Concussion is a Serious Workplace Issue

March 03, 2020, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Concussion – mild brain injury – occurs as a result of a traumatic brain injury induced by a biomechanical force. This force can be the result of a slip and fall, a blow to the head, an accident in a vehicle or moving, and explosive forces, or from an assault. All of these can occur at work.  Military, factory workers, construction workers, delivery people, and teachers are all at high risk.

The result of the trauma to the brain can leave victims with altered cognitive function, mood disorders, chronic head aches and sleep disorders. The length and severity of the symptoms varies greatly from person to person.

Diagnosing a concussion immediately is crucial to recovery so if you think you’ve suffered a workplace concussion advise your supervisor immediately and go to the hospital. The following are common signs of a concussion (from https://www.ohcow.on.ca/edit/files/events/2019/rsi_day/concussions_in_the_workplace.pdf):

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Being or seeming dazed
• The person feels is seeing stars or flashing lights
• The person has ringing in the ears
• Sleepiness
• Loss of vision
• Sees double or blurry
• Nausea
• Poor co-ordination or balance
• Blank stare/glassy-eyed
• Vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Slow to answer questions or follow directions
• Easily distracted
• Poor concentration
• Strange or inappropriate emotions (laughing, crying, getting mad easily) Not participating well
• Losing consciousness

Typically, a person will recover from concussion in a few days to a few months, and the large portion of those who have a minor traumatic brain injury can return to work within a year. For some though recovery can take a prolonged period of time. Sometimes the prolonged symptoms result in patients developing issues such as anxiety and depression.

A percentage of victims will go on to develop post-concussion symptoms. Symptoms include memory loss, headaches, vertigo, cognitive impairment, sleep disorders, sound and light sensitivity, fatigue and depression. PCS is not well understood but we know that the symptoms last for extended periods and can adversely impact quality of life, recovery, delays in returning to work.

Claiming benefits for PCS can be challenging as the symptoms are not easy to prove, diagnostic testing such as MRI or X-rays may be clear, and yet there is pain and suffering.

If you find yourself having been injured at work and are fighting your insurance company for benefits, please call today. Remember that the first consultation is always free.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

It is important that you review your accident benefit file with one of our experienced personal injury / car accident lawyers to ensure that you obtain access to all your benefits which include, but are limited to, things like physiotherapy, income replacement benefits, vocational retraining and home modifications.