Concussions occur as a result of excessive force to the brain within the skull. Some people believe you need to have contact of the head with a hard object to have a concussion. However, a concussion or brain injury can occur without the head contacting any hard object. An example is shaken baby syndrome. Also, members of our Armed Forces have suffered concussions and traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of attacks or explosions while serving our country. Often, patients need to speak with a brain injury lawyer with experience in concussion injury cases.
Common causes of concussions are car crashes, truck crashes, pedestrian injuries, falls, physical assault and sports. Some people must hire a personal injury lawyer to bring a concussion lawsuit or brain injury lawsuit to recover payment of medical bills, lost wages or pain and suffering. A concussion is a simple term to describe injury to the brain. Even without the head coming into contact with another object concussion or brain injury may occur; an example is when the brain hits the inside of a person’s skull during a sudden jolt such as what occurs in a motor vehicle collision.
A concussion or other TBI actually changes how the brain works. Unfortunately, concussions and many brain injuries cannot be diagnosed by x-ray or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). This is because many concussion injuries or other brain injuries damage the brain on a microscopic level, including to the axons and synapses (axonal injuries). X-rays and MRIs tend to show gross injuries such as brain bleeds and hemorrhaging.
Symptoms of concussion injuries include difficulty focusing, irritability, behavior changes, fatigue, blurred vision, headaches, etc.
If you or a loved one have signs of a concussion or brain injury you should contact your doctor immediately. If your injury was the result of a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident or fall due to poorly maintained premises, you should contact a personal injury attorney familiar with representing people with traumatic brain injuries and with concussion lawsuits.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) provides valuable information as to symptoms caused by concussions. Some symptoms may occur immediately, however some symptoms may not be evident until days or weeks after the trauma.
With concussion or mild traumatic brain injury a person may have loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes, feel dazed or not right, have headaches, lightheadedness, dizziness, confusion, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), change in sleep patterns, fatigue, mood or behavioral changes, difficulty with concentration or thinking.
Some people will have a loss of consciousness from a concussion, such as in an auto accident, however many people do not have loss of consciousness from the accident. A loss of consciousness can be seconds or longer. Many people do not recall a loss of consciousness at the accident scene precisely because they were unconscious for a few seconds or more and don’t recall the seconds they were unconscious.
When describing a brain injury the word “mild” is often used. The term mild does not mean a brain injury is not serious. In medical descriptions the terms mild, moderate and severe brain injury are often used. Those who suffer mild brain injury may have permanent losses, and also have a greater probability of future problems, susceptibility to future injuries and disabilities because of the mild traumatic brain injury.
If you or a loved one has suffered a concussion or brain injury in an auto accident, truck crash, bicycle accident, or fall and have questions about a concussion claim or brain injury lawsuit you should contact an experienced brain injury attorney who has handled concussion and brain injury lawsuits. There are notification requirements, time limits and other matters you need to consider after an accident, whether you intend to bring a brain injury lawsuit, or not. You should contact the personal injury attorneys at Feroleto Law to evaluate your rights. You can call 716-854-0700 for a free consultation. While we do not take all cases, of those cases we do accept, we work very hard to see that our clients return to pre-accident condition as best as possible, and get full compensation for what they have gone through and what they may deal with in the future.
Attorney John Feroleto
Attorney John Feroleto understands the value of hard work. He is known in the community and by his peers for his willingness to work and go the extra mile. Other lawyers often ask John to handle their trial matters to maximize clients’ recovery. Trial lawyers know who the best trial lawyers are. He was also named Trial Attorney of the Year in 2012 by the Western New York Affiliate of New York State Trial Lawyers Association. [ Attorney Bio ]