Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) usually occur when there is brain tissue damage after a fatal blow to the head, and this can happen after a gunshot to the head, assault, or a car crash. Hiring a Macon traumatic brain injury lawyer is a good idea because they have experience with the process of getting justice and compensation as a victim of the injury resulting in TBI.
There are two categories that head injuries can be classified into; closed head wounds and open head wounds. A closed head injury happens when the head is hit in a way that the head thrusts from front to back or side to side. This is the common type of head injury in car collisions. These movements can result in blood vessels in the brain tearing or abrasions and bruises in the brain tissues, which will eventually result in the damage of the temporal and frontal lobes.
Open head injuries happen when there is penetration to the skull by an object, e.g. bullet. Focal impairment is the most common effect of open head wounds. The effect and injury can be serious depending on the path taken by the object that penetrated the skull.
The severity of the injury is going to determine the recovery of the TBI. Victims of traumatic brain injuries who ended up with mild injuries can recover in a short time. If the injuries are severe, the victim can take months or even years to fully recover.
You need to keep in mind that all types of brain injuries are going to have serious effects, making it important to see a brain injury specialist. It might be necessary to call an academic professional in some cases to help in diagnosing and coming up with treatment modules.
Get a free consultation to talk with one of our personal injury lawyers, call Calvin Smith Law at (404) 383-7552 today.
Can There Be A Brain Injury if Consciousness is not Lost in the Accident?
There are many medical studies that have been done over the years showing that there might be permanent brain injuries even if a person doesn’t lose consciousness after the accident or incident. There could be brain damage even if the MRI scans and CT scans are not showing any visible damage. While head injuries don’t automatically mean losing consciousness after the incident/accident, there are some common effects that victims display:
- Change in the emotional state
- Altered behavior
- Low cognitive abilities
- Impaired physical functioning e.g. lower levels of mobility
- Diminished levels of consciousness
What are Common Types of Brain Injuries?
Common brain injuries our attorneys handle include:
Anoxic Brain Injuries
This is a type of injury that happens when the brain doesn’t get sufficient oxygen for a given amount of time. Brain cells will start to die if the brain is not getting enough oxygen. This is the type of injury common in choking victims, drowning victims, and those with respiratory complications.
Concussions
This type of injury occurs when the skull cranium is hit and leads to bruising of the brain. When someone gets a concussion, they will start getting dizzy, migraines, memory issues, and vomiting regularly.
Skull Fractures
This is a type of injury that occurs when the bone surrounding the skull breaks or cracks.
Subdural Hematoma
This is a type of injury that occurs when there is a build-up of blood between the brain tissues and the Dura. The victim has to undergo surgery to treat this type of injury.
Diffuse Axonal Injury
This is a type of injury that occurs when Axons (long connecting nerve fibers) in the brain are severed. It happens when there is a disruption in the state of the brain in the skull.
Epidural Hematoma
This occurs when there is a build-up of blood between the skull and the dura (top lining of the brain). If a person is suffering from this injury, they have to undergo corrective surgery.
50% of victims suffering from TBI have to undergo surgery to remove the contusions and hematomas in the brain, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. A contusion is a bruised brain tissue while a hematoma is a ruptured blood vessel.
Below are some of the common problem areas for victims of TBI, but it also depends on the location of the injury.
- Smell
- Taste
- Touch
- Sight
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Memory
- Personality changes
- Thinking
- Reasoning
- Hearing
Always keep in mind that the brain injuries might not be visible after the incident/accident. A person doesn’t have to lose their consciousness to show that they have brain injuries. If you are in an accident/incident such as a fall, car accident, or any other situations where the head is hit or affected, then the first thing you need to is seeking medical attention.
Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
The most special and complicated medical cases today include all types of TBIs and brain injuries. If you or your loved one is suffering from TBI or brain injury, then it is a good idea to talk to an experienced lawyer who has been dealing with such cases for many years. If you are in Macon, Georgia, then you can talk to our personal injury lawyers. We have a lot of experience dealing with brain injury cases of all types, and the connections we have with experienced and well-trained medical staff is not something you can get anywhere else. The medical staff is important in helping you get the best treatment and ensure you are back to full recovery in the shortest time possible. These experts are also important for your case because they will help in making your brain injury case even stronger. One thing to keep in mind is even if you have the best of medical experts helping you, there is no guarantee that you are going to fully recover from the brain injury.
Brain injuries tend to occur after trauma to the head. There are many different causes of trauma, some of them are;
- Truck collisions
- Car crashes
- Use of defective products
- Motorcycle/bike accidents
- Accident at a construction site
- Medical malpractice/errors
If you are living in the Macon area, then you can rest knowing that there is a team of experienced personal injury attorneys ready to help you with the above cases. We have been providing our legal service for years, and this will be seen when we represent you to get the compensation you deserve and make sure justice has been served. If you are a victim in Macon or surrounding boroughs, then let us handle the case for you, and you will end up becoming one of the many satisfied clients we have worked with.
What Are the Medical Consequences After Getting a Brain Injury?
The treatment for brain injuries tends to cost a lot of money. The effects the victim of brain damage is going to get will be way more than the financial scope. The brain injuries cause a lot of pain and suffering to the victim because they are tangible and very significant.
Victims of brain injuries face negative health effects, some of them are;
- Loss of feeling in certain body parts and mobility
- Constant and painful migraines
- Mental issues such as depressions and anxiety
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Change in mood including change in the emotional state causing violent shifts
- Death
If you get brain injuries as a result of negligence by another party, then you have the right to seek compensation for the effects of the injuries and the medical expenses that will be accrued when treating your brain injuries. There is no guarantee that you are going to get the compensation you seek, just like any other personal injury case. However, when you are working with a team of highly experienced lawyers like at Calvin Smith Law, then you will be sure that we are going to be with you and give it our all during the hard times to make sure you get what you deserve. While you are recuperating from your brain injuries, we will be fighting tooth and nail so we can make sure you get the compensation that will be able to cover your medical expenses and also live comfortably after.
The Long-Term Costs of Treating Brain Injuries
There are life-threatening effects to deal with after suffering brain injuries, but there will also be the high costs of treatment. While the American medical system can handle such cases, it can end up being very expensive. If you don’t seek compensation for your injuries, you might be forced to take care of the high medical bills. This is not something you need to do since you were the innocent one and there is someone who is at fault for those injuries.
Treating TBI injuries can easily add up to $1,000,000. This is the kind of money very few people have lying around. You might be wondering why the treatment of brain injuries is so high, but the answer is very simple. The brain is the foundation of a person. When your brain is injured, you might be forced to re-learn even the most basic tasks. The brain is a very sensitive organ, and this is why TBI treatment costs are very high. For any part of the brain to be treated, it needs highly skilled and trained medical specialists, and their services do not come cheap.
The total cost of the brain injury can include expenses associated with:
- Complex surgical procedures that have to be done more than once
- Long sessions with different physical therapists
- Loss of income because the victim cannot work as they did before they injuries
- Purchase of prescription drugs e.g. painkillers
- Treatment of psychological disorder like mental health disorders that were a result of the brain injury
The above are some of the procedures you have to go through so you can live a fully healthy and normal life resembling the one you had before you got the brain injuries. These procedures are not going to be cheap. Keep in mind that the insurance policy will partially reimburse your treatment expenses.
When you contact Calvin Smith Law, our experienced personal injury lawyers are going to get started with mitigating the financial burden of the treatment costs by fighting the party at-fault for the injuries to make sure you get the compensation you deserve and also getting justice. You should not be the one shouldering the financial burden that comes from medical expenses while the party that caused the injury can be held liable for the suffering you have gone through. Give us a call and we will get you started with the process.
Statistics About Traumatic Brain Injuries You Should Know
Around 1.4 million people suffer from TBI each year in the United States. 50,000 of this number die from the injuries and 235,000 are hospitalized. Below are some of the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries;
- 28% from falls
- 20% from motor vehicle accidents
- 19% of injuries from accidental crashes/ collisions
Do I Have a Traumatic Brain Injury Case?
If you believe that you suffer from traumatic brain injury, then make sure you have informed your doctor any symptoms you might be having. Brain injury cases can be categorized into two types. The first one is brain injury cases that are obvious accidents/incidents like getting hit on the head when crashing through the windscreen or a falling box from a shelf hitting your head when in a grocery store. The second type of brain injury is a little more complicated and will arise when there is a low impact injury on the head. Many circumstances have to be put into consideration when deciding the right case to file. This is why you should talk to our team of personal injury lawyers who are going to ask you to describe any effects you may be having after an accident, e.g., numbness, dizziness, blurred vision, and recurring migraines.
You should try your best to describe all the symptoms in detail because it is going to help the doctors and lawyers determine the exact nature and the severity of the injuries sustained. Do not assume that the symptoms are going to disappear after some time. Make sure you have told the doctor and attorney everything to do with your injury.
How is Compensation Determined for Brain Injury Cases in Macon?
If a person has suffered any type of injury from an incident or accident that was a result of reckless acts of another party, then the party at fault may need to be liable for the compensation of the victim for the injuries they sustained. To get compensation, a person can either pursue an insurance claim or file a suit in court.
If a person can prove that they could have avoided getting the brain injury were it not for the actions of the at-fault party, then they can seek compensation to cover the injuries they sustained. The damages that can be in the compensation package in Macon may include;
- Cost of past medical bills – this will include visits to the doctor, emergency medical care, surgeries, medication, and any other treatment that will be needed to treat your brain injuries.
- Future medical bills – this will include ongoing hospitalization or medical care, occupational therapy and physical therapy, rehabilitation costs and any other forms of therapy needed.
- Lost wages from the victim’s inability to work because of the injuries they have sustained.
- Non-economic damages – This is the compensation for the pain and suffering the victim has gotten after suffering a brain injury.
If the brain injuries a person sustained ends up resulting in death, then the damages can be gotten, but this is going to depend on the wrongful death lawsuit filed. The major forms of compensation you can get between the two types of wrongful death claims include; burial expenses, indemnification for medical expenses, damages for pain and suffering, and the accumulate valuation of the life lost.
Are There Time Limits for Filing a Brain Injury Case in Macon?
Brain injury cases have to be filed within a certain time from the day of the incident/accident that caused the injuries, which is the same as any other personal injury lawsuit. The statute of limitations in Macon is two years. The statute of limitations can differ if the brain damage was caused by negligence by a medical specialist or if the injuries result in death. The start or end of timing for the stature of limitations is going to depend on the circumstances surrounding the case. If you want to be sure about the statute of limitations to avoid getting locked out of your compensation or justice just because you were not able to file the case within the time stipulated by law, then make sure you talk with us on XX-XXX-XXXX.
What Process is Used When Filing a Brain Injury Case in Georgia?
Before you get started with the process of filing your lawsuit, it is a good idea to speak to a lawyer who is going to determine whether you have a valid brain injury case. For it to be valid, your injuries must be the result of the intentional, negligent, or reckless actions of another party e.g. a reckless driver od careless medical practitioner.
If you cannot reach an out of court settlement with the at-fault party, the lawyer is going to get started with the process of preparing for a lawsuit. The lawyers will start talking with expert witnesses like medical professionals and any other witnesses to the accident, and this will help in shedding light on how the at-fault party’s actions caused the injuries.
If the brain injuries were caused by medical malpractice, the attorney is going to work with other professionals to show that the brain injuries sustained were caused by the errors made by the negligent at-fault expert. Expert medical witnesses are also important for the case because they are going to offer reliable expert testimony concerning the treatment and rehabilitation that will be needed in the present and in the future to make sure you have fully recovered. An economic expert can also be called in by your lawyer to provide more information on how the brain injury has impacted or is going to impact your finances.
Can Compensation Be Recovered After Traumatic Brain Injuries?
According to Georgia law, anyone can seek and receive compensation if they sustained brain injuries as a result of negligence actions of another party. Negligence happens when the other party doesn’t take the degree of care they are expected to have by a person in their circumstances. Under the law, a reasonable driver should not go over the speed limit stipulated. If a driver causes an accident when driving over the stipulated speed limit, then the law considers hem to be negligent. Another example is a store owner failing to clean a spill on the floor, and an innocent customer slips and falls.
It can be hard to identify the negligent party in an accident/incident. This is why it is recommended to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible after being involved in an incident, accident. They are going to look at all the facts surrounding the accident and see whether there is a negligent party. If you don’t seek the services of an attorney, you can easily forfeit your rights for compensation because you might not be able to know which party is at fault for the injuries you have sustained.