If you develop headaches after a car accident, medical evaluation comes before building a claim file. Once immediate danger signs have been addressed, a clear symptom record can help you explain what changed, prepare for appointments and follow your provider’s instructions. A diary does not diagnose the cause or replace an examination.
Check for emergency warning signs first
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if a person has a danger sign after a bump, blow or jolt. The CDC’s adult mild TBI guidance identifies signs including:
- A headache that gets worse and does not go away
- Repeated vomiting
- Convulsions or seizures
- Weakness, numbness, decreased coordination or slurred speech
- One pupil larger than the other
- Confusion, agitation, unusual behavior or failure to recognize people or places
- Loss of consciousness, increasing drowsiness, inability to stay awake or inability to wake the person
This is not an exhaustive list or a substitute for clinical judgment. Seek urgent professional advice if you are unsure. Do not drive yourself when vision, balance, alertness or reaction time may be impaired.
A headache is a symptom, not a diagnosis
A crash may affect the head, neck or other structures, and a prior headache disorder may also matter. Staying conscious or never striking your head does not settle the question. Our guide to whether a post-crash headache could be a concussion explains that medical question. The broader concussion symptom guide addresses changes beyond head pain.
The rest of this page focuses on accurately recording symptoms and preparing for medical follow-up. Do not use it to decide which test, medicine or exercise you need.
What to record for each headache
Use one dated notebook or document. Record what you actually experienced; an approximate time labeled as approximate is better than a precise time you do not remember.
Scroll horizontally to see all columns. Use the arrow keys when the table is focused.
| Record | Useful detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | When it began and ended, or whether it continued through the day |
| Pain | Location, description and severity using a consistent scale |
| Other symptoms | Dizziness, nausea, vision changes, light sensitivity, neck pain, memory or balance problems |
| Activity | What you were doing when it began and what you could not finish |
| Care | Medicine taken as directed, appointments and instructions received |
| Change | What improved, worsened or returned with activity |
Do not copy the same maximum pain score into every entry if symptoms varied. Record improvement as well as difficulty. Contact your provider when symptoms or return precautions require it instead of waiting for the next diary entry.
Prepare a short history for your appointment
Describe the collision, any head or body impact, loss of consciousness, memory gap and when symptoms first appeared. Bring discharge instructions, a current medication list and available records from other facilities. Tell the provider about prior migraines, headaches, concussions, neck problems and relevant treatment.
Explain what changed from your usual condition. For example, distinguish a familiar migraine pattern from a new symptom or an increase in frequency. Do not change the onset date to make the symptom sound more immediate. The provider needs an accurate history to consider the possible causes.
Share all symptoms, not only the headache. Problems with concentration, memory, sleep, mood, balance, vision, nausea, neck pain, or numbness may change the evaluation. Mention blood thinners, bleeding disorders, pregnancy, and prior neurological conditions. If symptoms do not improve or they return with activity, contact the treating provider rather than simply pushing through them.
Ask what activities, driving, work, school, screen use, medication and follow-up are appropriate for you. Ask which changes require an urgent call or emergency care, and keep the written instructions. A caregiver may help describe observed changes when the patient permits it.
Describe daily effects with concrete examples
Note interrupted sleep, trouble reading, missed work, reduced concentration or help needed with ordinary tasks. Separate your own observations from what a clinician diagnosed. Keep appointment dates, restrictions, receipts and work records with the symptom log.
The CDC’s concussion recovery guidance provides general background. Your treating professional’s instructions should reflect your examination and history; a legal article cannot clear you to drive or return to an activity.
How the same records may matter to a claim
A headache diary alone does not establish who caused a crash, whether the crash caused or aggravated a condition, or what compensation may be available. Medical records, prior history, collision evidence and insurance information answer different parts of those questions.
Our guide to medical evidence for a head-injury claim explains the legal proof issues. A Baton Rouge car accident lawyer can review coverage, preservation needs and deadlines. Legal advice should not delay medical care.
This article provides general medical and legal information. It cannot diagnose an injury, determine treatment or calculate the deadline for an individual claim.
Contact us if you need help reviewing the injury claim, insurer correspondence or filing date. A diagnosis alone does not establish another driver’s fault or available coverage, and continuing treatment does not automatically keep a claim open.