Bergeron Law Firm – Serving all of Northern VA

The most common traumatic brain injury or TBI is a concussion.  A concussion is most often caused by a sudden direct blow to the head, but can also be caused by violently shaking or “whipping” (acceleration/deceleration) of the head and upper body.

Your brain is made of soft, spongy tissue and is protected by spinal fluid and the skull.  A sudden blow to the head, neck, or even upper body, can cause your brain to bang against the skull damaging blood vessels, injuring nerves, and causing bruising.  The injuries from a concussion may affect brain function, and in severe cases cause bleeding in or around your brain.  Bleeding can cause permanent brain damage and even death and may not be evident until hours or even days after the accident.

Concussions are graded as mild (grade 1), moderate (grade 2), and severe (grade 3), depending on the symptoms exhibited, such as headache, amnesia, balance issues, or loss of consciousness.

What activities cause a concussion?

  • Participating in contact sports, such as hockey, football, rugby, boxing, soccer, especially without proper safety equipment.
  • Motor vehicle crash
  • Bike or pedestrian accident
  • Falls, especially in young children and seniors
  • Military activities
  • Physical or domestic abuse
  • Having a previous concussion

Symptoms of a concussion

The signs of a concussion can be subtle, and though some symptoms may occur immediately, others may take hours, days, or even weeks to appear after the injury.  These include:

  • Headache
  • Drowsiness, confusion or feeling dazed
  • Dizziness
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Sensitivity to light or noise
  • Balance problems or clumsiness
  • Slurred speech
  • Loss of memory, especially involving the incident that caused the concussion
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Loss of consciousness

Any of these symptoms should be cause for alarm, especially in children, and you should seek medical attention and evaluation immediately.

Can you prevent a concussion?

By its very nature, a concussion is an unexpected event, so it’s difficult to foresee and prevent.  But there are things you can do to lessen the possibility of a traumatic brain injury.

  • Wear the appropriate protective equipment during sports and other recreational activities. Make sure it is well maintained, fits properly, and is used correctly.
  • Wear your seatbelt.
  • Protect babies and toddlers from falls by installing stairway gates and window guards.
  • Avoid physical altercations (fighting).
  • Spread awareness and educate others about concussions and their symptoms and prevention

Get help from an experienced personal injury attorney

A concussion can change your life and create challenging problems.  Steve Bergeron understands the challenges that TBI victims and their families face and can explain your legal rights and the applicable law, and investigate your accident to determine if there is sufficient evidence to make a claim against the person or company that caused your injury.

If you or a loved one has suffered a concussion caused by the negligence of another, you may be able to seek compensation for the damages related to your injury, including medical bills, lost income/wages, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and inconvenience.  Steve Bergeron will work with your doctors and other medical providers to understand and explain the nature and extent of your concussion and its impact on your life.  Steve will also investigate potential insurance coverages that might be available to reimburse you for your expenses and damages to try to help you solve the real-world problems caused by your TBI, so you can focus on getting well and getting back to your life.

So before you speak with an insurance adjuster about your concussion, give Steve a call. He’ll do his best to the explain the applicable law, your legal rights, insurance coverages, and give you his best advice on whether you have a personal injury claim against another and how you can try to solve the problems caused by your injury so that you can focus on your treatment and getting back to a meaningful life.