March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “An estimated 1.7 million people sustain a TBI annually” with injuries ranging from moderate to life altering.
The following is an overview of how a TBI can change your life, how these accidents and incidents may occur, their symptoms, and how a professional personal injury lawyer can help those injured in accidents receive fair and adequate compensation.
Accident Types
- Motorcycle accidents
-
- Commercial truck accidents
- Car accidents
- Slip and Falls
- Sports injuries
- Birth injuries
- Medical malpractice injuries
Most are aware, even those who are not avid sports fans, of the problem with concussions and the billion-dollar class-action lawsuit brought by the National Football League (NFL) Players’ Association and others against the NFL. Very few injuries or lawsuits are this involved; however, it is important to establish proper liability.
TBIs become more problematic when the responsibility for the expense of aftercare cannot clearly be determined. This is particularly true when there is a disability or paralysis. Should the NFL be held liable for a lifetime of concussions that quite likely started as early as the football player’s eighth or ninth year? This could be difficult to determine.
Although most medical experts do not advocate an end to sports, as it is very beneficial in building the confidence of young players and providing a physical regimen to preclude obesity, when someone is injured or sustains a TBI, after treatment is started, the incident must be investigated to place the liability for the injury where it truly lies to ensure the best care possible or establish a shared responsibility if one exists, such as when the injury was due to a combination of faulty equipment and human error.
Once again, what appears to be a mild brain injury or concussion can be just as serious as an obvious severe head injury, although the symptoms may be less clear. A key indicator might be the location and the extent of the injury. A brain injury will not automatically develop into an impairment or an injury in need of long-term care or even disability. However, a proper diagnosis coupled with a treatment plan is necessary to minimize and control the damage and ensure stability and a period of recovery regardless of the source of the injury.
Brain Injury Symptoms
The symptoms associated with brain injuries depend on the force of the blow to the head and the area of the brain that was injured. The most common symptoms associated with these types of head injuries are:
- Headaches
- Shortened attention span
- Memory loss
- Trouble expressing feelings and thoughts
- Difficulty understanding others
The effect or extent of a brain injury must be determined by neurological specialists through a thorough exam, utilizing computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as soon as possible after the incident or accident. A victim of potential brain injury should be stabilized immediately to prevent further injury by determining if sufficient blood flow sustains the necessary oxygen to the brain.
What Can a Lawyer Do for Accident Victims?
If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of another and sustained a serious TBI, speak with a personal injury attorney for advice. Some things a personal injury lawyer can help you do to obtain compensation for your injuries include:
- Hiring accident investigators
- Deposition of witnesses
- Speaking with medical experts about your prognosis and medical treatment plan
- Negotiating a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company
- Filing a claim for compensation in court, when negotiations fail to reach an agreement for fair and adequate compensation
- Represent you at trial, if necessary
A lawyer can also help you develop a Life Care Plan to help you plan for future healthcare expenses. This document will normally be necessary to justify a compensation award. By obtaining a compensation award settlement, you can have the financial resources in place to care for your family as you move forward in your recovery and life or care for a family member who has a traumatic brain injury.
Contact Robert Greening, a personal injury lawyer, to learn what options you have available under the law that may allow you to obtain a settlement for a brain injury due to the negligence of another. While obtaining a monetary settlement cannot replace all that you have lost, it can help you or a loved one obtain the resources to lead a full life.
How to Get Professional Legal Assistance
Robert Greening of GreeningLaw, P.C. is a professional law firm that assists victims of TBIs in receiving the compensation they need to survive. Many victims of TBI are paralyzed or have had their lives cut short due to wrongful death. Those who survive this trauma will likely need some form of care for the rest of their lives.
We assist our clients using a contingency basis because we understand it is difficult for the victim or the victim’s family to bear the expense of expert witnesses, court fees, medical records processing, and the other necessary expenses required to ensure a proper conclusion. GreeningLaw, P.C. will not accept payment unless they receive compensation for you. If we do not recover, you do not pay.
Call (972) 934-8900 to set up a consultation with GreeningLaw, P.C., the personal injury attorneys you can count on to represent you every step of the way. At your free consultation, we will discuss every aspect of your claim, in plain English, we will agree on everything beforehand so there are no surprise fees or out of pocket expenses for you. At GreeningLaw, we fight the legal battle, so you have time for healing and renewal.