What Are the Signs to Watch for of a Concussion After a Car Accident?

At Silverman, McDonald, & Friedman, our skilled car accident attorneys in Seaford, Wilmington and Newark represent individuals who have been injured in car crashes throughout the state. Please contact us to learn more about our services.

You were on a Sunday drive on Route 1 after a fun-filled day at Rehoboth beach and you were broadsided in an intersection by a pickup truck that ran a stop sign. After the crash, you did a quick physical assessment and despite some scratches and scrapes from broken glass, you seem to be feeling fine. No pain really and nothing feels broken or dislocated and you feel fortunate to have escaped a harrowing experience without a serious injury.

But did you really escape without injury? Although you did not suffer a wound to your head, when your car was hit, your body was traveling at 50 miles per hour and it was brought to a halt at the point of collision with the other car. The gravitational forces on your squishy brain matter slammed from the front of your skull and then to the back of the inside of your skull from the impact. Sometimes the injuries that you suffer in a car crash or from a fall are not immediately obvious, so here are a few of the signs and symptoms of concussion to watch for after a car crash, a fall, or a blow to the head.

Signs of a concussion after a blow to the head

The Mayo Clinic lists the following as signs and symptoms of concussion, and it warns that not all these symptoms will show up immediately after the accident. Some symptoms will last for a few days, weeks or even longer:

• Headache or pressure in the head
• Temporary loss of consciousness
• Confusion or feeling as if in a fog
• Amnesia surrounding the traumatic event
• Dizziness or “seeing stars”
• Ringing in the ears
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Delayed responses to questions
• Appearing dazed
• Fatigue

Just because you do not have a head wound, or you did not lose consciousness it does not mean that you have escaped unscathed. It is vital that you seek medical attention the moment you begin to experience any combination of these symptoms because the sooner you receive treatment, the more likely you are to avert long-term symptoms.

If you, or anyone else who has received a blow to the head in a car crash or a fall displays any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately:

• Drowsiness
• Abnormal behavior
• Stiff neck
• Severe headache
• Loss of consciousness regardless of how brief
• Vomiting

Surviving a car crash can be traumatizing, but it can also get the adrenaline pumping, which may delay your experiencing the initial symptoms of concussion. be sure to seek medical attention right away to rule out a traumatic brain injury, which can have devastating consequences.

If you are looking for dependable representation after having been injured in a car accident, contact Silverman, McDonald & Friedman at 302-888-2900 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with a car accident lawyer in Seaford, Newark or Wilmington today.