Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are serious injuries that happen in an instant and can change a person’s life forever. They are caused by a “bump, blow, or jolt to the head that disrupts the normal function of the brain,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2014 alone, the CDC found that there were 2.87 million TBI-related emergency department visits, and an estimated 56,800 injuries that included a TBI. Leading causes of TBIs include car accidents and falls. People who experience these injuries may need medical treatment and other care for years to come, and sometimes for the rest of their lives, which adds up to a lot of financial expenses, on top of the physical and emotional costs.
Traumatic brain injuries are a common yet serious consequence of devastating accidents. These injuries can be relatively minor, but they often cause permanent damage that follows a person for the rest of their life.
Anyone who has endured a traumatic brain injury because of another party’s actions has the right to demand fair compensation for their losses. However, the mere fact that a traumatic brain injury occurred does not mean that another individual is responsible. Instead, plaintiffs must prove that a defendant’s negligence or intentional act of violence caused their injury.
A Plantation traumatic brain injury lawyer could help pursue these claims. An injury attorney like David Fuchs could work to evaluate how a traumatic brain injury affected a person’s life and build a powerful case against defendants.
The Causes and Impact of Traumatic Brain Injuries
According to the Mayo Clinic, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is any incident that damages a person’s brain. These injuries often result from a violent blow to the head or anything that causes the brain to impact the skull.
Traumatic brain injuries come in many degrees. For example, the least serious TBIs are concussions. Although people who experience concussions do not usually lose consciousness, they may suffer from headaches, sensitivity to light, and nausea. More severe TBIs cause a person to lose consciousness. The longer a person is unconscious, the more damage their brain can undergo. These detrimental injuries cause permanent damage that can affect a person’s cognitive function, speech, and personality.
Traumatic brain injuries often occur as the result of preventable incidents, including:
- Car, truck, or bus wrecks
- Slips and falls where a head hits the floor
- Cycling crashes
- Motorcycle wrecks
- Accidents involving pedestrians
A hardworking attorney in Plantation could provide more information about traumatic brain injuries and help someone determine the cause of their debilitating accident.
What are the Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries?
There are some symptoms of TBIs that anyone who has slipped and fell, been in a car wreck, or experienced another type of serious accident should be aware of. However, keep in mind that some of these symptoms can also be caused by other things. Only a doctor can diagnose a brain injury. If you have been in an accident and suspect you might have incurred such harm, it’s important to visit a doctor right away.
Symptoms can include cognitive, physical, and emotional signs such as:
- Difficulty thinking clearly and concentrating
- Challenges remembering new information
- Generally feeling slower mentally
- Headache with fuzzy vision
- Nausea or vomiting
- Light sensitivity
- Heightened emotions, including sadness or irritability
- Anxiety or nervousness
- Trouble falling asleep or sleeping more or less than usual
- Lacking energy
Sometimes TBI symptoms appear right after an injury, and other times they may appear days, weeks, or even months later, which is why it is so important to immediately get checked out by a doctor following a car wreck or other serious accident. Just because you don’t feel bad at the time, doesn’t mean you haven’t suffered an injury. And if it turns out you are injured and there is a chance you might file a personal injury claim later on, having a physician’s report will be critical evidence for your case.
Get Help Immediately
If you experience any of these symptoms following an accident, get emergency medical help immediately. These are signs of a possible severe and dangerous TBIs:
- Worsening and unending headaches
- Slurred speech
- Blurred vision
- Convulsions or seizures
- Difficulty waking up
- Loss of consciousness
- Increased confusion
- Repeated vomiting
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Significant behavioral changes
- Pupils of unequal size
Long-Term Consequences of Brain Injuries
According to the CDC, about 75% of TBIs that occur annually are concussions or other milder forms of brain injuries. Recovery from a mild TBI may take a couple of weeks or longer.
People with severe brain injuries may never recover. Long-term hospitalization or nursing care might be required. If you suffer such harm, you may never be able to work again, leading to lost income for the rest of your life. Relationships with family and friends can be affected as a result of your injury.
Additionally, TBIs can cause epilepsy and increase the chances of suffering from other brain disorders, which means potentially incurring more physical, emotional, and financial costs down the road.
Pursuing Compensation Through a Brain Trauma Claim
Traumatic brain injuries often require significant medical attention. Additionally, these injuries can diminish a person’s quality of life and jeopardize their ability to earn a living. Therefore, people who suffer TBIs are entitled to demand full compensation for all their losses. To collect compensation through their claim, plaintiffs need to transparently demonstrate that a negligent defendant was responsible for the accident and TBI in question.
The most common way to accomplish this is by working with a skilled legal representative to collect compelling evidence. A hardworking lawyer in Plantation could examine medical bills, investigate the scene of the accident, and meet with a physician to confirm the extent of a plaintiff’s traumatic brain damage and tie this injury to a negligent defendant.
Our Plantation Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys Can Help
Suffering a traumatic brain injury can throw your life into disarray. These injuries could have significant impacts on your emotional well-being and your ability to make a living or enjoy life.
Fortunately, a Plantation traumatic brain injury lawyer may be able to help. Our dedicated legal team could investigate the accident that resulted in traumatic brain damage and demand adequate payments for your losses. Contact our office today to get started on protecting your rights and pursuing compensation.