Regardless of their origins, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can result in permanent disability and even death. In some cases, individuals never fully recover from their injuries, impacting their ability to live independently and support themselves financially.
In some cases, you may be able to bring legal claims against those responsible for your injuries with the assistance of an Alexandria traumatic brain injury lawyer. Bringing a claim for compensation related to an accident that caused you injuries is not always easy. A catastrophic injury attorney can evaluate any potential claims and gather the information and evidence necessary to support a valid legal claim.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
TBIs may occur when a jolt, blow, bump, or penetration of the head disrupts normal brain functions. The symptoms of a TBI may not surface until hours or days after the initial injury, so monitoring anyone who has sustained a head injury is essential to a proper diagnosis.
Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries
According to Mayo Clinic, some of the more common symptoms of traumatic brain injuries may include:
- Blurred vision and dizziness
- Confusion
- Memory loss
- Drowsiness
- Sensitivity to light
- Headaches
- Vomiting
- Seizures and convulsions
Individuals experiencing these symptoms following any type of accident involving an impact to the head should seek immediate medical treatment. An evaluation of the condition through an examination and other tests may be crucial to determining the extent of the injury.
Effects of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries can affect thoughts, emotions, language skills, sensations, and memory. They also can increase the probability of developing other neurological disorders later in life. Even a relatively mild trauma to the brain can impact normal functioning for a significant period of time, if not permanently.
Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injuries
In the case of severe traumatic brain injuries from accidents, individuals may need emergency surgery to treat blood clots, skull fractures, and swelling. Following treatment of the emergency condition, individuals may need to undergo significant periods of rest and rehabilitation. This treatment may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychiatric care, depending on the impact of the injury.
The extensive rehabilitation that is often necessary to return injury victims to some level of functioning can be incredibly expensive. Most people with TBIs can expect to accrue thousands of dollars in medical bills, as well as the costs of any necessary medical devices and modifications to their homes needed to accommodate their injuries.
An Alexandria traumatic brain injury lawyer could devote the time and resources necessary to win the money you need to pay for such treatments.
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Potential Recoverable Damages in TBI Cases
When others act negligently and cause an accident, they may be financially responsible for the injuries that result. Negligent individuals may be liable for compensating their victims for the following expenses:
- Medical, surgical, and hospitalization bills
- Loss of current and future income
- Rehabilitative treatment and medical devices
- Expenses related to repairing property damage
- Emotional pain and suffering
- Physical or intellectual disability
- Disfiguring marks or scars
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of consortium (i.e., diminished relations with a loved one)
Even if injury victims are found to be partially at fault for the accident, they still have the right to pursue damages from other liable parties in Louisiana. However, their potential damages will decrease by their degree of fault.
Recoverable Damages in Wrongful Death Cases
TBIs are all too often fatal. If your loved one passed away due to a traumatic brain injury, please accept our condolences for your loss. We understand how difficult this time is for you and that you may also have to contend with extra losses such as:
- Funeral or burial expenses
- Settling the deceased’s estate
- Loss of the deceased’s income/financial support
- Loss of society or companionship
Our team can help you fight for these and other, more general damages, including any medical expenses that your loved one did not have time to seek recovery for on their own.
Determining the Worth of Your Damages
Everyone’s case is different, so everyone is entitled to a different amount of damages based on:
- How serious their TBI is
- Whether the injury is temporary or permanent
- How many different ways the injury has impacted their life
- The degree of negligence shown by the involved parties
In one brain injury case, we secured $787,000 for our client; in another, we won $5.25 million. By hiring us, you can be sure that you seek the proper amount to cover your damages.
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A Rapides Parish Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer Can Help You
Even for people who have not suffered severe injuries, navigating the law can be draining, frustrating, and time-consuming. That is what we are here for: to reduce our clients’ burdens by managing their lawsuits and give them time to heal in peace.
Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can tackle every single task associated with filing a suit, including but not limited to:
- Offering free case reviews: Everyone who calls can get a no-obligation, no-cost evaluation. You can find out within minutes if you have a legally valid case.
- Gathering evidence: Witness statements, surveillance footage, medical records, accident reports, and personal photos are all examples of evidence we may use to prove you deserve damages from the liable party.
- Submitting paperwork: Our team is always willing to select, fill out, and submit all necessary forms, notifications, and other documentation necessary to keep your case running smoothly.
- Negotiating a fair settlement: We can sit down with the liable party’s insurance company, show them the evidence we have collected, and persuade them to offer a settlement that covers all of your damages.
- Arguing your case at trial: In the rare case that we cannot reach a pretrial agreement, we can take the liable party to court. There, we will fight hard to get you the money you need from a jury award.
We want to do everything possible to make the legal process accessible to you. This includes coming to visit you if you cannot travel to our office and charging no attorney’s fees until after you have received compensation. As our former client Keith put it, our team is “like a good friend in a time of need.”
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Traumatic Brain Injury Causes and Diagnoses
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes and falls–accidents often caused by another’s carelessness or recklessness–are responsible for a large percentage of hospitalizations for traumatic brain injuries.
Brain injuries may be classified as mild, moderate, or severe. These distinctions are based on the Glasgow Coma Scale, a scoring system measuring post-injury consciousness through motor, eye, and verbal responses.
Mild TBIs
If a victim is unconscious or disoriented and confused for less than 30 minutes, the diagnosis will likely be a mild brain injury or concussion. Persistent symptoms such as headaches, confusion, mood swings, nausea, and fatigue may be present, despite clear MRIs and CAT scans. Importantly, some brain injuries can worsen over time, so an early “mild” diagnosis should not be ignored.
Moderate TBIs
Moderate traumatic brain injuries occur when a victim has been unconscious for more than 30 minutes but less than 24 hours. Symptoms are similar to mild TBIs, but they are typically more obvious and enduring.
Severe TBIs
Severe traumatic brain injury victims typically experience prolonged unconscious states, known as comas. Some remain in persistent vegetative states, and others may experience brain death. Those who awaken are likely to suffer permanent brain damage and serious symptoms, such as:
- Seizures
- Communication problems
- Difficulty speaking and swallowing
- Bladder and bowel dysfunction
- Disorientation
- Vision problems
A Rapides Parish traumatic brain injury attorney could help recover compensation for these injuries.
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Potential Defendants and Compensation for Victims
Identifying all possible defendants is key to obtaining compensation in a personal injury claim. For example, in a motor vehicle accident, another driver could be at fault for speeding or texting while driving. Additionally, the car or parts manufacturer could be liable if the brakes were found to be defective. The city responsible for maintaining safe roadways could also be liable if dangerous conditions were not addressed or motorists were not given adequate warning.
After identifying the responsible parties, an Alexandria TBI attorney could help plaintiffs seek compensatory damages, including both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover the current and future expenses and losses associated with injuries, such as income loss, medical care, and property damage. Non-economic damages compensate plaintiffs for pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.
In rare cases, Rapides County court may also authorize punitive or exemplary damages, which are designed to punish the defendant for misconduct, such as drunk driving.
How an Alexandria Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney Can Help
Traumatic brain injuries may cause permanent impairments that destroy your ability to function on a personal or professional level. If you are in this situation, you may be uncertain about whether you will ever recover or be able to return to your previous job. An Alexandria traumatic brain injury lawyer may be able to help you pursue compensation for your injuries from those responsible for causing the accident.
Proving liability in personal injury cases is not always as straightforward as you might think. Gathering evidence to support your claim is a difficult task, but a traumatic brain injury attorney in Alexandria may be able to help. Call today to learn how an attorney could help you. You can reach Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers at (318) 777-7777.
Get The HelpYou Need(318) 777-7777To Schedule a FREE CONSULATION
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