Brain injuries are amongst the most devastating and expensive of all injuries. While minor brain injuries can and do often heal within a few weeks and don’t disrupt the victim’s lifestyle, severe traumatic brain injuries can have many lifelong complications. Not only does the person suffering from such an injury have to overcome various physical and emotional challenges, but they may also face costly medical expenses.
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) refers to a wide variety of injuries that are caused to the brain. It’s an injury that occurs when a sudden trauma to the head results in brain damage. Almost all injuries to the brain can be classified as traumatic brain injuries. They can range from minor concussions to extensive brain damage. Severe traumatic brain injury can lead to cognitive impairment, emotional problems, physical impairment such as partial or total paralysis, coma, or even death.
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury
Older people are more prone to TBIs mainly because they have the most risk of a slip and fall accident, and according to the CDC, falls are the cause of nearly half of TBI-related hospitalizations. However, older people aren’t the only ones at risk from a traumatic brain injury, such injuries can happen from several different situations. Some of the most common causes of traumatic brain injury include the following:
- Car or motorcycle accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Assault
- Domestic abuse
- Nursing home abuse
- Medical malpractice
- Childbirth
- Child abuse
- Defective product use
- Full-contact sports, and more
Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries
The symptoms of TBI can vary widely depending on the severity of the accident that caused the injury, the age of the victim, and the location of the TBI.
Symptoms of mild traumatic brain injuries may include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Ringing sound in ears
- Shoulder and neck pain
- Unexplained fatigue
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Headaches that don’t go away or get worse with time
Symptoms of severe brain traumatic injuries may include:
- Difficulty waking up after sleeping
- Slurred speech
- Nausea and vomiting
- Severe headaches or constant migraines that continue to worsen
- Seizures
- Unevenly dilated pupils
- Numbness or loss of feeling in limbs
When to Pursue a Traumatic Brain Injury Claim or Lawsuit
If you are suffering from a TBI as a result of an accident caused by someone else, whether due to negligence, reckless behavior or intentional action, you should consider filing a traumatic brain injury claim or lawsuit. Most state laws around the country allow you to seek compensation for the losses that you have incurred due to the injury and a Traumatic Brain Injury attorney can advise you on what course of action is best for you in such a scenario.
TBI Compensation Damage Types
Specific damages may vary based on the circumstance of each case but some common recoverable losses from a TBI claim include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Cost of medical treatment
- Cost of assistive devices and technology
- Cost of rehabilitation services
- Future medical costs
- Costs of home modification
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium in cases resulting in fatality
- Punitive damages
Hilton & Somer, LLC: Personal Injury Attorneys Serving Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
At Hilton & Somer, LLC, we have a team of experienced traumatic brain injury attorneys that specialize in TBI claims. We will use our resources and expertise to help get you the compensation you deserve for damages related to your TBI injury. We use contingency fee approach for all cases which means no win, no fee. Contact us for free consultation today (703) 560-0700.
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