TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES

Lawyers for Serious Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries are among the very worst types of physical trauma an individual can suffer. In addition to permanent physical disability, serious brain injuries can leave a person with severe cognitive, mental, and emotional challenges with little to no hope of ever recovering and returning to their original state. Due to the permanent nature of these injuries, obtaining fair compensation from the responsible party is absolutely critical as the victim’s quality of life is drastically reduced, medical bills have piled up and will continue to do so, and additional care ad attention must be provided in the form of caretakers and nurses, again adding to the monetary issues. It’s also important to choose a skilled lawyer who knows how to handle these cases both in and out of the courtroom.

Without proper legal knowledge and representation, your case will be thrown to the wayside and you, or your loved one, will face the repercussions and consequences alone for years to come. It is painful enough to suffer a traumatic brain injury, you shouldn’t needlessly suffer the financial and emotional burdens alone as well.

Brain injuries can happen in a variety of ways – from motor vehicle accidents and near-drowning to chemical exposure and electrical shocks. A traumatic brain injury, often abbreviated TBI, may also result from a closed head injury, such as an aggressive concussion, or an open head injury, where an object pierces the skull. These injuries can occur from car accidents, slips and falls, construction accidents, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Whatever the situation, when TBI is brought about by another person’s negligence, the victim is often entitled to financial compensation to cover medical bills and quality of life deterioration.

At the Klibaner Law Firm, we know that these difficult cases impact not only the victim, but his or her entire family. We are advocates for our clients and their loved ones. In addition to legal representation, our expertly trained and knowledgeable attorneys provide our clients with support, resources, and valuable information. Because brain trauma affects everyone differently, we take time to thoroughly understand the needs and wants of each client, from immediate expenses to the cost of long-term or lifelong care. We work with economic, medical, and life services experts to determine the amount of financial payment you need to ensure that you and your injuries are covered and fairly compensated.

Brain Injury Signs and Symptoms

The brain is a complex organ that controls the entire body. Researchers are still unlocking its mysteries and learning how traumatic accidents affect both the brain and the central nervous system in the short and long terms. Because brain injuries affect everyone differently, it’s difficult to predict how specific individuals will fair, cope, and ideally recover after a serious accident. Whereas one person might fully recover, another may never regain consciousness and remain trapped in a coma, a prisoner within their own body.

Most brain injuries involve a brief loss of consciousness, although it is absolutely possible to sustain a life altering brain injury without losing consciousness at the time of impact, or shortly thereafter. Many victims are unable to recall their accident or a period of time following it. It’s not uncommon for us to work with clients who were initially unaware that they had suffered a brain injury; they only knew that they felt different than they did before the accident.

Symptoms of TBI include:

• Difficulty concentrating and remembering – A possible indication of short term memory loss. Losing your keys is one thing; not remembering how to get to your local grocery store of years is quite another.
• Difficulty finding the right word – Somewhere along the line of synapses, there is a break and words may be lost. If you constantly struggle to speak, consult a doctor immediately.
• Irritability – This is a common symptom that many patients exhibit after suffering a heavy blow to the head; it can also be associated with headaches.
• Exhaustion – Some believe this is due to the extra exerted effort on the part of the brain to perform formerly routine tasks.
• Vertigo – This is often caused by nerve damage in the brain.
• Dizziness – Similar to vertigo, an ill-calibrated sense of balance in the brain can lead to dizziness while on solid footing.
• Difficulty with coordination and balance – See above.
• Problems misplacing things – The idiom or colloquialism would be that “a few of the wires got switched,” after the injury; a similar function of short term memory loss.
• Changes in mood, such as flying into a rage or experiencing deep depression – Damage to the emotional center of the brain results in victims unable to control their reactions.

In many cases, these symptoms persist long after other physical injuries have healed. If you have been in an accident and suspect you may have a TBI, it’s important to inform your doctor. Your physician can perform cognitive tests to determine your mental capabilities and whether you have a brain injury, or whether there is some other malady at play. You may also be a candidate for cognitive retraining, which is the term for teaching the brain different ways of handling everyday tasks. As mentioned, many people suffer a lack of coordination and routine tasks become nearly insurmountable hurdles, but with the training, a detour of sorts can be created in the brain to simplify performance.

Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Researchers estimate that approximately 2 million people in the United States suffer some form of TBI each year, with men more statistically likely to suffer brain injuries. Types of brain injuries include concussions, contusions, coup-contrecoup injuries, skull fractures, diffuse axonal injuries, penetration injuries, and acquired brain injuries. Every brain injury is unique and may affect one person differently than another in terms of negative effects duration and severity. No two are the same, nor should any two cases be treated the same. Again, if you suffer from any of the symptoms listed above, consult your primary care physician to find out if you are living with TBI.

Compensation for Traumatic Brain Injuries

With over 30 years of experience, our expert attorneys at The Klibaner Law Firm are committed to representing victims of traumatic brain injury in and out of court with extensive legal knowledge as well as consulting outside experts. We will do everything within our power to help you recover the maximum compensation possible for your injuries, at no risk to you and your family. Because we handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, you owe us nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf. Let us explain your options and work with you to create a case strategy that gets results. Call our office today at 303-863-1445.