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A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when someone experiences a severe blow to the head. A TBI can happen due to a motor vehicle accident, sports injury, fall, or violence. A TBI can result from an object penetrating the brain or the brain hitting the sides of the skull in a closed head injury.
TBI symptoms can cause life-long challenges, so depending on the cause of your TBI, you could seek compensation to pay for the costs associated with your care, both now and in the future. A brain injury lawyer in Rutherfordton can investigate whether someone’s action or inaction led to your TBI and fight to hold a negligent party liable.
What Can Cause a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Traumatic brain injuries can happen in any situation where you hit your head, an object penetrates your brain, or your brain shakes violently inside the skull. TBIs can be mild (concussions), moderate, or severe.
The following are some of the most common causes, but you should always seek medical care after any blow to the head. TBIs sometimes don’t cause symptoms immediately, so you may not realize you suffered an injury until you’re already suffering serious effects.
Falls
Falls are a leading cause of TBIs, causing almost half of all traumatic brain injury-related hospital stays, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You can suffer a fall-related TBI from a work-related accident or any fall from a height.
Roadway Accidents
Any of these motor vehicle crashes can cause a TBI:
Brain damage can occur even in minor crashes. You should seek medical attention even if you believe you only experienced a mild injury, such as a bump on the head or minor whiplash.
Sports Injuries
Football gets a lot of attention for causing concussions, but any sport could cause a TBI, from swimming to gymnastics to baseball. Both children and adults can suffer TBIs in sports and recreational activities.
Violence
Unfortunately, violence is a common cause of brain injuries, such as domestic violence, assault, gunshot wounds, shaken baby syndrome, and combat.
What Are the Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury?
According to the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins Medicine, TBI symptoms can vary drastically depending on the severity of the injury and the affected victim’s situation. Even mild TBIs can cause difficulty in performing tasks of daily living.
Some of the most obvious symptoms include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Pupil dilation
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
- Numbness in extremities
- Slurred speech
- Coma
Cognitive Difficulties
Because these injuries affect the brain, you or a loved one could experience challenges in the following areas immediately after a mild, moderate, or severe head injury or in the days following:
- Lack of concentration
- Memory loss
- Organization difficulties
- Problem-solving issues
- Inability to multi-task
- Judgment problems
For some, these symptoms mean they must permanently change jobs, give up certain beloved hobbies, or even apply for Social Security Disability benefits because they can’t work.
Changes in Motor Skills
If the injury affected a part of your brain that helps you interact with your loved ones and the rest of the world, you could suffer:
- Poor balance
- Tremors
- Difficulty doing daily tasks
- Lack of coordination
- Paralysis or muscle weakness
Regaining balance and motor skills following a TBI can require physical and occupational therapy.
Perception and Sensory Symptoms
These effects are sometimes noticeable right away, along with the physical symptoms:
- Blurred vision
- Light sensitivity
- Ringing ears or sound sensitivity
- Issues with spatial perception
Communication Challenges
These symptoms include difficulty with any form of communication—speaking, reading, writing, or even understanding other people’s speech.
Like changes in motor skills, some communication challenges are temporary or can be mitigated through therapy. Other people may face obstacles in this area after a severe TBI.
Personality and Social Difficulties
These challenges can vary widely depending on the person, but some TBI sufferers experience:
- Depression and anxiety
- Insomnia or trouble sleeping
- Trouble navigating social situations
- Lowered inhibitions
- Aggressive behavior
- Noticeable changes in personality
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What Does It Cost to Treat a TBI?
According to a study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), hospitalizations cost 74 percent more for TBIs than other ailments or injuries. This is partly because brain injuries often require lengthy hospital stays.
In addition to hospitalization, treating a brain injury can require physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, prescription medications, mental health support, and much more—the list depends on the person, what part of the brain was damaged, and how severe the damage was. Plus, each person’s brain is unique, so your journey will always differ from someone else’s.
These challenges are why those who suffer TBIs in negligence-based accidents often consult a personal injury lawyer following a TBI. Not only does it cost more to treat this injury, but victims also may never return to pre-accident health. That warrants both compensation and acknowledgment of the injustice committed.
How Can TBI Victims Recover Damages?
Our brain injury attorneys at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC can help you pursue compensation for your losses by exploring different avenues, such as:
- An insurance claim – Auto, property, or business insurance policies often cover injuries suffered in car accidents, premises liability cases, and other similar incidents, allowing victims to file a claim for damages.
- A lawsuit – If you suffered a TBI due to negligence, you can file a suit against the liable party to recover compensation for all accident expenses, including pain and suffering.
- Workers’ compensation – If you were hurt at work, you could file a workers’ compensation claim to recover benefits, including reimbursement for medical bills and lost wages.
In some cases, you may start with an insurance claim and later file a lawsuit. Whatever the case, our personal injury law firm will review all your TBI losses and determine the best way to seek compensation.
What Can a TBI Lawyer Do to Help Victims After an Accident?
The traumatic brain injury lawyers at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC can handle your claim or suit while you focus on treatment and recuperation. We’ll do whatever we can to lighten your load—talking to insurance companies and liable parties, gathering evidence, filing paperwork, and fighting for justice for your injuries.
Contact us today for a free case review.
