Concussion Diagnosis & Evaluation
Neurologist-led evaluation of concussion, using objective diagnostic testing when clinically indicated, available in clinic, by tele-neurology, or through mobile testing across Dallas, Houston, and Texas statewide.
What a Concussion Actually Is
A concussion is a form of mild traumatic brain injury caused by a direct blow to the head, or by a rapid acceleration-deceleration force that causes the brain to move within the skull, such as in a motor vehicle collision. It is a functional injury, meaning it disrupts how brain cells communicate, rather than a structural injury that shows up as a visible lesion on a standard CT or MRI scan. Loss of consciousness is not required for a concussion to have occurred, and in fact most concussions happen without it.
In personal injury cases, concussion most commonly results from motor vehicle accidents, falls, and workplace incidents. The mechanism doesn't have to look dramatic. A low-speed rear-end collision or a fall from a ladder can generate enough force to injure the brain, even when there's no visible head trauma and even when other injuries seem to be the more obvious concern at the scene.
Why Concussion Is Often Missed
Concussion symptoms don't always appear immediately. Headache, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, sensitivity to light or noise, memory problems, fatigue, and sleep disturbance can take hours or days to fully develop. Emergency room visits after an accident are often focused on ruling out more immediately serious injuries, and standard CT imaging is built to detect bleeding or fracture, not the functional changes associated with concussion. A normal CT scan is not the same as a normal brain.
This gap matters for the case itself, too. Insurance adjusters and defense counsel will sometimes point to normal initial imaging as evidence that no significant injury occurred. Without a follow-up neurological evaluation, symptoms that persist can go undocumented and unconnected to the original incident in the medical record.
How NeuroLUX Evaluates Concussion
An evaluation at NeuroLUX begins with a comprehensive neurological exam performed by our physician team, Dr. Vikas Pandey and Dr. Sima Nekoui, both board-certified neurologists. This includes a detailed history of the injury mechanism, a structured symptom review, and a hands-on neurological exam. According to PubMed, standardized concussion assessment tools such as the SCAT6 have been found most reliable when used within the first 72 hours after injury (Echemendia et al., 2023, Br J Sports Med, DOI), which is part of why timely evaluation matters.
When indicated, our physician team adds objective diagnostic testing on top of the clinical exam: EEG or quantitative EEG (qEEG) to assess electrical brain activity, neurocognitive testing to characterize attention, memory, and processing speed, and DTI MRI when standard imaging doesn't explain the symptoms a patient is experiencing. These tools don't replace clinical judgment; they add objective, measurable data to support it.
Why Documentation Matters for Personal Injury Cases
For patients whose concussion is connected to a personal injury claim, thorough, objective documentation is often central to the case. NeuroLUX works with attorneys managing letter-of-protection cases and third-party liability claims, and our physicians provide independent medical examinations and clear diagnostic opinions suitable for case files. See what we offer attorneys →