Traumatic brain injuries are among the most devastating injuries that can happen to you. They can be caused by someone else’s negligence, whether it’s on Houston’s freeways, at a business where you slip and fall on a hazard, in an industrial accident, or on a sports field where you’ve been cleared to play after a concussion.
A serious injury may be permanent in nature and could leave you requiring medical attention for the rest of your life.
Brain and spinal injuries are the two most common types of serious bodily injuries. These can drastically alter the victim’s quality of life, which is why it’s critical to obtain as much compensation as possible from a responsible party.
Brain injuries are among the most serious injuries anyone can suffer. The effect of a brain injury can be widespread and permanent. In the most extreme of cases, brain injuries can lead to coma and death.
Brain injuries are categorized as traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and mild traumatic brain injuries. Mild TBIs are a misnomer because mild TBIs can still have serious consequences for the sufferer.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke states the victim of a mild TBI may remain conscious or could experience a loss of consciousness for a few minutes. Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries. There are many other symptoms of a mild TBI which could include confusion, a headache, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes. Longer term issues include a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes, and trouble with memory, and other cognitive skills such as concentration, attention, or thinking.
A person with a moderate or severe TBI may experience the same symptoms, but they are usually more severe and long-lasting. A person suffering from a moderate or serious TBI may experience a headache that worsens or does not go away, nausea or vomiting that does not stop, seizures or convulsions, inability to wake up, dilation of the eyes, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, increased confusion, coordination problems, restlessness, or agitation. These symptoms can make life incredibly challenging, making it impossible to operate normally or keep a job.
If you suffer from a brain injury that is caused by the negligence of another person, there are a number of areas that you can recover money for including:
- The Cost of Medical Care – no matter whether your injury requires short-term care in a hospital, long-term care at a rehabilitation facility or your home or care for the rest of your life, you deserve to be compensated for what can be massive medical expenses.
- Quality of life — In the wake of a TBI you may never be able to enjoy the lifestyle you enjoyed previously, whether in your personal life or your career. That loss deserves compensation.
- The inability to work— Even if you qualify for disability pay, it is unlikely to cover your full loss. Being unable to work also affects your mental wellbeing and can leave you feeling unfulfilled. You can claim damages for the loss of enjoyment of life in Texas.
- Pain and suffering— A brain injury can cause a lot of emotional damage. This area can be difficult to quantify because it’s a non-economic loss but a dedicated personal injury attorney will help you recover the most.
If you suffer a brain injury, it’s important to pull out all of the stops and to not settle quickly with an insurance company. Your injury may cause long-term health and behavioral issues that you are not aware of at the time of an accident. Call a Houston traumatic brain injury lawyer for help with a claim.