Clayton, Missouri patients are evaluated and treated for concussion at our St. Louis office, reached by Hanley Rd or I-170 north. Some injury cases are filed in the St. Louis County courts. For those, the evaluation documents objective vestibular and oculomotor findings and repeated symptom measures. It also records function before and after, and a stated causation opinion.
Clayton is the seat of St. Louis County. It has the courts and a cluster of personal injury practices. So a large share of the concussion questions that reach us from Clayton arrive attached to a file — and a file changes what an evaluation has to do.
Why does a concussion record matter in an injury claim?
An ordinary clinical note is written for the next clinician. A note in a contested injury matter is read by someone whose job is to find its weakest sentence. Those are different documents. The difference is not padding — it is being specific about what was tested, what was found, and what the reasoning was.
Two arguments come up most often in Clayton files. One is that there was no loss of consciousness. The other is that imaging was normal. Both can be answered, and neither is answered by simply asserting it. See building the record.
What does a concussion evaluation document for an injury claim?
- Mechanism (how it happened), in the patient’s own words, taken close to the injury where possible
- Objective vestibular and oculomotor findings that do not rely on self-report
- Structured symptom tools repeated across visits, so the trend over time is data
- Function before and after — work, school, driving, screen tolerance
- A stated causation opinion with its reasoning written out
We do not give legal advice, and we do not forecast outcomes. We produce a clinical assessment that holds up when read closely.
When does a concussion need a life care plan?
Sometimes impairment looks lasting. Then the clinical assessment becomes the foundation that a life care planner puts costs on. A plan built on a thin record is easy to attack, no matter how carefully the math is done. See life care planning.
Related reading: concussion treatment for Chesterfield, MO patients and concussion treatment for Bridgeton, MO patients.
Frequently asked questions
Can a brain MRI detect a concussion?
Usually not. Routine MRI and CT look for bleeding, fracture and structural lesions. A concussion is a functional and microstructural injury. Standard imaging is typically normal — which is why a normal scan is not evidence that nothing happened. See diagnosis and testing.
What are the later signs of a concussion?
Symptoms that appear or get worse over the next few days are common. They include headache, sensitivity to light or noise, trouble concentrating, disrupted sleep, irritability and dizziness. Some of them are associated with a longer recovery. Trouble concentrating, light sensitivity and insomnia are among those. See long-term effects.
Do I need a lawyer before being evaluated?
No. We evaluate patients whether or not a claim exists, and whether or not anyone has been hired. Being seen early is what protects the record. Waiting to sort out a lawyer first is what creates the gap that gets argued about later.
How is a concussion diagnosed after a car accident?
By examination, not by a scan. Routine CT and MRI look for bleeding and fracture. They are usually normal after a concussion. We take the mechanism in your own words. We test vestibular and oculomotor function with findings that do not rely on self-report. And we repeat structured symptom measures across visits, so the trend over time becomes data.
What are the legal implications of a concussion after a car accident?
We do not give legal advice, and we do not forecast outcomes. What we control is the clinical record. Two arguments come up most often in Clayton files. One is that there was no loss of consciousness, and the other is that imaging was normal. The answer to both is a record that states what was tested, what was found and the reasoning behind the causation opinion.
How do I get to Concussion Center from Clayton?
Concussion Center
4477 Woodson Rd, Suite 105, St. Louis, MO 63134
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Clayton sits southeast of the office; most patients come out Hanley or take I-170 north to the Woodson Rd exit.