Your head doesn’t have to strike the steering wheel or window for a concussion to change your life after a car accident. March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and the car accident attorneys at Jabar LaLiberty, LLC see how often people in Maine walk away from a crash thinking they are “just shaken up,” only to discover days later that a concussion is quietly affecting their work, mood, and relationships.
When the force of a collision makes your brain shift suddenly inside your skull, the damage is very real, even if there’s no visible cut or bruise.
What Is A Concussion After A Car Accident?
A concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury that happens when a blow or rapid movement causes the brain to move or twist inside the skull. The CDC explains that this kind of injury can disrupt how brain cells work, even when imaging, such as a CT scan or MRI, appears normal.
In a car crash, the sudden stop or change in direction can whip your head forward and back, or side to side, which is enough to injure the brain. You can suffer a concussion in a rear‑end crash, head‑on collision, side‑impact, or even a low‑speed parking lot impact if the force travels through your neck and head.
Because concussions affect how your brain processes information, symptoms may not fully show up until hours or even days later, which is one reason they are often missed or underestimated. This delay can create a dangerous gap between the moment you are hurt and the moment anyone realizes you need care.
Keep in mind that you don't need a totaled car to have a brain injury. Even if your vehicle only has a dented bumper, the "slosh" factor of your brain hitting the inside of your skull can cause a serious concussion. Don't let an insurance adjuster tell you that low vehicle damage means a low-impact injury.
What Are Common Concussion Symptoms After A Crash?
After a collision, it helps to think of your body as running a full system check. Below are some of the most frequent concussion symptoms doctors and organizations like the CDC and AANS warn about.
These signs often show up first and are easier to notice:
- Headaches or a feeling of pressure in the head that wasn’t there before the crash
- Dizziness, balance problems, or feeling unsteady when you stand or walk
- Nausea or vomiting, especially in the first hours after the collision
- Blurred or double vision, ringing in the ears, or sensitivity to light or noise
- Feeling unusually tired, sluggish, or “out of energy”
Thinking and memory can also be affected by a concussion. These symptoms can be subtle and are easy to blame on stress:
- Confusion about what happened, or feeling “foggy” or slowed down
- Trouble concentrating on conversation, screens, or reading
- Problems remembering details before or after the accident
- Needing information repeated more than usual
- Difficulty finding the right words in conversation
A concussion can cause emotional and sleep‑related symptoms. Many people don’t realize these can be concussion red flags:
- Irritability, mood swings, or feeling more emotional than usual
- Anxiety, nervousness, or sudden sadness
- Trouble falling asleep, sleeping much more, or much less, than normal
- Feeling overwhelmed by normal sounds, crowds, or traffic
If you're back at work but find you're making simple mistakes or can't stare at your monitor for more than 20 minutes, that's a medical symptom. It's not just "stress," and it’s a key part of documenting how the crash has changed your daily life.
What Are The Danger Signs I Should Never Ignore?
Some concussion‑related symptoms signal a potentially serious or life‑threatening problem, such as bleeding inside the skull. The CDC’s danger signs list is clear: if you notice these, you need emergency care right away, not a wait‑and‑see approach.
The danger signs that require emergency care include:
- A headache that gets worse and doesn’t go away
- Repeated vomiting or nausea
- Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or difficulty with coordination
- Convulsions or seizures
- Increasing confusion, agitation, or unusual behavior
- Difficulty waking up, staying awake, or recognizing people or places
Why Symptoms Are Often Delayed Or Overlooked
Concussions can be sneaky. In the chaos after a crash, adrenaline floods your body, masking pain and confusion. You’re focused on exchanging information, talking to police, arranging a tow, and getting home. Hours later, when things quiet down, the symptoms often start. Medical organizations and concussion resources repeatedly stress that symptoms can evolve over hours or days rather than all appearing at once.
For example, a Portland driver rear‑ended at a stoplight may feel only a mild headache at the scene. By the next morning, that same driver could wake up nauseated, unable to focus on emails, and strangely irritable with loved ones. A few days later, bright lights and computer screens may trigger pounding headaches. Without knowing how concussions work, it’s easy to write this off as stress from the car accident instead of recognizing it as a brain injury from the violent whiplash motion.
When symptoms are delayed, insurance companies sometimes argue that something else caused the problem. This is one of the reasons we tell Mainers to take any head‑related symptoms seriously and get checked out, even if they didn’t black out or hit their head.
How Medical Care Protects Your Health And Your Claim
Seeing a doctor quickly after a crash serves two important purposes. First, it allows a professional to rule out emergencies, give you clear instructions for rest and recovery, and refer you to specialists if needed. Second, it creates a medical record connecting your symptoms to the collision, which can be key if you later pursue a personal injury claim.
These steps help both your health and your case:
- Emergency or urgent care visit to document initial symptoms and rule out life‑threatening issues
- Follow‑up appointments with your primary doctor, neurologist, or concussion clinic
- Imaging or neurological tests if your provider recommends them
- A symptom journal noting headaches, dizziness, sleep changes, and cognitive struggles
- Records of time missed from work, school, or family responsibilities
What Are My Legal Options If I Have A Concussion?
If you suffered a concussion in a car accident in Maine, you have the right to seek compensation from the other driver's insurance company. However, the process isn't as easy as it sounds, and insurance companies have an incentive to keep their costs down, even at your expense.
The car accident attorneys at Jabar LaLiberty, LLC have been fighting for the injured in Portland and throughout Maine for decades. We know how insurance companies operate when a concussion is involved. They may question the extent of your injury, downplay your symptoms, or suggest you are exaggerating because “it was only a mild concussion.”
Contact us for a free consultation. We'll listen to what happened, review your medical records, and explain how the law applies to your situation. Our attorneys are prepared to fight back when insurance companies question your symptoms, and we'll guide you through each step so you can focus on healing while we focus on accountability.
“We want you to know how grateful we are for what you did for us. Thanks for being our lawyer.” - Actual client, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐