We have recovered millions of dollars for injury victims and their families.

A closer look at concussion categories and their symptoms

On Behalf of | Feb 25, 2022 | Car Accidents |

A car accident can leave you with extensive physical injuries. Although some of them are readily apparent, the full effects of others will take some time to present themselves. Concussions oftentimes fall into this latter group.

Even though a concussion is caused by abrupt blow to the head, such as when your head strikes a window, dashboard, or steering wheel in an accident, the symptoms of a concussion may not appear for days or even weeks. Therefore, a concussion can be difficult to diagnose, which sometimes causes car accident victims to forego the treatment that they need. This can lead to other harmful effects that can have long-term ramification.

Understanding concussion categories

If you’ve suffered a blow to the head, then you need to be aware of the categories into which concussions can fall. These categories are based on severity and may be indicative of the type of care that you need moving forward. Let’s look at those categories here:

  • Category 1: This type of concussion is considered relatively mild. Here, a victim may experience symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, memory loss, and concentration and focus problems. These symptoms are short-lived, oftentimes resolving in 15 minutes or less. Those who suffer a category 1 concussion are usually able to return to normal activities within a day or so.
  • Category 2: Category 2 concussions are considered moderate and may result in ringing in the ears, irritability, and even short-term amnesia in addition to the symptoms mentioned above. These symptoms may last more than 15 minutes, and a victim may experience unconsciousness for less than five minutes. This type of concussion requires a longer recovery period, oftentimes leaving victims unable to live their normal lives for several days.
  • Category 3: This is the most severe type of concussion and can cause unconsciousness for more than five minutes. All of the normal symptoms of a concussion, including vomiting, sensitivity to light, fatigue, sleep disruptions, and delayed thought processes may present. Those symptoms can be more severe, though, as some victims of category 3 concussions experience amnesia lasting longer than 24 hours, speech problem, and blurred vision. Their symptoms can also last for weeks. Those who suffer from this type of concussion are at an increased risk of long-term brain damage, and those who are fortunate enough to fully recover often need a lot of medical care.

What to do you if you’ve experienced a concussion

If you think that you’ve suffered a concussion, regardless of which category you think it may fall into, then you need to seek immediate medical care. This is the only way to ensure that you receive the medical care that you need to property treat your injuries. If you don’t seek out the care that you need, then you could end up suffering greater harm or a delayed recovery.

Do you need legal help?

If your concussion was caused by a car accident, then you may also want to think about taking legal action. After all, that’s often the only way to find accountability and recover compensation for your damages. We know that it can seem like a daunting process, especially while you’re trying to recover from your injuries, but you don’t have to try to figure out the legal process on your own.

Instead, you can seek out guidance from a legal professional who knows this area of the law and how to build the persuasive legal arguments that car accident victims need on their side. If you think that you could benefit from that kind of representation, then please research your options and select the legal professional that you think will give you the aggressive advocacy that you deserve.