Suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a devastating experience. Not only does it result in numerous hardships for the victim, but it also makes life more difficult for everyone around them.
TBI’s can happen in almost any type of accident, including car, bike, slip and fall, and workplace accidents. They can even happen from playing contact sports.
Because of the severity of TBI’s, the medical expenses to treat a person’s symptoms can be enormous.
If you or someone you care about has suffered a TBI, you should contact a brain injury lawyer today. A lawyer can help you through this difficult time by fighting for the compensation you need.
What Qualifies as a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A TBI most often results from a violent blow to the head that causes the brain not to function normally. An object that penetrates brain tissue such as a bullet or piece of the skull can also cause a TBI. Additionally, TBI’s can arise where a force causes your brain to move around inside your head.
TBI’s can be mild, moderate, or severe. Mild TBI’s affect brain cells only temporarily. Moderate and severe TBI’s affect brain cells for a longer period of time and can cause permanent damage.
Examples
Common examples of TBI’s are concussions and contusions.
Concussion
A concussion is the most common form of a TBI. Concussions are usually considered mild TBI’s. They are most frequently caused by a violent impact to the head. They can occur during things like car or motorcycle accidents, a slip and fall accident, or playing contact sports.
Most people who suffer a concussion will recover after a short to a moderate period of rest. But concussions can result in post-concussion syndrome which can last for months to years. Symptoms of post-concussion syndrome can involve headaches, dizziness, and nausea.
Contusion
A contusion results from a violent impact to the brain which causes the brain to bruise or bleed.
Contusions are a more severe form of TBI than concussions that often require surgery. The brain usually swells after suffering a contusion. Contusions often result in permanent brain damage because of their severity.
What Are Common Types of Accidents That Result in Traumatic Brain Injuries?
Common types of accidents where a person might suffer a TBI include:
- Car accidents,
- Motorcycle accidents,
- Truck accidents,
- Bicycle accidents,
- Workplace accidents,
- Falling off a ladder, and
- Falling down stairs.
A brain injury attorney can help someone who has suffered a TBI as a result of any type of accident get the compensation they deserve.
What Are Common Symptoms of Brain Trauma?
There are symptoms specific to mild TBI’s and also to moderate and severe TBI’s. Some symptoms appear quickly after a person suffers a TBI, but some might not appear until days or weeks later.
Mild TBI Symptoms
There are three major categories of mild TBI symptoms: physical symptoms, sensory symptoms, and cognitive symptoms.
Physical symptoms
Common physical symptoms of a mild TBI include:
- Temporary loss of consciousness from a few seconds to a few minutes;
- Entering a confused, dazed, or disoriented state;
- Headaches;
- Nausea;
- Fatigue;
- Dizziness;
- Problems speaking; and
- Difficulty sleeping.
Other physical symptoms can include harm to the brain itself, including bleeding, bruising, and infections.
Sensory symptoms
Symptoms that affect a person’s senses after suffering a mild TBI include:
- Blurred vision,
- Ringing in the ears, and
- Sensitivity to light and sound.
Changes in the sense of smell or taste are also sensory symptoms that a person with a TBI might suffer from.
Cognitive symptoms
Symptoms of mild TBI’s that affect your brain’s function include:
- Memory loss,
- Difficulty concentrating,
- Difficulty learning,
- Mood swings,
- Depression, and
- Anxiety.
TBI’s also affect a person’s executive function skills, including the ability to organize, exhibit self-control, and multi-task.
Moderate and Severe TBI Symptoms
A person who suffers a moderate or severe TBI may suffer from more severe symptoms in addition to the symptoms associated with mild TBI’s.
Physical symptoms
Physical symptoms of moderate and severe TBI’s include:
- An extended loss of consciousness for a few minutes to a few hours,
- Persistent or worsening headaches,
- Repeated vomiting,
- Seizures,
- Dilated pupils,
- Inability to wake up from sleeping,
- Weakness or numbness in fingers and toes, and
- Loss of coordination.
Physical symptoms from moderate and severe TBI’s can last for long periods of time, or even become permanent.
Cognitive symptoms
Cognitive symptoms associated with moderate and severe TBI’s include:
- Extreme confusion,
- Agitation, and
- Slurred speech.
Like physical symptoms from moderate and severe TBI’s, cognitive symptoms are often long-lasting and can become permanent.
Altered consciousness
Additionally, several symptoms of brain trauma exist that affect a person’s consciousness.
Coma
When a person is in a coma, they are unconscious and unaware of their surroundings. A coma is the result of widespread damage to the brain.
Vegetative state
A person is considered in a vegetative state when they are unaware of their surroundings, but they may open their eyes, make sounds, and respond to reflexes.
Minimally conscious state
A person who is considered minimally conscious exhibits some signs of being aware of their surroundings. Sometimes a person is in this state when they transition from a coma or vegetative state to a conscious state.
What Are Some Myths About Brain Injuries?
Everything you might hear about brain injuries isn’t always true. Here are a few common myths about brain injuries.
Suffering a Brain Injury Requires That I Lose Consciousness or Receive a Blow to the Head
You do not have to lose consciousness or receive a blow to the head to suffer a brain injury. Being in an accident that causes your brain to move around in your skull can cause a TBI.
A Negative MRI or CT Scan Means I Don’t Have a Brain Injury
You can still have suffered a TBI even if your MRI or CT scan comes back negative. This is because some damage to your brain can be so small that the scan misses it.
It Won’t Take Too Long to Recover from a Brain Injury
Some people who suffer from TBI’s aren’t fully recovered one year after the date they suffered their injury. Sometimes symptoms can get worse over time and even become permanent.
Who Are Common Defendants in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases?
Anyone who causes an accident that results in the victim suffering a TBI can be a defendant. Drunk drivers, bars, and makers of defective products are common defendants in TBI cases.
Drunk Drivers and Bars
It is common to see drunk drivers as defendants in TBI cases because they often cause severe car accidents due to impairment. Bars are also common defendants because they can be held liable for injuries caused by an intoxicated person whom they overserved. A bar is liable if they knew the person was intoxicated and sold them alcohol anyway.
Makers of Defective Products
Companies that make defective products can also be common defendants in TBI cases. If a defective product caused an accident that resulted in a TBI, a person could sue the maker of the defective product.
Examples include:
- Defective power equipment, such as a lawnmower or snow blower,
- Defective medical drugs, and
- Sports helmets that are defective.
A brain injury lawyer can help you understand who the proper defendant might be in your case.
What Are the Essential Qualifications to Look for in a Brain Injury Attorney?
It is essential to hire a lawyer that will make sure you are adequately compensated for suffering a TBI. It is extremely important to contact an attorney as soon as possible after suffering a brain injury. A brain injury lawyer can begin working toward the best possible result and minimize the chances that your insurance company might try to take advantage of you.
Experience
When looking for a brain injury attorney, you should find an attorney who has handled brain injury cases before. Brain injury cases are more difficult than ordinary injury cases because of the nature of a brain injury.
Additionally, you should hire a lawyer that has significant trial experience. A lawyer whose cases go to trial frequently may have more leverage when dealing with your insurance company. Additionally, a trial lawyer knows how to hire experts to ensure you present your case clearly before a jury.
Positive Client Reviews
You should also hire an attorney with positive client reviews. Reading reviews on the attorney’s website is the best way to gauge whether the lawyer is successful. Additionally, reviews give you a sense of the different things clients liked about the lawyer’s services.
It is also a good idea to read reviews and ratings of the lawyer on websites like Avvo. These are third-party sites not maintained by the lawyer that also contain client testimonials.
Good Communication Skills
It’s essential that you choose a brain injury attorney with good communication skills. A lawyer who communicates well keeps you better informed about the case. This allows you to make better decisions about the direction you want your case to go.
Additionally, you might want an attorney who communicates with you even when nothing is happening with your case. This will help reduce your anxiety.
The form of communication the lawyer uses is also an important consideration. You might want an attorney who communicates in writing through letters or emails rather than texts or phone calls.
It’s also important to find an attorney who responds to your communications within a reasonable time. A lawyer who fails to respond to you within a reasonable time might lead you to believe your case isn’t that important to them.
Why Contact the Brain Injury Lawyers at Grossman Law Offices?
The brain injury lawyers at Grossman Law Offices have decades of combined legal experience. They take pride in turning an extremely difficult situation into a positive result.
Contact us today to schedule your consultation.