According to the National Institutes of Health, there are close to four million concussions each year just from sports and recreational activities, and the numbers get even higher when injuries from things like car accidents are included. For most people, recovery from these types of injuries will take about three weeks. About 20 percent of people will have significantly longer recovery times.
However, the worst part for many is not the extended time to recover, it is the fact that a large number of people are not even aware that they are suffering from trauma to their brain. Those with mild brain injuries may have changes in their behaviors, experience mild depression and suffer from memory problems, but they are not always aware of this.
Not helping this is that many physicians look for physical symptoms of trauma, not mental or cognitive indications of a problem. If someone is not experiencing internal bleeding or swelling, it may be assumed that all is well. However, people with a brain injury may have a variety of other problems, and they are often discounted as being related to stress or a bad mood.
Some people who incur a brain injury may not even be aware of it. Even a physician looking for indications of problems may not always be able to definitively determine if someone has a medical condition. Additionally, problems may develop after the initial injury, and they can require extensive medical attention to deal with. In the event that the injury was caused by the negligence of another party, a personal injury attorney might assist a victim in seeking compensation from the at-fault party for the losses that have been sustained.