What Is a Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is any damage to the health and functioning of the brain caused by an outside force. Mild traumatic brain injuries, like concussions, can temporarily damage brain cells, causing pain, discomfort, confusion, and other symptoms.
Moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries can cause permanent damage to the brain, leading to physical and mental disabilities.
According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 190 Americans die from TBI-related head injuries each day. Falls, firearms, assaults, and motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading causes of brain injuries in the U.S.
Traumatic brain injuries can be classified in one of two ways:
- Closed brain injury: A brain injury is closed if no outside object pierces the skull. A sudden or violent jolt to the head causes most closed-brain injuries. Some closed brain injuries involve blunt force trauma caused by the head colliding with other objects. In others, a sudden change of momentum rattles the brain, crashing it into the skull. A closed brain injury can lead to bleeding, swelling, or tissue damage in the brain. Car accidents, sports injuries, and falls are the most common causes of closed-brain injuries.
- Penetrating brain injury: Penetrating brain injuries occur when a foreign object pierces the skull and enters the brain. Gunshot wounds are among the most common types of penetrating brain injuries. Flying debris, broken skull fragments, and other projectiles can also cause these injuries.
Some of the most common types of traumatic brain injuries include:
- Concussions, or bruising to the brain
- Coup-contrecoup brain injuries, in which the brain hits one side of the skull and ricochets into the other side
- Diffuse axonal injuries, or shearing of the nerve fibers within the brain
- Hypoxic brain injuries, where brain cells are damaged by oxygen deprivation
- Intracranial hematomas, or the pooling of blood on or around the brain
- Hemorrhages, or the loss of blood due to a ruptured vessel
These injuries can cause life-altering injuries and medical complications like physical, mental, and behavioral issues, and disability. Contact our traumatic brain injury lawyer today.
What Are the Symptoms of a Brain Injury?
Unfortunately, recognizing the signs of a significant head injury is not always easy. The symptoms of brain injuries can vary from person to person, depending on the severity of the injury and other factors.
In some cases, symptoms can take hours or even days to manifest. It is crucial to seek immediate medical attention after any blow to the head.
Some of the most common symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can include:
- Headaches
- Pain
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Slurred speech
Longer-term TBI symptoms may include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Sensitivity to light or sound
- Loss of coordination
- Loss of mobility
- Changes in hearing or vision
- Changes in sleeping or eating behaviors
- Changes in mood
- Memory problems
- Behavioral changes
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
The signs of traumatic brain injury can also vary based on the person’s age. Young children especially exhibit different signs of traumatic brain injury, like changes in eating or nursing habits, loss of interest in toys or other activities, and persistent crying. Our Savannah brain injury lawyer is here to assist.
Schedule a free consultation We’ll Handle the Details, While You Focus on Healing 912-920-2000 What Commonly Causes Brain Injuries in Savannah?
According to the CDC, falls and motor vehicle accidents are two of the leading causes of brain injury in the United States today.
Our traumatic brain injury lawyers can help you if you or a loved one has a case involving any of the following:
Brain injuries can also occur due to sports-related injuries and violent altercations. If you’ve been diagnosed with a brain injury caused by another person’s careless actions, contact our Savannah brain injury attorney as soon as possible.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Savannah Brain Injury?
Generally, anyone whose negligence or wrongdoing causes a brain injury can be held liable for its consequences.
Depending on the circumstances of your brain injury, any of the following might be responsible for compensating you:
- A driver who hit you
- A property owner who failed to keep their premises safe for you
- The employer of someone who was on the job when they injured you
- Manufacturers of defective products
- A medical professional who failed to provide you with adequate care
Determining liability for a brain injury requires a complete investigation into the circumstances of the accident, the severity of your injury, and how the injury occurred.
A skilled personal injury attorney can assess your situation, identify potentially liable parties, and pursue appropriate action to seek compensation for your injuries and financial losses.
To do so, a brain injury lawyer examines evidence like:
- Accident reports
- Surveillance footage
- Medical records
- Eyewitness testimony
To pursue maximum compensation on your behalf, your TBI attorney must identify everyone who could be to blame for your injuries.
What Types of Compensation Are Available for a Brain Injury Lawsuit?
Brain injuries lead to complex claims because of the significant range of short- and long-term consequences associated with them. Typically, the cause of the accident and the severity of the damage to the brain are the leading factors that help calculate fair and appropriate compensation.
Too often, vulnerable brain injury victims and worried families get pressured into accepting speedy settlement offers without fully understanding the long-term implications.
Unfortunately, a quick settlement generally benefits the insurer and hurts the accident victim, who may only recover a sliver of the money they truly deserve.
Before accepting anything from anyone, discuss your situation with an experienced Savannah brain injury lawyer who can review your situation, accurately estimate the full value of your claim, and determine your best options for pursuing compensation for your losses.
While the value of each brain injury claim varies significantly, you could be entitled to compensation for your:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of quality of life
- Pain and suffering
You deserve time to rest and recover from your injuries. Let a knowledgeable brain injury attorney in Savannah manage your case and help you navigate the legal system from start to finish. Do not leave money on the table by trusting the insurance company or trying to represent yourself.
Does Georgia Set a Time Limit for Filing a Brain Injury Lawsuit?
A lawsuit isn’t just a way to recover compensation for a brain injury – it’s also crucial leverage when negotiating with insurers. However, Georgia gives you a limited time to file your case. You only have two years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit.
If you fail to file by the legal deadline, the court can dismiss your case. Without the ability to take an insurance company to court, you have little leverage during settlement negotiations.
Don’t let this happen to you. Instead, get in touch with a Georgia brain injury lawyer as soon as you can. A brain injury lawyer can outline your options for pursuing compensation and manage legal deadlines on your behalf.
You may have two years to file, but talking to an attorney sooner rather than later is in your best interest. The more time your attorney has to gather crucial evidence, the stronger the case they will build on your behalf will be.
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Contact a Savannah Brain Injury Attorney
A traumatic brain injury can change your life in profound and unexpected ways. At Spiva Law Group, our Savannah brain injury lawyers are committed to helping you rebuild your life.
We understand the financial cost of coping with a brain injury and want to work with you to demand the compensation you deserve to cover your financial losses.
Has an accident caused by a careless individual left you with a brain injury? It is time to contact an experienced Savannah personal injury attorney to represent you and fight for the money you need. Contact our office today and request a free legal consultation to learn how we can help you during this challenging time.
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