Columbia Brain Injury Attorney

Doctor examines brain x-rays for traumatic brain injuries

According to statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are approximately 1.7 million people who suffer traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in the United States.

Brain injuries can range from mild–such as a concussion–to severe and the effects that victims experience can widely vary. For example, the CDC reports that more than 1.3 million TBI victims are treated in the emergency room and later released while about 275,000 must remain in the hospital for extended treatment. Tragically, about 52,000 victims do not survive their brain injuries.

One thing that all brain injury victims have in common is that they require medical attention and often sustain extensive losses. Fortunately, if another party was at fault for your brain injury, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses.

If you or a loved one has sustained a TBI, do not hesitate to discuss your rights with a skilled South Carolina brain injury lawyer today.

Columbia Brain Injury Law Firm

In order to recover for any losses, a brain injury victim must first identify whether another person was responsible for causing the accident due to negligent behavior. Identifying negligence can be complicated and an experienced brain injury law firm can help to evaluate and investigate the circumstances of the accident to determine whether negligence played a role.

Once one or more negligent parties are identified, a lawyer can help to negotiate a favorable insurance settlement or, if such a settlement is not possible, can file a claim for personal injury lawsuit on your behalf. The legal process involved in pursuing a personal injury case can be complex and involves many different rules and procedures, however, an experienced attorney can guide you through every step of your case so that you can get the compensation you deserve for your brain injury.

Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Brain injuries can happen in many different ways and can occur due to a direct blow to the head, from a severe jolt of the head, from lack of oxygen, among other causes. Some common incidents that can lead to a brain injury can include the following:

Any of the above can result in mild, moderate, or severe TBI and anyone who has been involved in any of these incidents should undergo a medical evaluation as soon as possible to determine whether any brain injury occurred. Medical professionals have several diagnostic tests they can perform to identify any brain damage and can design an appropriate treatment plan. A proper and timely diagnosis can also assist you in any legal claims you may pursue as a result of your injury.

Effects of a Brain Injury

TBI can affect each patient in a different way. Signs and symptoms in a particular victim will depend on the severity of the brain injury, the location of the injury on the brain, any complications that stemmed from the brain injury, among other factors. Some of the many effects of a TBI can include:

Loss of consciousness — A victim may be unconscious for a few minutes or spend years in a coma with varying degrees of awareness;
Cognitive impairments — Victims may have difficulty processing information, following directions, focusing or concentrating, remembering things in the short-term, following conversations, expressing themselves verbally or in writing, and may easily become disoriented and confused.
Emotional impairments — A victim may not be able to control their emotions, may lose inhibition or judgment, may have a tendency for angry outbursts or irritability, or may experience depression and/or anxiety.
Physical impairments — A brain injury can cause trouble with vision, hearing, other sensory abilities, coordination, balance, and may cause serious headaches.

Victims of mild TBI may only experience a few symptoms for a relatively short period of time while victims of moderate TBI may have multiple symptoms or their specific symptoms may last much longer–for weeks or months. A severe brain injury can often leave victims with several permanent impairments.

Brain Injuries Can Lead to Extensive Losses

Many of the effects of a brain injury can significantly disrupt a person’s life. Inability to concentrate or effectively communicate can limit a TBI victim’s abilities to succeed in school, perform their job duties, or even attend social engagements. Particularly severe brain injuries may require full-time care or transfer to an assisted living facility. Needless to say, brain injury victims can incur significant losses as a result of their injury.

Some common losses for which TBI victims may be able to recover include:

Medical expenses, both for past and future care
Lost income from work already missed, as well as estimated earnings losses from future lapses in employment or inability to return to work
Physical pain and suffering
Emotional distress from both the accident and due to the challenges of the brain injury
Loss of enjoyment of life
Permanent disability

Losses can vary substantially from case to case, as an individual who sustained a concussion may simply seek recovery for medical bills while a TBI victim who has permanent impairments may seek compensation for multiple intangible losses, as well.

Call for a Free Consultation With a Columbia Brain Injury Attorney

Brain injuries are complex injuries that can vary significantly from victim to victim. In order to prove the full amount of losses you incurred, you should always have a lawyer on your side who specifically understands the many ways a brain injury can affect your life. Whether you suffered short-term or long-term effects of your brain injury, you deserve financial recovery if another party caused your TBI.

At the Joye Law Firm in Columbia, South Carolina, we have helped many brain injury victims seek proper compensation for their losses. We handle cases arises from a wide variety of accidents, so please call our office today at (888) 324-3100 to learn more about how our brain injury attorneys can help you.