Can You Get a Concussion Without Hitting Your Head?

It’s easy to assume a concussion only happens after a direct hit to the head. That assumption causes many people to delay treatment or miss the signs entirely.

But can you get a concussion without hitting your head? Yes—and it happens more often than most people realize. The force of a collision, a fall, or a violent motion can shift the brain inside the skull and cause damage without any visible trauma.

This blog post looks at how concussions happen without contact to the head, the kinds of incidents that cause them, and the symptoms that may follow. It also explains what to do if you suspect you or a loved one has a concussion and why these injuries deserve attention.

If you’ve gone through a sudden accident, fall, or forceful event and feel off in a way you can’t quite explain, keep reading. You may be dealing with a concussion, even if your head never touched anything.

To learn more about traumatic brain injuries and your legal options, contact the Brain Injury Law Center at (757) 244-7000 or send us a message online.

You Don’t Have to Hit Your Head to Suffer a Concussion

Concussions happen when the brain moves too suddenly within the skull. That can occur from a direct blow, but it can also happen when the body is jolted hard enough that the brain shifts or rotates on its own.

This movement stretches and disturbs brain cells, disrupts electrical activity, and triggers inflammation. These are known as non-contact or indirect concussions. They carry the same medical seriousness as contact injuries and should never be brushed off.

When the head whips forward, twists to the side, or stops suddenly after being in motion, the brain may bounce or twist inside the skull. This rapid internal movement, not just external impact, is what causes the injury.

Common Causes of Concussions Without Hitting Your Head

Many people walk away from an accident thinking they’re fine because they didn’t hit their head. But hours—or days—later, they feel foggy, irritable, or sick. These situations often involve enough force to cause a concussion, even without head contact:

Motor Vehicle Accidents

In front-end and rear-end crashes, the head often snaps forward and back in a motion strong enough to strain the neck and shift the brain within it. There may be no bump, bruise, or laceration, but the internal force is still there. Victims may later develop confusion, dizziness, or trouble focusing.

Falls Where the Head Doesn’t Hit the Ground

Slipping on a wet floor or tripping over a curb can cause the body to fall hard. When you land on your back, side, or even your feet, the jarring motion can still affect the brain. Falls on hard surfaces or from modest heights, like a porch step or a few rungs of a ladder, can produce enough force to disrupt brain function without any contact to the head.

Sudden Stops and Acceleration

Any situation that involves rapid acceleration or deceleration can put your brain at risk. Common examples include:

• A sudden stop on public transportation,
• High-speed amusement park rides, or
• Emergency braking in a moving vehicle.

In all of these cases, the brain can continue moving even as the skull and body suddenly stop, resulting in damage to cells and neural pathways.

Workplace or Heavy Machinery Accidents

In industrial or construction settings, workers may be shaken, jolted, or thrown by equipment without being directly hit. A collapsing scaffold, forklift collision, or equipment malfunction can violently move the body, creating enough force to injure the brain. Even shockwaves from nearby machinery or blasts can cause disturbances in brain tissue.

Physical Assault Without Direct Blows to the Head

Concussions also happen during assaults that involve shaking, forceful grabbing, or pushing. Victims may not recall being struck in the head, but the aggressive movement of their body or neck can still cause neurological harm. This is also seen in examples like shaken baby syndrome, where abrupt movements, rather than direct impact, create long-lasting brain injury.

Sports Collisions and Whiplash

Contact sports often involve sudden changes in motion. Football, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, gymnastics, and even cheerleading carry risk. An athlete may be tackled, flipped, or checked, but continue playing without realizing they’re concussed. The absence of head contact doesn’t rule out brain injury.

Explosions and Shockwaves

Military service members, construction crews, and demolition workers may experience pressure waves from explosions that create concussive force. These waves pass through the body and brain, causing disruption even when the skull remains untouched.

No matter the cause, the takeaway is the same: can you get a concussion without hitting your head? You absolutely can, and it often goes overlooked in the absence of visible trauma.

The Brain Injury Law Center helps people living with the life-changing effects of concussion and brain trauma understand what happened, get treatment, and pursue compensation. Contact us at (757) 244-7000 or online to speak with a brain injury attorney today.

Signs You May Be Experiencing a Concussion

People often miss the signs of a concussion because the symptoms don’t always appear right away. They can be subtle, build gradually, or feel disconnected from the original event. But when the brain is injured, it lets you know. 

These are some of the most common concussion symptoms without hitting the head we see reported:

• Persistent or worsening headache;
• Trouble concentrating or feeling mentally foggy;
• Difficulty remembering things, either short-term or long-term;
• Changes in mood, including depression, anxiety, or irritability;
• Sensitivity to light or sound;
• Vision problems, such as blurriness or double vision;
• Fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest;
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep; and
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus).

Doctors sometimes group these symptoms under the term post-concussion syndrome when they continue beyond the initial injury period.

And while the term “mild traumatic brain injury” may sound reassuring, the effects can be anything but mild. Even one concussion can change how you feel, think, and function day to day. Repeated concussions or delayed treatment can lead to long-term complications, including a higher risk for conditions like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

If you’ve had a recent accident and are wondering, can you have a concussion without hitting your head? The answer is yes, and symptoms may not become noticeable for several days.

Early medical care offers the best chance of a full recovery and may help reduce the risk of long-term complications.

How Long Do Concussion Symptoms Last?

Recovery from a concussion varies. Many people feel better within a week or two, but others experience longer recovery periods. Headaches, mood swings, memory issues, and fatigue may persist for several weeks. When symptoms last beyond a month, doctors often diagnose post-concussion syndrome.

The absence of a blackout doesn’t rule out a concussion. In fact, can you get a concussion without passing out? Absolutely. Most people who suffer concussions never lose consciousness. You may walk, talk, and function relatively normally after the event and still experience the neurological effects later. 

That’s why it’s so important to listen to your body and follow up with a doctor, even when the incident seemed minor.

Who Pays When a Preventable Injury Leads to a Concussion?

When someone else’s carelessness causes your accident, they may be financially responsible for the harm. A driver who wasn’t paying attention. A property owner who didn’t fix a known hazard. An employer who failed to provide safe working conditions. These aren’t just unfortunate circumstances—they’re grounds for legal action.

You don’t have to manage medical bills, missed paychecks, and long-term recovery on your own. At Brain Injury Law Center, we help people who have suffered life-changing concussions because someone else failed to act responsibly. We understand the science behind non-contact brain injuries and know how to demonstrate their impact in court.

Clients we’ve represented have recovered compensation for:

• Medical costs, including imaging and follow-up care;
• Occupational, speech, and cognitive therapy;
• Lost wages and reduced future earnings; and
• Emotional strain and pain resulting from the injury.

Get Help From a Firm That Knows Brain Injuries

Understanding how concussions work may answer your questions, but it doesn’t change the reality of trying to live with one. You deserve answers. You also deserve legal representation from a firm that has focused exclusively on brain injury cases for decades.

For over 75 years, the Brain Injury Law Center has represented those affected by concussions and traumatic brain injuries across the country. Our team has recovered more than $1 billion for clients who now live with the long-term effects of these injuries.

If you believe someone else’s negligence caused your concussion, call us today at (757) 244-7000 or send a message online.