Average Settlement for a Car Accident with Concussion in Nevada

Name: Brian Boyer Injury & Car Accident Lawyer Las Vegas
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Our Las Vegas car accident lawyer is no stranger to helping clients with concussion injuries. In this article, we will take a deeper look into concussion accident settlement amounts by evaluating the average compensation awarded for these types of head injuries.

From accepted settlement offers to jury verdicts awarded, if you or a loved one are searching for more information on how much you can expect to recover following a car accident with a concussion in Nevada, please feel free to contact our law firm for a no-obligation case evaluation at 702-514-1414.

Are Concussions Common in Car Accidents?

Concussions are one of the most common injuries resulting from car accidents. Concussions can occur in car accidents due to the sudden and forceful impact experienced during the collision.

When an automobile is involved in a car accident, the sudden shift in acceleration and direction can result in an abrupt side-to-side or back-and-forth movement. This violent motion can cause the brain to collide with the skull’s interior, resulting in a concussion.

Typical scenarios where concussions can occur include, but are not limited to:

Whiplash: When a vehicle is struck from behind or makes a sudden stop, the occupants’ heads may be whipped back and forth, causing their brains to impact the inside of their skulls. This sudden acceleration and deceleration can lead to a concussion.
Direct impact: When a persons head hits a physical object with great force, such as the side-window, steering wheel or dashboard The impact can cause a concussion. Settlements are typically higher in the scenario of blunt-force trauma but that isn’t always the case.

Symptoms of a Concussion After a Car Accident

Although concussions are typically considered minor or non-life threatening, that doesn’t mean they aren’t to be taken seriously. Medical professionals often refer to concussions as mild TBI’s; however, in reality, concussions can cause long-lasting and life-altering damage. In this section of the article, we will dive deeper into understanding concussions and their role in personal injury claims.

Concussions are a Form of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that is caused by a sudden and forceful impact directly to a persons head. This impact could arise from an object hitting your head, or from the sudden “jerk” or back-and-forth movement of the head resulting from a collision. These direct impacts or sudden movements can cause significant damage to the brain as it is coming into contact with the skull. These impacts or sudden movements cause damage to the brain as it can impact the front of the cranium (coup) and back of the cranium (contrecoup).

As the brain is the most complex organ in human anatomy, the symptoms of brain injuries can be quite intricate. Brain injuries can range from mild to severe. A concussion is considered by most doctors to be a mild TBI.

How to Tell if You Have a Concussion After a Car Accident

Of all Traumatic Brain Injuries we have seen from our clients, the most common among all is a concussion. As stated above, concussions happen when there is a direct- or indirect impact with the head. This can be from a persons head hitting the steering wheel in a rear-end accident, or from the sudden jerking motion caused by whiplash.

Either of these two scenarios can cause temporary or long-term damage and mountains of medical debt.

How Can I Check Myself for a Concussion?

In some instances, a persons concussion will be apparent as they will feel confused, dizzy, and have difficulty speaking. Other times, symptoms may take hours or even days to set in. Below are a few of the warning signs to look out for if you’ve recently hit your head in a car accident and believe you may have a concussion.

They may appear independently of each other or together:

Loss of Consciousness: one of the first and most dangerous signs of a concussion is when a person hits their head so hard that they lose consciousness. Typically referred to as getting “knocked out”.
Confusion & Amnesia: once awake from losing consciousness, the person may not remember the series of events that led to hitting their head. They may feel confused or “foggy”.
Headache: headaches after a concussion typically feel like tension headaches or migraines.
Difficulty Concentrating & Blurred Vision: Feeling like you cannot concentrate or think is another tell-tale sign that you may have a concussion. This symptom can last for only a few hours to a few days, or even a few weeks.

Other warning signs of a concussion can include, but are not limited to: nausea, fatigue, dizziness, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), sensitivity to light, Other common physical symptoms of concussions include feeling nauseated, dizzy or unbalanced (vertigo), ringing in the ears, fatigue, and light sensitivity.

If you have any of these symptoms or you believe you may be suffering from a concussion, it is in your best interest and highly advisable that you go to the nearest ER for an evaluation (do not drive yourself!)

Call Brian Boyer at 702-514-1414 for a complimentary case review.

What Will an ER Doctor Do for a Concussion?

Once at the emergency room, the doctor and their medical personnel will conduct a detailed medical history report alongside a physical examination. They may ask questions surrounding the current injury and any previous injuries or pre-existing medical conditions that could affect the diagnosis of the current head injury.

Once the questioning is completed, they will perform a series of physical tests to assess vitals, reflexes, sensations, coordination and strength. They may also conduct a neurological exam to assess motor-skills and cognitive testing.

Medical Imaging to Assess Severity of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Finally, the doctor will likely recommend imaging tests, such as a CT Scan or MRI to evaluate the severity of your brain injury and to rule out any bruising or bleeding. It is important to note, however, that these imaging tests may not always be used to determine whether or not a person has a concussion.

Diagnosing Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS)

Following the initial medical exam, doctors may want to schedule a follow-up exam to evaluate progress and rule out post-concussion syndrome (PCS).

Post-concussion syndrome is the persistence of concussion-related symptoms which exceed the normal recovery time. Most concussions resolve themselves within about two week of the injury. If symptoms linger longer than that, doctors may diagnose a person with PCS.

PCS can fall into four categories: cognitive, sleep, behavioral and physical. It can affect a persons daily life by creating the feeling of over-stimulation during normal, everyday tasks, causing the person to withdraw from their work, social, and family lives.

If you’ve been injured in an accident and have been diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome (PCS), it is in your best interest to contact a Las Vegas car accident lawyer immediately to ensure you receive compensation for your injuries.

Call Brian Boyer at 702-514-1414 for a complimentary case review.

How to Treat a Concussion

Unlike prescribing pain medication and wrapping an open wound, there is no definitive way to treat a concussion. There is no clear-cut way to go into the head and repair the damage to the brain. The only thing you can really do is let time heal the wound and avoid any further injury to the head.

Getting plenty of rest and engaging in low stimulation activities is a great starting point. Gradually reintroducing yourself to strenuous activities, social gatherings and work (if your financial situation permits) is also a great idea. Bottom line is you do not want to overdo it. Give yourself time and space to heal.

How Long Do Concussion Last from an Auto Accident?

We have helped many clients with concussions and remarkably, the recovery timeline differs greatly from person to person. We have seen clients recover within 24-hours while others develop into permanent brain injuries.

The duration of ones concussion is dependent on the severity of the injury, the persons overall health prior to the accident, preexisting conditions and their commitment to recovery. It is important to remember that concussions are traumatic brain injuries and symptoms and severity are not a black-and-white diagnoses.

In most cases we have seen, the symptoms begin to improve within the first day or so. That said, no two people are alike and it is very possible that your symptoms could linger for weeks or even months, which we would then pursue damages for post-concussion syndrome.

Concussion recovery time factors are dependent on:

Severity of the impact: The more severe the impact, the longer you can expect your recovery timeline to be.
Age: As children’s brains are still developing, they can often take longer to recover from a concussion than a middle-aged adult. The elderly also take significantly longer to fully heal.
Medical history: Previous head trauma can trigger past injuries and can take longer to recover.
Treatment and rehabilitation: Seeking immediate medical care following a head injury can help prevent any further injury from occurring, which can lessen your recovery timeline.

Can You Sue for a Concussion in Nevada?

Yes. A concussion is considered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and if your injury was caused by the direct negligence of another person or entity, you are permitted under Nevada personal injury law to file a lawsuit against the negligent drivers insurance company to collect compensation for your damages.

Call Brian Boyer Injury & Car Accident Lawyer Las Vegas for a complimentary case review at 702-514-1414.

Proving to Insurance Companies that You Have a Concussion

If you are on the pursuit of collecting compensation for your concussion caused by a car accident, you must first be able to prove the injury exists to the insurance company. Unlike physical injuries, such as a bone fracture, cuts and lacerations, or spinal cord damage, concussions are hard to prove via traditional examination. That said, there are signs and symptoms to look out for which can signal a potential concussion.

The first thing your ER doctor or neurologist will want to do is perform a physical examination and run various diagnostic tests, such as an MRI or CT scan. This will provide them with insight on how severe your brain injury is.

That said, most concussions are symptom-based, so if your doctor concludes that based on the symptoms described you are in fact suffering from a concussion, their official diagnosis will be enough to prove to the insurance companies that you are in fact suffering from a brain injury.

How Much Can I Get for a Car Accident Concussion?

The average Nevada personal injury settlement involving a concussion can range between $15,000 to $25,000; however, our lawyer has seen cases settle for $200,000 or more. Injuries aside, the second-biggest factor at play is the insurance coverage of the negligent driver.

If the negligent driver does not have insurance coverage, you can still collect compensation if you have UM/UIM coverage on your own policy.

Contact Brian Boyer Injury Lawyer for Help with Your Concussion Injury

If you or a loved one have fallen victim to a concussion in a car accident, you should consider getting the help of a lawyer to ensure your rights are protected from the start. Our lawyer has handled countless concussion car accident cases and we are therefore proficient in the complex process of demanding maximum compensation for concussion victims. If the insurance companies fail to offer a fair settlement offer, we have no problem taking them to trial for a jury verdict.

Regardless of whether your concussion was caused by a car accident slip and fall accident, or any other type of personal injury accident, we will make sure you make a full financial recovery.

At Brian Boyer Injury & Car Accident Lawyer Las Vegas we can help you from start to finish with your concussion injury. The only thing you need to focus on is feeling better!

You can call us at 702-514-1414. You can also complete a complimentary consultation request online and we will respond to you within a few hours.

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