[Expert opinion on headache after accidents (author's transl)].

If a patient suffers headaches as a result of cranial trauma, the medical expert must first of all clear up the cause of these subjective complaints. A precise diagnosis of the primary lesion and possible posttraumatic complications is a prerequisite. The differential diagnosis must take into consideration non-traumatic diseases which are also associated with headache. In the majority of cases, non-traumatic factors such as a low level of intelligence, hysterical, hypochondriacal and psychopathic personality structures and the particular conditions of the accident give rise to the development of persistent headaches after cranial injury. Difficulties in estimating the duration of headache due to trauma for the purposes of private accident insurance are pointed out and finally questions of impaired healing conditions (delayed recompensation) and "psychic" pain are dealt with.