Personal Injury and Brain Trauma
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and while recently there has been a lot of talk surrounding TBIs and sports thanks to the 2015 movie “Concussion” starring Will Smith, we would like to take the opportunity to discuss how this serious type of injury can affect a personal injury case.
The value of a personal injury case is dependent on several factors which often include things like the egregious nature of the at-fault driver’s actions, for example. However, for the most part, the type of injury and accumulation of medical expenses – both past, and future – tends to govern the value of your case.
One type of injury that is often serious and severe – and more likely to occur than most people would assume – is a traumatic brain injury.
What Causes Traumatic Brain Injury?
There are many types of accidents and other events which can lead to traumatic brain injuries, such as slips and falls, work-related accidents and even assaults. We now know that even minor scrapes such as whiplash and seemingly common sports injuries can also cause traumatic brain injury – even when there isn’t even direct contact with the cranium.
However, one of the most common occurrences that leads to TBI is motor vehicle accident.
When you consider the amount of time people spend in cars and trucks and the average speeds at which we drive, it makes sense that traumatic brain injuries are so often a result of motor vehicle accidents.
According to the Brain Injury Association of America:
- Nearly 1.7 million people experience traumatic brain injuries annually, and 275,000 are hospitalized as a result.
- Traumatic brain injury contributes to 30.5% of all injury-related deaths in the United States.
- Motor vehicle crashes are the third leading cause of traumatic brain injuries and the leading cause for individuals aged 20-24.
Long-Term Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury can significantly hinder an individual’s ability to live a normal life. This is true for a number of reasons, the primary being the long-lasting effects TBI can have on the life of the injured person, their loved ones, and their community as well.
Long-term effects of traumatic brain injury can include:
- Difficulty concentrating on tasks
- Difficulty remembering new skills and material
- Slow speech
- Confusion when routines are disrupted
- Problems with executive functioning
- Major personality shifts
- Increased irritability, aggression, and lethargy
- Blurred vision or loss of vision
- Chronic headaches
- Poor balance and basic motor control issues
The Value of a Personal Injury Case Involving Traumatic Brain Injury
If you or a loved one has suffered because of an accident that led to a traumatic brain injury, you should be aware that the value of your personal injury claim may be substantially higher than other personal injury cases involving lesser injuries.
This is because the factors that need to be taken into consideration when determining the value of a traumatic brain injury case include, but are not limited to:
- Physical rehabilitation
- Neurological rehabilitation
- Psychological rehabilitation
- Life care costs
- Past, present, and future physical and mental pain, as well as suffering
- Loss of future earning capacity
The costs associated with physical, neurological, and psychological rehabilitation along with Life Care can be significant, largely due to the fact that the injured person may need to access some of these services for the rest of their life.
All of these factors contribute to the value of a traumatic brain injury case and why they tend to garner substantially higher awards than most other personal injury claims. A traumatic brain injury can derail a person’s life and impede their ability to thrive in the future and enjoy life to their fullest potential, which must be taken into consideration when resolving the case.
We Understand/We Will Help You Get Through This
At GreeningLaw P.C., we understand the difficulties that can come as a result of a traumatic brain injury. As one of the most recognized personal injury law firms in the state, we know how to make sure you are properly compensated for your suffering. We’ve developed sophisticated methods of showing juries the impact of a brain injury on our clients’ physical and mental health, as well as their quality of life.
GreeningLaw P.C.’s experienced attorneys care about you and your outcome, and we treat your case with the same respect and thoroughness as we would our own families. We work on a contingency basis, which means you don’t pay for a thing unless you receive compensation for your personal injury case.
Contact us today for a free consultation. We will review all the elements of your case, discuss any possible compensation you may receive, and suggest the best course of action.
We fight the legal battle so you have time for healing and renewal.