A concussion is a considered “mild” form of brain injury. But anyone in Canton who has had a serious concussion could tell you that it does not feel “mild.”
In the hours after a concussion, you can experience headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision and sleep problems. Short-term symptoms usually fade fairly quickly, but long-term effects often take their place and last much longer. These can include:
- Difficulty with concentration
- Memory loss
- Personality changes, especially irritability
- Sensitivity to light and/or noise
- Psychological conditions like depression and anxiety
- Poor sleep patterns
- Changes in your ability to smell and taste
You are especially at risk of long-term concussion symptoms if you have suffered a concussion or other type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) before.
Anyone can suffer a concussion at work
Work-related concussions may be most common in physically demanding jobs like construction and factory work. But all it can take is a slip and fall to cause a concussion, which can happen anywhere. If your resulting symptoms make doing your job too difficult, you would have to stay home and rest. But recovery might take weeks or months.
During your recovery, you will be accumulating medical bills on top of your usual living expenses. Meanwhile, you won’t be earning an income, so there might not be any money coming into your home. That is the gap that workers’ compensation is meant to fix. But even if you have a strong claim, your employer might not be cooperative. If you do not initially receive the benefits you deserve, you may have to weigh your legal options.