Man Suffers Neurological Damage From Bus Accident

Case Overview

This case involves a middle-aged man who was injured during a bus accident. The man was sitting in the front of the bus in the first row of seating and was not wearing his seatbelt. During the ride, the bus driver rear-ended a car that stopped short in front of her. The impact of the crash caused the man to project forward colliding with the glass. The man immediately lost consciousness and was taken to the emergency room. He was diagnosed with a concussion and post-concussive syndrome. The man continues to have neurological and psychological symptoms as a result of the accident.

Questions to the Neuropsychiatry expert and their responses

Please describe your background in neuropsychology.

I am a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist. I have worked in hospitals, group private practice settings, and am now a sole private practitioner conducting forensic work. My clinical background has made me competent in assessing individuals with all kinds of neurological presentations. I have experience with epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, dementia, movement disorders, and stroke as well as pediatric/developmental issues. I currently average at seeing several post-concussive syndrome patients per year. I have been reviewing forensic cases for the past approximate two years and have done depositions within a city school system.

What kind of neuropsychological symptoms can occur as a result of a motor vehicle accident?

As per your question regarding neuropsychological sequelae of a traumatic brain injury, it would certainly be dependent upon the type and severity of the brain injury. Someone with a loss of consciousness following a motor vehicle accident would be expected to be at greater risk for decreased attention/concentration, processing speed, and memory functioning primarily with psychological manifestations of depression, irritability possible as well. The severity of the symptoms expected in the 2 years following a concussion would be dependent upon the severity of the injury. Neurological problems including frequent headache, dizziness, vomiting/nausea would be likely in the acute phase but not necessarily be expected in a traumatic brain injury after time has passed.

About the expert

This highly qualified expert received her BA in Psychology from Loyola Marymount University and went on to receive her MS and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology. She is a member of several distinguished neuropsychology associations including the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, the International Neuropsychological Society, and the New York State Association of Neuropsychology. She previously worked as a Psychology Technician at the Pratt Center and as the Associate Director of Clinical Neuropsychology at Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group. Currently, she works as a Clinical Neuropsychologist at a regional health care system and at a private practice. Her expertise includes neuropsychological evaluations for pediatric and adult populations with known or suspected neurological illness, specifically learning disabilities, ADHD, emotional/behavioral problems, memory disorders/dementia, epilepsy, brain tumors, brain injuries, and strokes.

E-160382

Specialties:

Neuropsychiatry