Head trauma resulting from a workplace accident or motor vehicle crash can raise a lot of questions. True, degenerative brain disease is unlikely to result from a single concussion. Yet even if head trauma is not repeated, it may still be difficult to diagnose and treat.
To add to the confusion, a recent article suggests that medical professionals who have not been specifically trained in neurology may staff a growing number of concussion clinics. For example, if a clinic advertises staff that are credentialed concussion management specialists, that term may simply mean that the individuals have completed training in a private company’s computer program that tests for concussions.
Yet testing for traumatic brain injury or other consequences of head trauma may not be as simple as applying a computer program’s algorithm. Unfortunately, pop-up concussion clinics are growing, with a recent registry listing 517 such facilities across the country. A more reassuring credential might be the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology’s new certification, offered to physicians who treat brain injury.
Notably, brain injury experts say that many factors are involved in identifying brain injuries. That, in turn, requires many different tests. Those who focus on this area of medicine may use a variety of diagnostic tools, including cognitive tests, eye and movement tests, and a comprehensive analysis of symptoms.
As a personal injury law firm, we recognize the importance of thoroughly estimating a crash victim’s injuries and damages. That assessment goes beyond the immediate medical costs and may include projections such as long-term care needs, reduced quality of life and/or wage-earning capacity, and pain and suffering.
Source: Stat, “Concussion, Inc.: The big business of treating brain injuries,” Usha Lee McFarling, Dec. 16, 2015