How Long Should Your Headache Last After a Car Accident?

It’s no secret that certain injuries are more evident after a car accident than others. For example, millions of people globally experience a headache after an auto accident. 

According to a clinical study that examined car accident injury victims who had suffered from headaches, it’s estimated that 18% had cervicogenic headaches (headaches caused by injury to the neck), 27% had migraines, and 37% experienced tension headaches (headaches often caused by tight muscles). Sometimes, however, the headaches indicate a more severe brain injury. 

If you have recently suffered from a headache after a major or minor car accident, you should not take the injury lightly as it could be a sign that further damage has occurred. Our experienced attorney can help you determine if your headache is a minor or major injury. If your headache is severe, we can help ensure you receive the proper treatment you need and the compensation you deserve. 

Continue reading if you would like to learn more about headaches after car accidents and how long your headache should last before its cause for concern.

What Are the Common Types of Headaches Seen After a Car Accident? 

If you’re not a medical doctor, it’s unlikely that you know the many different types of headaches you can suffer from after being involved in a vehicle accident. Below we have discussed a few of the common types of headaches drivers often experience after a car accident in Ohio.

Post Concussive Headaches

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by blunt trauma to the brain. Most typically, in a car crash, this injury occurs from a direct blow to the head or the forward-backward movement of the brain during the impact. Concussions are serious injuries and can cause long-lasting symptoms. One of the hallmarks of post-concussion syndrome is persistent headaches (along with dizziness, problems concentrating, and memory issues, to name a few common symptoms). 

In most people, this type of headache symptom appears within the first seven to ten days and should go away within three months. However, these headaches may persist for even longer. 

If you suffer a blow to your head or a sharp jolt during a car accident, you must seek urgent medical attention and get evaluated for a brain injury. You will likely need to consult with a neurologist to monitor and treat your symptoms over time.

Chronic Facial Headaches

A chronic facial headache is also referred to as trigeminal neuralgia. This type of commonly seen head injury is often accompanied by severe bursts of pain located along the jaw or cheek. Interestingly, a chronic facial headache injury is caused by pressure on the trigeminal nerve. 

A few common symptoms experienced by those suffering from this injury after a car accident include facial pain similar to a shock of electricity and an aching or burning feeling. A person might also experience spontaneous attacks of pain that are triggered by touching the face, chewing, or talking.

Whiplash Headaches

Arguably, one of the most common vehicle accident injuries is whiplash, and often whiplash injuries are accompanied by headaches. This type of soft tissue strain injury occurs when a person’s head is forced forwards and backward quickly during a collision. 

Typically, a whiplash headache is felt near a person’s skull base. Most people complain about neck pain and stiffness, fatigue, and dizziness.

Other Headache Types That Could Appear After an Accident

• Occipital neuralgia headaches
• Cluster headaches
• Fracture headaches
• Nerve dysfunction headaches
• Tension headaches

How Long Should Your Headache Last After a Car Accident 

How long a headache lasts after a car accident varies depending on the severity of your injuries. Some people will only experience a headache for 30 minutes after an accident, while others could have a daily headache for weeks or months. After any car crash where you are suffering from a headache, you should seek medical care as soon as possible because you could be suffering from a more severe injury than you might realize.

What You Need to Do if You Suffer From a Constant Headache After a Car Accident

It can be challenging to determine what to do if you’re suffering from a constant headache after a car accident. That’s why our law firm has decided to help you by letting you know what you need to do if you have a persistent headache after an auto accident. 

• Obtain medical attention from your doctor or nearest hospital: If you are experiencing a headache, you must seek medical attention as soon as the symptoms appear. The sooner your doctor sees you, they can diagnose your headache type and document that your headache was caused by a car accident. You can use this medical report to initiate a case and obtain compensation from an at-fault driver. 
• Do not ignore your symptoms: The worst thing you can do is choose to do nothing about your headache injury. Not only will this impact your chances of obtaining compensation, but you can also cause yourself further damage by not establishing if you have worse injuries than you think you do. 
• Talk to your personal injury attorney: You need to speak with a personal injury attorney after sustaining a head injury in a car accident. At our firm, we can estimate how much your case could be worth by evaluating the severity of your headache and if it caused a more severe injury. We can also help you make sure that you receive the best care possible and tell you how to let your auto insurance know about your headache injury.

Contact an Ohio Personal Injury Attorney Today

A headache is an injury that you should not ignore because it could lead to other significant injuries if left untreated or signify that further damage is present. If you’re suffering from any of the headache types we have mentioned after being involved in a car accident, an Ohio personal injury attorney can help you. 

Our team at The Henry Law Firm has experience helping those who have experienced injuries after an auto accident. We can help you build a case based on your injuries, ensure you receive professional legal counsel and keep abreast of all case developments.
For help determining how best to go about building a legal case for severe headache injuries, you can get in contact with our team online or at 440.337.0083.