Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers

• Prevalence of Brain Trauma
• Brain Injury Causes
• Complications Due to Brain Injury
• Recovery of Losses
• Your Rights
• Contact Us

Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when significant external force – such as a bump, blow or jolt – injures the brain and disrupts normal brain functioning. TBI is a common cause of serious injury, disability and death, and accounts for 30 percent of all injury deaths in the U.S.^[1]

Brain trauma may result in permanent cognitive, emotional and physical effects that influence all aspects of an individual’s life. Serious brain injuries can also result in tremendous financial losses, such as long-term costs for medical care and loss of earnings. Fortunately, for some victims of traumatic brain injury, there are legal pathways to help them recover compensation, including damages for pain and suffering, as well as economic losses, if their injuries have been caused by someone’s negligence or by a defective product.

If you or someone you love has experienced a traumatic brain injury, please don’t hesitate to contact the personal injury lawyers at Robinson Calcagnie, Inc. by calling our toll free number at (888)-701-1288.

Prevalence of Brain Trauma

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) statistics reveal that in 2010, there were 2.5 million emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths attributed to TBI, whether as an isolated injury or in combination with other injuries. Brain trauma was responsible for 50,000 deaths in 2010. It has been predicted that by the year 2020, TBI will be the third leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Currently, there are more than 5 million Americans living with a permanent TBI-related disability.^[2]

Brain Injury Causes

Between 2006 and 2010, motor vehicle accidents contributed to 14.3 percent of TBI accidents and were the leading cause of brain injury among individuals between the ages of  5 to 24, according to the CDC. Furthermore, vehicle accidents were the second leading cause of TBI-related deaths across all age groups, accounting for 26 percent of such fatalities. Overall, falls were responsible for 40.5 percent of all TBI’s, while unintentional blunt trauma, such as getting hit in the head by an object, was implicated in 15.5 percent of cases.

Complications That May Occur Due to Brain Injury

Brain injury victims may suffer from long-term problems that include:

• Neurological disorders
• Cognition problems
• Memory problems
• Impaired judgment
• Difficulties with language and communication
• Personality changes
• Loss of coordination

Short-term symptoms of TBI can include dizziness, confusion, blurred vision, headache, fatigue, mood changes, memory problems and cognition problems relating to attention, thinking and concentration. In some cases, these symptoms may be temporary. In other cases, they may never subside.

There is a strong link between TBI and the emergence of neurological disorders within six months. Seizures occur within 24 hours in about 25 percent of patients who have suffered brain contusions or hematomas (bruises), and in roughly 50 percent of patients with penetrating head injuries.

TBI’s have been implicated in the emergence of neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson’s disease and dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (DAT). Patients with a moderate TBI have a 2.32 times higher rate of DAT. Parkinson’s disease may develop from basal ganglia nerve damage and can result in uncontrollable tremors and difficulty with movement many years after the onset of the injury.^[3]

Even mild cases of TBI can result in assorted problems down the line, with one study finding that six months after the onset of their condition, 39 percent of patients complained of emotional distress, lower educational achievements, and difficulties relating to personality and physical functioning.^[4]

When damage is inflicted on areas of the brain that control speech and language, patients may experience communication problems such as slurred speech, difficulty forming words or confusing speech patterns.

Recovery of Losses

TBI is different than many other diseases and conditions because its symptoms are complex and are not easily treated with drugs or surgery. Recovery often entails rehabilitative approaches designed to help TBI victims recover from their impairments and regain functional normalcy. These include assisted-living centers, outpatient facilities, speech pathology programs and other forms of rehabilitation that aim to improve physical, cognitive, vocational and behavioral skills. Beyond the emotional and physical toll, the monetary cost of a traumatic brain injury can be extremely high for individuals and society as a whole.

Victims’ Rights

Victims of brain trauma have legal pathways at their disposal to help them get support and improve their quality of life after the injury. Those who have suffered a TBI because of someone’s negligent actions or other wrongful conduct should consult an attorney to assist them in determining whether or not they may be entitled to compensation under the law, and whether legal action should be taken to protect their rights. Victims may be able to recover monetary damages for their past and future medical care and rehabilitation, as well as damages for pain and suffering, lost wages and lost earning capacity.

Contact The Brain Injury Lawyers at Robinson Calcagnie, Inc.

Whether related to a traffic accident, a fall, a work related injury, a physical assault or other type of trauma, the mechanisms of traumatic brain injuries are complex, as are the laws governing a victim’s legal rights. Therefore, it’s important to work with injury lawyers who have experience handling these types of cases and in representing clients with serious injuries. Robinson Calcagnie, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading personal injury firms. We have spent over three decades pursuing and obtaining justice for victims of severe accidents and catastrophic injuries. If you or someone you know has suffered a traumatic brain injury, contact us for a free consultation.

References

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Traumatic Brain Injury In the United States: Fact Sheet. Retrieved 8/4/2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html.

[2] Gean, AD and Fischbein, NJ. (2010). Head Trauma. Neuroimaging Clinics of North America 20(4):527-56. Available online at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20974375

[3] Ribbers, GM. (2010). Brain Injury: Long term outcome after traumatic brain injury. In International Encyclopedia of Rehabilitation. Available online: http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/encyclopedia/en/article/338/

[4] Stulemeijer M, Vos PE, Blijenberg G, van der Werf SP. (2007). Cognitive complaints after mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Things are not always what they seem. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 63:637-645.