A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause serious, debilitating changes that affect one’s cognitive abilities and memory. When TBIs occur, often due to negligence, they can have a wide range of consequences, both immediate and long-term, depending on the severity. For example, brain injuries can be life-threatening, such as bleeding or damage to the brain tissue, or they can be mild, like a concussion. In either instance, the treatment for brain injuries can be lengthy and exceptionally expensive, often making it difficult for individuals to return to work or resume a normal routine. If you have experienced a TBI due to another’s negligence, then you have every right to seek compensation to help you and your family move forward.
Those who have suffered a TBI can pursue claims to seek damages for lost wages, future income, pain and suffering, and medical expenses. Claims involving brain injuries require specialized legal experience due to the complex nature of these cases. However, seeking compensation for a traumatic brain injury can be a complex, if not lengthy, process. The expertise of legal professionals and medical specialists helps ensure that you, the injured person, receive fair compensation for your injury and losses.
What is a TBI?
TBIs result from a sudden, violent blow, impact, or jolt to the head or body, causing damage to the brain. These injuries can happen due to various situations and are classified based on severity. On the mild end of TBIs is a concussion, often caused by a sudden blunt blow to the head from a fall, car accident, sports injury, or physical assault.
Other types of common TBI causes, ranging from moderate to severe, are contusions, penetrating injuries, blast injuries, and diffuse axonal injuries. All of these blows to the head can either lead to bruising and bleeding of the brain, damage to brain tissue, or cause widespread damage to the brain’s nerve fibers, known as axons. Overall, TBIs can result in physical damage to brain tissue and disruption of normal brain function, with potential long-term consequences depending on the severity of the injury and the effectiveness of medical treatment and rehabilitation efforts.
Why Legal and Medical Expertise is a Must
Claims involving brain injuries require specialized legal experience and expertise due to the medical complexity of the injury. The brain is a complex organ comprising soft tissue composed of nerve cells, non-neuronal cells, and small blood vessels. It comprises three main parts—the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem—that command every task-evoked activity, response, emotions, language, communication, movement, senses, thinking, awareness, memory, etc. Once damage has occurred to the brain, various treatments are necessitated to address individuals’ different physical and intellectual needs, including physical, language, and occupational therapies and, in some cases, even surgery.
TBIs can be complicated, too, because it may take time before the symptoms become apparent.
Emergency medical personnel’s focus on more obvious injuries can result in brain injuries being overlooked. Mild TBI and concussions can have delayed effects on brain function, and symptoms may not appear immediately.
Consequences and Symptoms of TBIs
TBIs can have both immediate and long-term consequences, depending on the severity and location of the injury to the brain. Immediate issues from TBIs include headaches, nausea or vomiting, sensory issues like ringing in the ears or blurred vision, loss of motor coordination, fatigue, sleepiness, and seizures. There may be cognitive issues like short-term or long-term memory loss, attention and concentration deficits, indecision, and impaired reasoning and problem-solving abilities. TBIs can also affect behavior and emotions, causing mood swings, anxiety, depression, agitation, and irritability. Speech and language abilities can be impaired along with spoken or written language comprehension. Many have functional impairments that prevent them from returning to work or school or being dependent on others for daily activities. In time, health risks from TBIs may result in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. Over the years, TBIs can lead to social isolation and withdrawal, impact relationships with family and friends, and increase caregiving responsibilities.
How to Seek Compensation
Making a claim and seeking compensation for a TBI can be legally challenging. Given the complex nature of the injury, TBI claims are unlike other personal injury claims. Objective measurable or observable indications to definitively prove the extent and impact of your brain injury require medical expertise. Combined with navigating the legal system and the assured resistance from insurance companies, underscores the importance of seeking support from experienced legal professionals and healthcare specialists to ensure you receive the compensation and assistance they need.
In Maine, the law firm of Hardy, Wolf & Downing provides specialized legal experience in litigating TBI claims. Our team of legal professionals and medical specialists work to ensure you and your family receive the compensation you deserve. For a free consultation, contact us today.