In general, when you sustain a superficial brain injury, a San Diego lawyer can help you settle the case with simple settlement negotiation. Brain injuries, however, are not always straightforward and superficial. Severe or even catastrophic injuries can be the fault of a third party, and you are entitled to compensation because of the third party’s negligence.
Working with a dedicated TorkLaw attorney will help you sort through the legal process and get the compensation you deserve. At TorkLaw, we will use aggressive and assertive representation to ensure our clients get the compensation they deserve to cover expenses and future needs associated with the injury.
What Can Be the Results of a Brain Injury?
Brain injuries can result in:
- Paralysis
- Spinal cord injury
- Amputation
- Traumatic Brain Injury leading to loss of motor functions and cognitive abilities
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Death
Catastrophic injuries have devastating effects, generally permanent to the victim, compromising the rest of their lives. They can also lead to:
- Emotional issues
- Pain and Suffering
- Depression
- Other mental disorders
- Blindness
- Learning difficulties
- Failure to regain consciousness
Due to the severity of the consequences, it is always advised that you work with a legal team to help you claim the compensation you need and alleviate the financial strain that comes along with such an injury.
Receiving the right compensation can ensure more medical care is available (such as rehabilitation services and at-home care) to provide the victim with a better chance to recover.
TorkLaw experts are professionals with a lot of experience. They can help you or your loved one secure compensation that will absorb current and future medical costs associated with your injury.
General Information About Brain Injuries
Brain injuries are also known as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and they are a leading cause of fatality in the United States.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention provides statistics from 2014 with the following highlights:
- Approximately 2.87 million brain injuries were reported from emergency departments nationwide. The number includes over 837,00 cases occurring among children.
- Brain injuries were the cause for over 56,000 people at the time, out of which 2,529 were children.
- Each year an estimated 1.5 million Americans sustain a brain injury. From these, 1.5 million people, 230,000 survived (after hospitalization), 50,000 dies, and 90,000 have long-term disability linked to the brain injury.
- Currently (2020), an estimated 5.3 million people in the United States live with permanent disabilities due to a brain injury.
The people who have to deal with long-term effects from their brain injury in many cases are unable to hold a proper job, maintain a social life, and build relationships. In many instances, at-home care is required to help them do necessary activities such as bath, get ready, eat, go to the bathroom, etc.
Picking the right team to represent you will ensure that you have the funds to care for yourself and your loved ones. Suffering a brain injury is extremely traumatic and stressful, and we want to alleviate some of this stress by securing your financial future.
What Can Cause a Brain Injury
Medicine Plus outlines the following factors are causes of brain injuries:
Falling injuries – this is a common cause for the elderly who might be having issues with their balance. However, in many cases, the fall might have been a fault of a third party.
Motor accident injuries – this is the most common reason for brain injury in younger adults.
Sports injuries – this is common in athletes, especially those dealing with high impact sports. Again, in sports, a brain injury can be induced by a third party.
Hit by an object – falling objects, for example, can cause traumatic brain injuries. In some cases, these objects were released/thrown by a third party.
Unfortunately, abuse injuries are prevalent in children (under four years old) who suffer from brain injuries.
Blast injuries – these types of damages are generally observed in workplaces, such as factories. They involve major or minor explosions, and the proximity of the victim to the blast scene can determine the extent of the injuries. Blast injuries can be the fault of a third party, failure to maintain a safe working environment or faulty equipment.
Penetrating injuries – these types of injuries involve bullets, bats, knives, or other sharp objects penetrating the skull and resulting in brain tissue injuries.
Birth injuries – during labor, in some cases, medical personnel fail to use medical equipment correctly or do not administer oxygen on time (for newborns struggling to breathe), which can result in permanent brain injuries due to trauma or lack of oxygen.
Common Symptoms of Brain Injury
Some of the most common symptoms for people who have sustained a brain injury include:
- Deterioration of motor skills
- Memory loss & forgetfulness
- Changes in personality
- Unpredictable mood swings
- Loss of senses (such as taste, smell, hearing, sight)
- Problems with sleep and concentration
- Appetite changes
- Difficulty putting together sentences
Our brains control every function of our bodies. Brain injuries can have a myriad of different adverse effects on the victim. The above list contains the most commonly noticeable changes.
What Type of Compensation Are you Entitled After a Brain Injury
Since brain injuries can have catastrophic effects on a victims quality of life, collaborating with a strong legal, compassionate team will allow the victim to seek and secure compensation for:
- Lost wages
- Loss of future wages
- Pain and suffering
- Medical expenses that occur during initial treatment and any other future treatments linked to the brain injury
- Rehabilitation care
- Non-economic compensation, which involves the loss of relationships and general quality of life
- At-home care
- Home modifications
At TorkLaw San Diego, we understand the severity of brain injury situations and long-term care needs that might be needed. We have worked with many clients and have helped secure their financial future. We are here to help you or your loved one to get through this difficult time. TorkLaw will take care of all the rest so you can focus on healing and rehabilitation.