March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, so we’re giving you the low-down on what Traumatic Brain Injuries are and how we can help you or your loved one after one.
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is an injury to the brain tissue caused by an external force. This could be anything as general as a concussion all the way up to a foreign object entering the brain. A TBI can happen as a result of a car crash, truck accident, or a slip and fall in which someone’s head hits something hard. When these types of injuries occur, they are often subtle.
Just because your skull wasn’t cracked doesn’t mean you won’t have a brain injury. Some people have a TBI without even losing consciousness. Sometimes a TBI will reveal itself immediately, but it can also appear over time. Things like excessive drowsiness, loss of consciousness at the impact, nausea, or vomiting because of impact can be common indicators. General concussion type symptoms can also be indicators of a traumatic brain injury.
If the person who is injured and has suffered a traumatic brain injury is no longer capable of making legal decisions for themselves, there is a system in place to have someone else stand in their shoes and bring the claim on their behalf. This is usually a family member or other responsible person who will file the lawsuit on behalf of the injured individual.
In the United States there is approximately 2.8 million traumatic brain injuries each year. Of those, 56,000 die, 282,000 are hospitalized, 2.5 million are treated and released from the ER. Of those who are treated and released, up to 15% who are diagnosed with a mild TBI may have long-term problems. The Brain Injury Association of Florida (BIAF) estimates that about 97,000 Florida residents suffer from traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Every year in Florida, these head injuries result in 74,000 emergency room visits, 18,600 hospitalizations, and 3,800 deaths.
Getting a Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney
Traumatic brain injury is one of the worst injuries a person can sustain. You or a loved one who has suffered a traumatic brain injury due to the negligence of another can and should be compensated. With a case as severe as a TBI, it’s important to talk to an attorney to discuss your options. Personal injury cases are almost always contingency cases, meaning no money is required out of pocket from the injured person or their family. Rather than paying an attorney by the hour, most often personal injury lawyers are compensated by receiving a percentage at the end of whatever they recover.
If you’re interested in having a consultation with our catastrophic injury lawyer regarding a traumatic brain injury you or a loved one received, please give us a call at 772-286-1000. We can set up consultations over the phone, video chat, or in person at any of our offices. When you come in to meet with our staff you’ll want to bring as much documentation as you have. Photos of the crash, from the scene, medical bills, and all other paperwork, are all items that are more than likely to be important in your case.
Statistics were pulled from the CDC, the Brain Injury Association of America, and BrainLine.org.
