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The Palmetto State Injury Journal

Beyond the Agony - What You Need to Know About Headaches After an Automobile or Slip & Fall Accident

Headaches, whether mild or severe, are a common symptom after an automobile accident or slip and fall accident. Headaches may occur even without a direct head injury. The onset of a headache after an accident, with no direct trauma to the head, might be the result of a whiplash-like injury, a concussion, or both.

Brain Injuries After an Automobile Accident

In accidents involving motor vehicles, when your motor vehicle is struck by another vehicle, it can experience an acceleration / deceleration movement. The force of your vehicle coming to a sudden stop from a high rate of speed can cause a sudden forward and backwards movement to the head and spine. The rapid acceleration / deceleration causes the brain to hit the sides of the skull, causing the damage. For those accidents where the head does not strike the vehicle’s interior, the idea that you suffered a brain injury may not be immediately known.

Brain Injuries After a Slip and Fall Accident

When you slip and then fall backwards, your neck muscles instinctively tighten in an effort to keep your head from hitting the floor. It requires significant muscle strength in the neck to protect the skull in that single second. The actual hyper-extension-hyperflexion injury occurs immediately before the neck muscles tighten. When they tighten, some muscles might already be strained, but other injured muscles might not present immediate symptoms. Over the time of a few days, those muscles might become symptomatic too. That’s when the problem presents itself on two levels. The victim experiences symptoms directly connected with the hyperflexion-hyperextension injury, and he or she also suffers a chronic state of neck muscle tension from muscles that never returned to their relaxed state before the fall. That can all result in tension headache.

Diagnosis and Symptoms of a Brain Injury

People who go to a hospital following an accident with complaints of headaches may receive a brain MRI or CT Scan. However, even if the results of these tests show no observable damage to the brain, this is not proof that he or she did not suffer a brain injury. Over time, the headaches may not go away and can be accompanied with other symptoms, including dizziness, confusion or blurred vision. Sometimes they only last a few hours or days, but sometimes they persist for years. For people who have these symptoms after a motor vehicle accident, it is important to realize that they may not be temporary. The symptoms can persist or even worsen. For some people, symptoms can worsen to the point where they start developing depression, personality changes and experience difficulties concentrating on basic tasks.

Also, never assume you didn’t really hurt yourself in an accident. Even minor accidents can have lingering consequences. Often the injuries don’t manifest themselves for hours or days after the accident. It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if you feel fine.

Common Causes of Headaches After an Accident

How Can an Attorney Help?

When you suffer a headache after an accident, it is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible to ensure you are fully compensated. Individuals who have suffered a brain injury due to the negligent acts of another are entitled to monetary compensation for numerous damages including:

(1) Hospitalization and all Medical Expenses;

(2) Future cost of medical care and rehabilitation care;

(3) Lost Wages and loss or future income resulting from disabilities;

(4) Pain and Suffering including emotional trauma and psychological damage.

Dana Adkins Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to helping victims of injuries that were caused by the carelessness and negligence of others. We have the legal training and trial skills, along with the resources necessary to obtain full and fair compensation for our clients.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of an accident, please contact us for a FREE legal consultation by calling or texting us 24/7 at 843-823-6237. You can also ask us questions through the 24-hour chat box on our website.