What You Should Know About Brain Injuries

Every year, more than one million Americans receive treatment at hospital emergency rooms for brain injuries, mostly sTBIs (severe traumatic brain injuries). “Trauma” is a bit deceptive as, in most cases, a blow to the head doesn’t cause a TBI. Instead, the extreme motion of a fall, car crash, or other such incident causes the brain, which isn’t much bigger than an oversize coffee mug, to slam against the insides of the skull.

A Carlsbad brain injury lawyer obtains the financial compensation these victims need and deserve. This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Additionally, legal action compels tortfeasors (negligent actors) to accept responsibility for the mistakes they make. California would be an even better place to live if we all behaved thusly.

Causes

Vehicle collisions are, by far, the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries. These incidents combine all three causes of these injuries, which are:

• Trauma: We mentioned that, in most cases, trauma doesn’t cause TBIs. However, that’s not always the case, especially in car crashes. Today’s motor vehicles are so big and fast that even the most advanced safety systems can’t protect vehicle occupants from all the force in these collisions.
• Motion: The skull is essentially a water tank that suspends the brain in cerebrospinal fluid. We feel the extremely mild impact of this motion when we pace. Imagine what the full impact does to your brain.
• Noise: Many car crash witnesses state that the impact sounds like an explosion. These sudden, loud noises create shockwaves that disrupt brain functions. That’s the primary reason that up to half of Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans come home with TBIs. Explosive blasts often cause TBIs but no other injuries.

Falls and assaults also cause many TBIs. These injuries usually involve premises liability claims. Basically, a San Marcos personal injury lawyer can obtain compensation in these cases if the property owner had a duty of care and knew about the injury-causing hazard, such as a wet spot on a floor or inadequate security.

Medical Treatment

Many personal injuries, like broken bones, are difficult to diagnose and treat. TBIs are especially difficult to diagnose and treat.

Initial TBI symptoms usually include soreness and disorientation. Almost all accident victims are sore and disoriented. Therefore, many TBI victims see doctors and don’t get the treatment they need.

Issues continue during the treatment process, especially physical therapy. Dead brain cells don’t regenerate. So, physical therapists must train unhurt areas of the brain to assume lost functions. That’s a long and laborious process.

Compensation

We mentioned the compensation available in brain injury cases above. But we didn’t discuss the compensation process in these claims.

Most brain injury cases settle out of court. However, if a case settles too early, and the settlement doesn’t fully account for all future medical expenses, the victim must normally pay these bills out of pocket.

So, most brain injury cases settle later in the process, during mediation. A third-party mediator ensures that both sides negotiate in good faith. Since insurance companies can’t make low-ball “take it or leave it” offers during mediation, this process is about 90 percent successful.

Work With a Successful San Diego County Lawyer

Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a confidential consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in San Marcos, contact the Pursley Law Firm. Virtual, home, and hospital visits are available.

Source:

internationalbrain.org/resources/brain-injury-facts