Head injuries don’t always come with an obvious, immediate “receipt.” Someone may be able to drive home after a collision, finish a day of work, or push through symptoms—only to find headaches, brain fog, irritability, or dizziness worsen over the next days.
For settlement evaluation, that timeline matters because New York requires proof of both causation (the incident caused the injury) and damages (the injury led to losses). If the record shows a steady progression—ER visit, follow-up appointments, ongoing treatment, and consistent symptom reporting—it’s easier for a claim to hold together.
If the record shows long gaps, inconsistent reporting, or delayed care without explanation, insurers may argue the symptoms weren’t caused by the crash or fall. In other words: the “story” isn’t just what happened—it’s what the medical file reflects.


