California concussion education · desk no. 04

The scan is often normal. The injury is not.

Most concussions never show on a CT or MRI. That gap — between a real injury and a quiet scan — is where claims get lost. This desk explains concussion mechanics, symptom documentation, and how the evidence file should be built. No invented numbers, no advice dressed as information.

Build the symptom file →What is a concussion

Symptoms after a head injury can be a medical emergency — call 911 for loss of consciousness, repeated vomiting, or worsening headache. This site does not give medical or legal advice.

Geometric side-view concussion case plate with impact callouts and symptom timeline — **01 / COUP IMPACT**Forehead force enters the plate.
**02 / CONTRECOUP**Rebound direction is part of the mechanism.
**03 / BRAIN SHEAR**Symptoms can persist beyond a clear scan.

INDEX / 00

A calmer way to read the file.

Start with the mechanics, then follow the record: symptoms, activity changes, care, and the timeline that connects them.

01What is a concussionmTBI mechanics, force, and the quiet-scan problem.→02Concussion symptomsA structured symptom vocabulary across body and behavior.→03When imaging is negativeWhat CT and MRI can show — and what they cannot.→04Post-concussion syndromePersistence, functional disruption, and careful language.→05Documenting symptomsBuild a record that preserves changes over time.→06Return to activityGraded return, school, work, and risk management.→07Concussion and claimsCausation records without settlement promises.→08Neck involvementWhere cervical symptoms and concussion overlap.→

SAFETY / 01

Read the red flags first.

Concussion education cannot replace urgent medical evaluation. Seek emergency help for danger signs after a head injury.

Urgent

Worsening symptoms

Repeated vomiting, a worsening headache, seizure, slurred speech, unusual confusion, or increasing drowsiness warrant emergency attention.

Record

Write what changed

Note the time, activity, symptom, intensity, and what made it better or worse. A contemporaneous record preserves sequence.

Boundary

Information, not advice

This desk explains public sources. A qualified clinician evaluates an injury; a qualified lawyer evaluates a legal claim.