Getting hit in the head during a car accident, slipping on ice, or taking a hard fall can shake the brain inside the skull, and that’s what happens during a concussion.
The tricky part is that you might not realize you have one right away. Some people expect to black out or feel immediately terrible, but concussions don’t always work that way.
You might feel fine at first, then notice something’s off hours or even days later. Recognizing the signs matters because a concussion is a real brain injury, even when a CT scan looks completely normal.
Missing it can lead to serious complications, especially if you get hit again before you’ve healed.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What Happens During a Concussion?
A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury. When the head is struck, or the body is jolted hard enough, the brain moves rapidly inside the skull, disrupting how brain cells communicate.
Doctors sometimes call this a functional injury, because it affects how the brain works rather than causing the kind of visible structural damage that shows up on a standard CT scan or MRI.
You don’t have to lose consciousness to have a concussion. Most people with a concussion never black out at all.
The injury can come from a direct blow to the head or from a forceful hit to the body that whips the head around, which is why car accidents, sports collisions, falls, and assaults are all common causes.
How Do You Know If You Have a Concussion?
There’s no single test that instantly confirms a concussion, which is part of what makes it hard to recognize.
The most reliable approach is paying attention to how you feel and how you’re acting in the hours and days after any bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body, according to the CDC’s HEADS UP program.
A few things are worth keeping in mind.
First, most concussions don’t involve losing consciousness, so the fact that you never blacked out doesn’t rule anything out.
Second, symptoms can appear immediately, but they can also take hours or even days to show up, especially cognitive symptoms like trouble concentrating or memory problems that you might not notice until you try to get back to work or school.
Third, and maybe most importantly, simply feeling generally “off” or not quite like yourself after a jarring event is itself a sign worth paying attention to, even if you can’t point to a specific symptom.
What Are the Signs of a Concussion?
Concussion signs fall into a few overlapping categories, and most people experience a mix rather than just one.
Physical signs:
Headache, which might be sharp or feel more like dull pressure, and can start right away or creep up hours later
Dizziness or balance problems, sometimes described as feeling like the room is tilting or being on a boat
Nausea or vomiting, especially in the first few hours
Blurred or double vision, or trouble focusing the eyes
Sensitivity to light or noise, where normal indoor lighting or conversation suddenly feels harsh
Ringing in the ears
Fatigue or feeling sluggish, even after adequate sleep
The New York State Department of Health lists this same core set of physical signs, and its cognitive and emotional symptom lists add a few specific details worth knowing about, since they’re easy to miss or attribute to something else entirely.
Cognitive signs:
Mental fog, a hazy or groggy feeling where thoughts move more slowly than usual
Difficulty concentrating, including losing track of a conversation or rereading the same paragraph
Memory problems, including trouble recalling what happened right before or after the injury
General confusion or disorientation about the time, place, or what just happened
Trouble putting thoughts into words, or finding yourself easily distracted
Difficulty doing more than one thing at a time, or trouble organizing tasks that used to feel simple
Difficulty with problem-solving or decision-making that used to feel automatic
Emotional and behavioral signs:
Irritability or a shorter temper than usual
New or increased anxiety
Sadness or a loss of interest in things you’d normally enjoy
Mood swings or acting noticeably “not like yourself”
Decreased motivation, feeling easily overwhelmed, or a new tendency to withdraw and avoid social situations
Acting more impulsively than usual
Sleep-related signs:
Trouble falling or staying asleep
Sleeping much more than usual
Waking up feeling unrested no matter how many hours you slept
When Are Concussion Symptoms a Medical Emergency?
Some symptoms after a head injury point to something more dangerous than a concussion, like bleeding or swelling inside the skull. According to the CDC, you should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately if you or someone you’re monitoring has:
A headache that gets worse and doesn’t go away
Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or a noticeable loss of coordination
Repeated vomiting
A seizure or convulsion
Increasing confusion, unusual behavior, or restlessness
Loss of consciousness, even briefly
One pupil that looks larger than the other, or extreme drowsiness where the person is difficult to wake
These danger signs can appear right after the injury or develop over the following hours, which is why medical professionals typically recommend monitoring someone closely for the first 24 to 48 hours after a head injury rather than assuming they’re fine just because some time has passed without a problem.
What Should You Watch For in Children and Older Adults?
Falls are the leading cause of concussion in older adults, and this group is more likely to have delayed symptoms and, especially if they take blood thinners, a higher risk of bleeding inside the skull after a head injury.
Sudden confusion or memory problems after a fall can be mistaken for normal aging or early dementia, when they’re actually signs of a concussion that needs evaluation.
In young children, signs can look different since they may not be able to describe what they’re feeling. Watch for excessive crying that can’t be soothed, refusing to nurse or eat, unusual sluggishness, or a noticeable change in how they’re playing or interacting.
Any of the danger signs listed above apply to children as well and warrant the same immediate emergency response.
What Should You Do If You Have a Concussion?
If you suspect a concussion, whether it’s your own or someone you’re caring for, a few steps make a real difference.
Get evaluated by a doctor, even if the symptoms seem mild. A normal CT scan doesn’t rule out a concussion. These scans are designed to catch bleeding or structural damage, not the kind of functional brain injury that causes concussion symptoms.
Follow relative rest guidelines for the first day or two, avoiding strenuous physical activity and intense mental effort, but without cutting yourself off from all stimulation.
Don’t return to sports, driving, or other risky activities the same day, and don’t push through symptoms to avoid missing work or school. A second concussion before you’ve healed from the first can be far more dangerous than the original injury.
Watch closely for the first 24 to 48 hours, since danger signs can develop after the initial injury seemed to pass without incident.
Follow up if symptoms aren’t improving after two to three weeks, or sooner if new or worsening symptoms appear.
When Is a Concussion Caused by Someone Else’s Negligence?
A concussion caused by another party’s carelessness can support a personal injury or medical malpractice claim. Common scenarios include:
Car accidents, where a distracted, speeding, or impaired driver causes a collision
Slip and fall or premises liability accidents, where a property owner failed to maintain safe conditions
Workplace accidents, including falls or being struck by falling objects
Sports injuries, where a coach or school ignored a known concussion protocol
Assault, where a concussion results from an intentional act of violence
What Are the Legal Deadlines for a Concussion Claim in New York?
New York law sets strict filing deadlines for these claims, and missing one can permanently bar the right to recover compensation.
Claim Type | Deadline | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
Personal injury (car accident, slip and fall) | 3 years from date of injury | CPLR § 214 |
Medical malpractice | 2.5 years from malpractice or end of continuous treatment | CPLR § 214-a |
Injury claim involving a minor | Tolled until age 18, giving until age 21 to file | CPLR § 208 |
Wrongful death | 2 years from date of death | EPTL § 5-4.1 |
Government property involvement | 90-day Notice of Claim, then 1 year and 90 days to file | GML § 50-e |
What Should You Document?
See a doctor as soon as possible after any head injury, even if symptoms seem minor, and get it in writing
Keep a log of every symptom you notice, including ones that seem small or that show up days later
Ask family members or coworkers to write down anything they noticed about your behavior that you might have missed yourself
Save records of any missed work, modified duties, or reduced school schedule tied to your recovery
Follow up consistently with your doctor, since gaps in treatment can later be used to argue your injury wasn’t serious
Summing It Up
A concussion doesn’t require losing consciousness, a visible wound, or an abnormal CT scan to be real.
Insurance companies often try to use a normal scan or the absence of a dramatic injury at the scene to argue a concussion isn’t serious.
Porter Law Group knows how to document these injuries properly, working with the treating doctors and specialists who can explain exactly what a normal-looking scan does and doesn’t tell you about a real brain injury.
If you or someone you love is dealing with concussion symptoms after an accident that wasn’t your fault, we can help you understand your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you know if you have a concussion if you never lost consciousness?
Most people with a concussion never black out at all, so loss of consciousness isn’t a reliable way to judge whether you have one. Pay attention instead to headache, dizziness, confusion, memory problems, mood changes, or simply feeling “off” in the hours or days after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body.
What are the earliest signs of a concussion to watch for?
Headache, dizziness, and nausea tend to show up earliest, often within minutes to hours. Cognitive and emotional signs, like trouble concentrating, memory gaps, irritability, or sleep changes, can take longer to appear and are sometimes not noticed until someone tries to return to normal activities.
What should you do if you have a concussion but your symptoms seem mild?
See a doctor anyway. A normal CT scan doesn’t rule out a concussion, since these scans check for bleeding and structural damage, not the functional changes that cause concussion symptoms. Getting evaluated establishes a baseline, rules out more serious injury, and creates documentation that matters both for your recovery and for any legal claim.
Can you have concussion symptoms that don’t show up until days later?
Yes. Cognitive symptoms like trouble concentrating and memory problems, along with sleep and mood changes, often take a few days to become noticeable. Feeling fine immediately after an accident doesn’t mean a concussion didn’t happen.
When do concussion signs mean you need to go to the emergency room instead of just seeing your regular doctor?
Go to the emergency room or call 911 immediately for a headache that keeps getting worse, repeated vomiting, a seizure, slurred speech, weakness or numbness, increasing confusion, unequal pupils, or any loss of consciousness. These specific signs can indicate bleeding or swelling in the brain that needs urgent treatment, not routine follow-up care.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Porter Law Group
Phone: 833-PORTER9
Email: info@porterlawteam.com
