How Serious Are Concussions?
Sometimes how lucky you are is a matter of perspective; to measure someone’s luck, measure that person’s optimism. For example, Patrick Allen will tell you that he is lucky because, when he got hit by a pickup truck while riding his bicycle in Burlington County, his injuries were not that serious, just some bruises and road rash. What he tells you next makes him seem less lucky, namely that he does not remember the accident; his closest memory to it is the memory of waking up in the hospital without knowing what day it was. It is certainly possible for a bicyclist to suffer worse injuries than Allen did in a collision with a motor vehicle. He did not suffer any bone fractures or a spinal cord injury. He did, however, get a concussion, which is hardly an injury you can just laugh off. Concussions are not permanent, but they are painful, and the symptoms can last a long time. If you sustained a concussion as a result of getting hit by a car, contact an auto accident lawyer.
Concussions Are Not Disastrous, Except When They Are
A concussion occurs when someone gets hit on the head; it can happen because of a car accident, an accidental fall, or an assault. Technically, the difference between a concussion and an injury that meets the clinical definition of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of severity; a concussion is just a mild TBI. Doctors make a diagnosis of concussion if you begin having symptoms within a day of a head injury, but you did not lose consciousness, or if the acute injury only caused you to lose consciousness briefly.
The symptoms of concussion, such as headaches, sensitivity to light, dizziness, and nausea, can last anywhere from a few days to a few months. You might have to take a leave of absence from work while recovering from a concussion. The worst thing about concussions, though, is that if you have had a concussion before, you have an increased risk of severe symptoms if you suffer a subsequent concussion, even if the acute injury is not especially severe. People who have had multiple concussions are more likely to develop long-term neurological or behavioral symptoms, such as tremor, memory impairment, or chronic depression or irritability. You may have heard news stories about professional athletes who suffered severe psychological disturbances because of the repeated concussions they sustained in their sports careers.
If you get one concussion in a car accident, and you file a lawsuit against the party responsible for the accident, you can request damages for medical expenses related to the concussion. If it is not your first concussion, the defendant may try to pay you less by attributing some of your symptoms, and therefore some of your need for treatment, to the old injury.
Contact Monaco Law About Bicycle Accidents
Contact Monaco Law PC in Marlton, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to discuss your accident case. Joseph Monaco is a New Jersey and Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer serving Atlantic County, Bucks County, Burlington County, Cape May County, Camden County, Chester County, Cumberland County, Delaware County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia, Ocean County, Salem County, Susquehanna County and all of New Jersey.
Source:
cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/cyclist-patrick-allen-hit-and-run-burlington-county/
