Emergency rooms order CT scans after crashes to look for bleeding and skull fractures, not concussions. A clear scan is good news medically, but insurers often treat it as proof that no brain injury occurred. At Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols, we see that argument in many of the concussion claims we handle.
What a CT Scan Can and Cannot Show
A CT scan images structure. It detects blood, fractures, and swelling that require immediate surgical attention. A concussion is a functional injury, meaning the brain’s signaling is disrupted without a visible tear or bleed. The CDC states that a CT scan is not needed to diagnose a mild traumatic brain injury, and that the condition can be present even when testing fails to show it.
A clean scan rules out a hemorrhage. It does not rule out a concussion.
How Doctors Diagnose a Concussion
Diagnosis rests on the mechanism of injury, the symptoms reported, and clinical testing of memory, concentration, and balance. A person who hit the steering wheel, felt dazed, and developed headaches within a day has a concussion by every accepted standard.
Common symptoms in the first week include the following.
- Headaches that worsen with screens or reading.
- Trouble sleeping, or sleeping far more than usual.
- Irritability that family members notice before the injured person does.
- Difficulty following conversations or finishing tasks at work.
Why Insurers Rely on the Scan
Adjusters prefer objective records. A normal CT report is a single line that reads well in a denial letter, while a concussion diagnosis depends on a physician’s judgment. A Maryland Heights, MO brain injury lawyer counters that record with the full chart, including triage notes, discharge instructions, and every follow-up visit.
Injured drivers who seek legal recourse for a concussion need medical documentation that begins early and continues through recovery. Gaps in treatment are used to argue the injury never existed.
Crashes on Dorsett Road or Page Avenue produce a steady number of these claims, and the Maryland Heights car accident lawyer handling the lost wages should know about the concussion from the first meeting.
Riders face the same problem with less protection. A helmet reduces the risk of a skull fracture, but any Maryland Heights motorcycle accident lawyer has seen helmeted riders diagnosed with concussions after low-speed collisions.
Evidence That Proves the Injury
The strongest concussion claims we have resolved shared several features. The injured person reported symptoms at the scene or in the emergency room rather than days later. A physician documented the diagnosis within a week. Neuropsychological testing was completed when symptoms lasted past a month. A family member or coworker was prepared to describe the changes they observed. A Maryland Heights personal injury lawyer builds the file around those four elements.
Treatment often extends beyond the neurologist’s office, and additional resources such as vestibular therapy generate records that support the claim as well.
The Deadline in Missouri
Under RSMo 516.120, most personal injury claims in Missouri must be filed within five years of the crash. Five years is ample time, but the medical record cannot be built retroactively.
Symptoms that linger into post-concussion syndrome can take months to stabilize, and a Maryland Heights, MO brain injury lawyer will generally wait for a clear prognosis before valuing the claim.
If an insurer has pointed to a normal CT scan as a reason to deny or discount your concussion claim, contact Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols and have the complete medical record reviewed by a Maryland Heights, MO brain injury lawyer before you respond.