It’s Just a Bump, Right?
Here’s the situation. You’re in a car wreck, and it doesn’t seem all that bad. You bonk your head pretty hard, but you feel okay. You can get out, survey the damage, swap insurance information. You take pictures, get witness statements, and ultimately you get back in your vehicle and drive home. No broken bones, no huge trauma that requires emergency transportation to the hospital. That night you feel restless. A few weeks later, you feel quite off. Daily headaches that won’t quit, brain fog, irritability, and difficulty sleeping persist – symptoms of that head bonk you thought would go away after a day or two.
You’re suffering from a concussion. A mild traumatic brain injury that comes after hitting your head.
The issue with concussions is that many of the symptoms can take days or weeks to really set in. And the hidden cost of a concussion might not be noticeable until much later. The Car Crash Captain explores this situation on what happens when you’re in a wreck and leave with a concussion.
Why Concussions are Often Overlooked after a Wreck
Because you walk away from the accident feeling mostly fine, you might not think there was any damage to your brain. Those symptoms don’t set in right away, due to a few factors – not the least of which is the adrenaline coursing through your body after the wreck.
You don’t have to go unconscious to suffer from a concussion. You might not even have to hit your head very hard to cause some damage internally. But it’s done, it’s internal, and it can lead to serious issues. The hidden cost of a concussion actually goes beyond medical costs.
The Medical Costs of a Minor Brain Injury
Medical costs are what we call economic damages. You have a bill, it has a defined dollar amount, and it needs to be paid. However, these costs can add up, and can be ongoing.
If you settle with the insurance company, but you need an MRI or CT scan months down the road because you’re not recovering as quickly as you thought, can you go back to the insurance company and say, “Hey, I need a little more money to recover from this wreck!”?
The answer is, no.
But the prescription meds for headaches, dizziness, and anxiety can keep piling up. There might even be a need for therapy to help get you back on track.
The Emotional and Cognitive Toll of a Concussion
That’s because the hidden cost of a concussion isn’t just economic damages.
If you’re in school, and you can’t concentrate, and you fail a few tests, what’s that worth? How do you put a price tag on that? The emotional damage you suffer because now you feel like you’re no longer in the “smart kid” group can be crippling.
Mood swings, depression, and irritability can take a toll on your relationships. You might lose your job, damage friendships, or end your marriage because of them. And this doesn’t all happen in a few days. These post-concussion symptoms can last weeks, months, or even longer.
Some Hidden Costs of a Concussion
Now you’re struggling and you don’t even realize why you’re struggling. You feel like the accident was so long ago, that you ought to be recovered by now. You use up all of your sick pay, you burn through your PTO, and now you’re forced to take time off without pay.
Your love life suffers, but you remain married. You suffer from what is called loss of consortium; no longer able to be intimate with your spouse.
Hobbies don’t bring joy anymore, and depression worsens. The hidden cost of a concussion is there, and you don’t even realize all of this is happening because of that small bonk on the head after being involved in a car wreck.
What the Insurance Companies Won’t Tell You
One of the worst parts is that the insurance companies will downplay this injury. No broken bones, no blood, and no major (visible) trauma means no injury… or at least that’s what they want you to think.
That’s why you need an experienced Texas car accident lawyer that can help you recover both the visible and the hidden cost of a concussion.
How You can Seek Compensation for a Concussion
Herbert Law Group has helped a lot of clients recover more than they thought possible after a wreck. It’s not about making money on your suffering, it’s about recovering enough to cover all of those future medical bills, therapies, and compensate you for lost time at work and loss of enjoyment in your life.
If you, or a loved one, has suffered from a concussion after a wreck in Texas, don’t let the insurance companies minimize your pain and suffering. Let’s talk about what happened, and come up with a plan on how Herbert Law Group can help you find justice.
Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll have a free conversation to get things started.