Do I Have an Injury if My CT Scan is Normal After an Accident in Missouri or Kansas?

Brain and spine injuries are unfortunately common after car accidents, slips and falls, and other accidents in Missouri and Kansas.  These injuries are often missed because CT (computed tomography) scans are not accurate tests for soft tissue injuries.  If injuries are ignored due to a normal CT scan, accident victims can develop long-term complications from untreated spine and brain injuries.

If you continue to experience symptoms of a brain injury or back/spine injury after an accident, seek immediate medical assistance.  The longer you wait to receive medical treatment and seek legal advice, the more harmful it may be to your health and the easier it is for an insurance company to deny or reduce the value of your injury claim.

If you're still experiencing pain after receiving a normal CT scan, call our office at 816-203-0143 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with our brain and spinal cord injury attorney.  We handle these types of injury cases throughout Missouri and Kansas, including many who initially had normal CT scans after the injury.

Why Is My CT Scan Normal After an Injury in Missouri or Kansas?

CT scans are valuable diagnostic tools that can reveal fractures and broken bones.  They don't always catch every injury after an accident though.  A CT scan takes x-ray images of different angles and combines them into a single picture.  As a result, they provide more detailed information than a general x-ray or ultrasound.

Some reasons why CT scans don't always correctly diagnose injuries include:

• CT scans often miss injuries to soft tissues and other abnormalities (unlike MRI's).  The scan may appear normal, even though you have whiplash, brain injuries, or spinal cord injuries.
• An older CT machine was used that doesn't have the newest technology.
• You could experience delayed symptoms after an accident.  A brain injury may not develop immediately after an accident.  Nerve fiber damage and microscopic tears in the brain tissue might take a few days to show up on imagining scans.
• The radiologist reading the results was inexperienced or negligent.
• The physician did not request that contrast dye be used to highlight injuries or damage during the CT scan.

Errors and mistakes during a CT scan or when reading the films could result in a misdiagnosis or failed diagnosis. However, it could be that a CT scan was the incorrect diagnostic tool to use for your injury.  In either situation, the result is your physician lacks the complete information needed to diagnose and treat your accident injury correctly.

Medical Complications from Incomplete Treatment After an Accident

Without treatment, a brain injury or spinal cord injury can result in numerous complications and at times permanent disabilities.  Potential consequences of a brain injury or spinal cord injury include, but are not limited to:

• Paralysis
• Respiratory complications
• Loss of sensation and sensory functions
• Altered cognition
• Physical impairments
• Loss of bodily functions, including breathing, vision, bowel function, kidneys, etc.
• Emotional and behavioral impairments
• Neurodegeneration, which could increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and dementia
• Depression and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
• Coma and reduced awareness states
• Communication problems
• Executive-level dysfunction

It's always wise to be evaluated for injuries after an accident, even if you feel “okay” or “fine” after the accident.  Only a medical professional can correctly diagnose injuries and develop a treatment plan that can help reduce the risk of developing long-term impairments or conditions.

What Should I Do if My CT Scan is Normal But I'm in Pain?

Don't accept a normal CT scan as evidence that you were not injured in an accident.  See a specialist if you experience pain or have other concerning symptoms.  Even if your CT scan is “normal”, you can still have been injured and require further testing or treatment.

Doctors can use a variety of tests to determine whether you sustained a traumatic brain injury or spine injury.  A medical specialist may order an MRI or other diagnostic testing that reveals other injuries, such as soft tissues in your body.  An MRI after an accident often gives a better picture of a spine injury than a CT scan or x-ray.

Specialists may use psychological and neuropsychological testing to detect a brain injury.  They may also use advanced neuroimaging techniques, including magnetoencephalography (MEG), Diffusion Weight imaging (DWI), PET/SPECT, and MR spectroscopy.

Settlements for Head, Neck or Back Injuries in Missouri & Kansas

Insurance companies often try to use normal CT scans to deny valid injury claims.  They want to avoid paying the cost of treatment and other damages the accident victim incurs.

Claims involving head, neck or back injuries can involve significant damages because of the high cost of medical care and other damages.  Accident victims often require surgery, rehabilitation therapies, nursing care, and personal care.  They may also experience extensive loss of income while recovering from their injuries.

Under Missouri and Kansas law, accident victims are entitled to compensation for their economic losses (medical bills and lost wages) and non-economic (pain and suffering) damages.  If the person sustains a permanent impairment, future damages may be recoverable and be very significant in value.

Insurance companies search for ways to avoid paying claims. They look for any reason to dispute your injury claim, including using normal CT scans to argue the accident is not responsible for your current condition.

Our brain and spinal cord injury attorneys help accident victims throughout Missouri and Kansas.  We understand how insurance companies work and how to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Contact Our Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys

If you or a loved one is injured and still experiencing pain after receiving a normal CT scan, you don't have to go through it alone.  Our personal injury attorneys in Missouri and Kansas know how to handle these types of cases and protect your rights, as well as get you the compensation you deserve.

Call us today at 816-203-0143 or through our online contact form for a free consultation.  You can also instantly download our free e-book Crash Course: 9 Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Injury Claim.  We’re here to help, and on your side.