawyer can give you legal advice about the relevant laws that apply to your situation and the best action to take.

In Nova Scotia, Canada, the options available to people who sustain a concussion after an accident may depend on the type of accident. For example, if you get a concussion after a car accident, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit and seek compensation from the at-fault driver.

If you suffered a concussion because of a workplace accident, you may be able to get compensation under the provincial/territorial workers’ compensation programs.

If the concussion resulted from unsafe conditions on someone else’s property, you can file an occupier’s liability claim.

Your eligibility for these claims may depend on the specifics of your injury and the strength of your evidence. In most cases, you’ll need a lawyer to prove that someone else is at fault and that their negligence contributed to your concussion injury and losses.

Did you know?

There were 5,590 cases of major traumatic brain injury (TBI) during a 16-year study period in Nova Scotia, with an overall annual rate of 36 per 100,000 population. The primary cause of injury was falls, which account for 45 percent of cases.

Contact Diamond & Diamond Nova Scotia for Legal Guidance

You may be able to get compensation if your concussion injury was someone else’s fault. However, cases involving traumatic brain injuries can be complex, which is why they often require a lawyer well-versed in personal injury laws.

Even if you think that your injury isn’t serious enough to require legal assistance, it’s always a good idea to retain a lawyer. Contact Diamond & Diamond Nova Scotia so that they can help you get the compensation you deserve. We have a team of Nova Scotia lawyers who can handle your case and fight for your rights.

Have you sustained a concussion after an accident? Let Diamond & Diamond Nova Scotia lawyers protect what you’re legally entitled to recover.

FAQs on Having a Concussion After an Accident

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When To Seek Help: Signs You May Have a Concussion After an Accident