Katie Ross, Associate, Duncan Law Group
Our Chicago brain injury attorneys see athletes with serious brain injuries time and time again. Recent news stories have placed a spotlight on the dangers, risks, and warning signs associated with concussions and related types of head injuries. It is now well-established that concussions – once thought of as a rite of passage for young athletes in contact sports such as football and hockey – are actually a form of “mild traumatic brain injury.” Medicine and science now recognize that hits to the head that were previously ignored or overlooked as minor injuries can have significant short and long-term consequences. Despite the increasing medical evidence that concussions have long-term effects including limitations on activities and the ability to perform at work or school, many insurance companies continue to deny the significance of concussions and refuse to compensate victims.
Unfortunately, most of us are already familiar with concussions and traumatic brain injuries from causes far more common than being on the playing field as a professional athlete. Whether it’s your child who experienced a hard hit in a pee-wee league football game, a cracked helmet and dizziness after a fall from a bicycle, or a dazed feeling and headache following a car collision, more people are recognizing the signs and symptoms of concussions and traumatic brain injuries. With the help of their doctors, more victims of concussions are able to make timely recoveries by receiving a proper diagnosis, treatment plan, and follow-up care.
Minor concussions are more severe than you may think
Many of us know that the symptoms of a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury can include headaches, dizziness, and nausea, but most people do not realize that a victim of a concussion does not always have a loss of consciousness. Even a “minor” concussion can result in symptoms that cause extreme discomfort and limit and restrict an individual’s everyday activities. These symptoms can prevent victims from being able to return to their normal activities and can make simple tasks like completing schoolwork or performing at your job difficult.
Additionally, new research and long-term follow-up monitoring of victims of concussions have revealed more subtle, and easier to miss, long-term symptoms including changes in mood or behavior, trouble with concentration and memory, and changes in sleep patterns. There is less public knowledge and awareness of these emotional and psychological symptoms related to a concussion. It can be difficult for victims to explain to others (like their bosses or teachers) how the concussion has affected their ability to participate in activities or perform at the level that they did before they were injured. Some victims of concussions may also develop post-concussive syndrome, a condition in which the signs and symptoms of a concussion remain for many months or years.
Suffered a TBI? Contact an Attorney
If you have suffered a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury because you’ve been the victim of a personal injury, you need a Chicago personal injury attorney behind you. At Duncan Law Group, we have experience helping victims of concussions and related traumatic head and brain injuries caused by the negligence of others. If you were injured in a motor vehicle collision, because of an altercation with another person, or the victim of a sports injury caused by someone else, we can help. Please contact us today for a free consultation.