What to Tell the ER Doctor After a Car Accident Head Injury

If you hit your head in a car or truck crash, the first emergency room visit matters. Tell the ER doctor exactly what happened: where your head struck, whether you lost consciousness, any confusion or memory gaps, and every symptom you feel. An accurate account helps the care team decide what to check.

This guide walks through what to say, section by section. It supports the broader guide on traumatic brain injury after a car or truck accident. Correll Law Firm writes it as general education for people in Virginia who were hurt in a crash.

Why the first emergency room record matters

The first medical record after a crash often shapes how later symptoms are understood. An honest account at the start gives the care team a clear starting point.

Emergency staff write down what you tell them. That note guides which tests the team orders, such as a neurological exam or a CT scan. It also gives your follow-up doctors a record to read later.

Describe what happened in your own words. Say what you do not remember, too. “I don’t remember” is a complete and accurate answer when it’s true. Don’t fill gaps with guesses.

The emergency doctor is one part of your care. Follow the advice of your own care team, including the discharge instructions and any follow-up visits they set up.

Describe how your head hit or moved

Describe the part of your head that struck something, or say that your head moved without hitting anything. Both details matter to the care team.

Common points of impact include a window, steering wheel, airbag, dashboard or door pillar. Say which one, if you know, and whether the blow came from the front, back or side.

Some people hit nothing at all. Their head may snap forward, backward or sideways when the vehicle is struck or stops suddenly. Describe that motion, even if it seems small.

Mention seat belt use too. Virginia law generally requires drivers and adult passengers to wear a safety belt (Va. Code § 46.2-1094). Tell the team whether you were belted and whether the airbags deployed.

Describe what you saw and felt rather than guessing at speed. “I don’t know” is an accurate answer when you’re unsure. A witness or the police report may fill in details later, and you can share them with your doctor as they come back to you.

Report loss of consciousness, confusion and memory gaps

Say whether you lost consciousness, even briefly, and whether anyone saw it. Loss of consciousness means you were not awake or aware for a period of time. Even a short blackout is worth reporting.

Confusion can look like not knowing where you are, what day it is, or what happened just before the crash. Asking the same question again and again is also a sign of confusion. Tell the team what you noticed and what others noticed.

Memory gaps are common after a hard hit. Explain what you remember before the crash, during it and after it. Note approximate time gaps if you know them. Some people have post-traumatic amnesia, a gap in memory for events after a head injury.

Mention vomiting, a headache that keeps getting worse, or unusual drowsiness. The care team uses this history when deciding what to watch. Mayo Clinic concussion guidance lists warning signs after a head injury that call for prompt medical care.

Describe symptoms and other injuries

Describe every symptom you have, even ones that seem minor. Common symptoms after a head impact include headache, dizziness, nausea and balance problems.

Others include sensitivity to light or noise, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, trouble concentrating, irritability, sleep changes and mood changes. Say which ones you have, how often they happen, and how strong they feel.

Symptoms can appear hours or days after the crash. Mention what you feel at the visit, and keep track of anything new afterward. The firm’s page on signs of brain injury after a car accident covers these symptoms in more detail.

Motor vehicle crashes can cause traumatic brain injury, which involves damage or changes in brain function caused by an external force. Only a doctor can make that diagnosis, so describe your symptoms fully.

Other injuries matter too. Neck pain, back pain, chest pain, and numbness or tingling in the arms or legs should also be described. That way the team can check them together. List any medicines you take, including blood thinners, and any health conditions you had before the crash.

Reporting the crash and keeping your history straight

Virginia requires a driver involved in a crash with injury or death to stop and report it to police immediately (Va. Code §§ 46.2-371, 46.2-894).

The two-year period is the deadline to file a lawsuit, not the deadline to report a crash (Va. Code § 8.01-243). Virginia generally allows two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (Va. Code § 8.01-243(A)); the clock runs from the date of injury, not the date of discovery, with narrow exceptions.

Soon after the visit, write down the time of the crash, the time of the first medical visit, and each symptom as it appears. Use your own words. A family member can help you write this down while your memory is fresh.

Readers in Winchester, Richmond or Henrico County may also find the firm’s traumatic brain injury pages helpful reading.

Follow-up when symptoms change

Ask for written discharge instructions and follow-up plans before you leave the emergency room. Those papers are your guide for the next few days and weeks.

Return to the emergency room or contact your doctor if symptoms get worse, new symptoms appear, or you have repeated vomiting, a worsening headache, a seizure or unusual confusion.

Your primary care doctor, or the doctor named in your discharge instructions, is a common starting point for follow-up, as your care team directs.

Keep a simple daily symptom log. Note the time, the symptom, how severe it feels, and what you were doing. Bring it to each follow-up visit so the care team can track changes.

Symptoms can change over days or weeks. Keep following your care team’s advice even when you start to feel better.

Frequently asked questions