Post Concussion Syndrome Recovery Can Be a Long Road

June 02, 2020, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS) is a serious and long term result of brain injury. The Concussion Legacy Foundation of Canada defines PCS as

"the persistence of concussion symptoms beyond the normal course of recovery. The majority of concussion symptoms will resolve within about two weeks, and with proper recovery almost all dissipate within a month. In cases where symptoms last longer than one or two months, doctors may diagnose Post-Concussion Syndrome. Patients with PCS can experience concussion-like symptoms at rest or in response to too much physical or cognitive activity, often forcing them to withdraw from their usual physical, professional, and social lives."

PCS is a common complication for patients impacting 5-30% of people who sustain a brain injury. The rate of PCS varies with the age and gender of the person. Women and older adults seem to be at higher risk than men and younger individuals. Having a history of previous concussion, and other medical factors can also increase the chances of PCS occurring.

PCS can cause serious disruption to life. Physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms can persist for years. These symptoms can make holding down a job impossible and can strain or break family and personal relationships. They can ultimately contribute to addiction issues, mental health problems, and loneliness. Chronic pain issues can also result. Studies show that about half of homeless people have a history of concussion. How many of the homeless have PCS isn’t known.

Treatment for PCS currently includes extensive rest both physically and mentally. It’s thought that the rest allows the brain to heal. Once an initial rest period is over the medical professionals may prescribe other therapies or treatments depending on the symptoms being suffered. At this time there is no single treatment for PCS and no set time frames for recovery. The brain continues to be poorly understood and there are no set treatments that seem to work for all patients.

If you or a loved one has PCS it is best to expect a long road to recovery with many hills up and down. Taking life day by day helps, and knowing that eventually there will be more good days than bad can be comforting. Seeking professional medical help and therapy is key to coping with lingering symptoms. It may take many tries to find a therapy that helps.

Most concussions / brain injuries occur in the course of car accidents, workplace injuries, physical assaults, or slip and falls. A concussion can occur when the head has been physically traumatized in some sort of way. This can occur in a vehicle accident when a person’s head is slammed into a window or other car part. It can also come from a fall when the head comes in contact with the ground or another object.

Signs of a concussion can be instantaneous or can be delayed. Some of these signs can include amnesia, confusion, dizziness, ringing in the ears, headaches, speech problems, being lethargic and more.

While concussions are generally temporary, PCS can take years to recover from and you  can quickly accumulate bills from lost work time. If you’ve suffered a concussion and have loss of income as well as medical bills then you need to consult with a lawyer to determine if you can seek a settlement for the damages that you have incurred.

You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s negligence. In order to know your next steps you need to seek the advice of a lawyer who understands brain injuries. At Deutschmann Law our lawyers are experts in brain injury cases that involve concussions.

Personal injury is devastating enough but recovering doesn’t have to be. Every case is important to us because you and your health and well-being are important to us. If you have suffered a concussion, contact us today to set up your free consultation. Our lawyers will thoroughly review your case and discuss your options with you. We want you to be informed and to know what is available for you legally.

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.