After your car accident a few days ago, you think you know all the injuries you suffered. Do you owe your recent headaches to stress or an undiagnosed injury?
Mayo Clinic explains how medical professionals diagnose concussions. Find out whether you should seek additional damages for your personal injury case. You should not pay for someone else’s negligence.
Cognitive testing
As part of a neurological exam, a doctor may have you complete cognitive tests. The tests evaluate different aspects of thinking, such as focus, memory and your ability to recall details.
Basic diagnosis
Expect a medical professional to check you for standard concussion symptoms and signs. You may also review your medical history together. You could need to monitor yourself for symptoms, as a concussion may not appear until several days after your accident.
Neurological exam
Once your doctor finishes the basic diagnosis, you may complete a neurological exam. This tests your reflexes, coordination, vision, hearing, sensation, balance and strength.
Imaging tests
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you could need brain imaging. By using X-rays, cranial computerized tomography scans create cross-sectional pictures of your brain and skull. Magnetic resonance imaging pinpoints complications and shifts in the brain using powerful radio waves and magnets.
Observation
Your medical care team may recommend you stay in a health care facility overnight for observation. Depending on what your physician says, you could go home and have someone observe you for 24 hours.
A proper medical diagnosis helps build your personal injury case. If another’s carelessness caused you harm, you must know how much to seek in damages.