If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, you may be struggling with the next steps forward or how to cope with your new life. One of our knowledgeable Seattle brain injury attorney’s can walk you through the process of financial compensation.
Call us today at (206) 489-5140 to speak with one of our Seattle personal injury attorneys about your case. We know traumatic brain injuries are life-changing events.
A traumatic brain injury usually results from a significant blow to the head or jolt to the body. The blow or jolt causes the brain to violently move around inside your skull, causing damage to the brain tissue permanently. Traumatic brain injuries can range from moderate to severe and result in mild cognitive dysfunction, physical impairment, or even death. You or a loved one may be suffering from a brain injury if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it is imperative to seek medical attention immediately. If you leave a brain injury untreated, it can result in death.
You shouldn’t have to pay for costly therapies and surgeries for a brain injury caused by someone else. A skilled brain injury lawyer can help you seek financial compensation from the party that caused your injury. There are two ways to seek recovery for a brain injury.
If your brain injury occurred during a car accident, a Seattle brain injury lawyer can assist you in recovering from the at-fault party’s vehicle insurance company. Dealing with an insurance company can be stressful and an attorney can handle all negotiations on your behalf. Insurance companies know that you’re in a vulnerable state and will take advantage of that to deny your claim or talk you into taking a lower settlement amount than you deserve.
Here’s the catch, Washington only requires drivers to carry insurance coverage well below the amount you may have to pay for brain injury recovery. Washington only requires the following minimum insurance coverage:
An at-fault party’s insurance company will do everything they can to convince you to take a lower insurance settlement. With the help of a knowledgeable brain injury attorney, you can recover from the at-fault party’s insurance for more than you would have on your own. A Seattle brain injury lawyer can also help you file a personal injury action against the at-fault driver to recover economic and non-economic damages including lost wages, disability payments, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and much more.
You can pursue a civil action for negligence or personal injury against the at-fault party. An attorney can counsel you through the complex court process. A skilled attorney will help you develop a case that will win you the highest financial compensation award possible. Damage awards are intended to return you to how you were before the accident through financial compensation.
Brain injuries can occur in any number of situations. The most common are the following:
Brain injuries can occur in any situation involving contact with your head. The second leading cause for traumatic brain injuries are car accidents. It is imperative to wear your seatbelt when in a vehicle to reduce the chance of suffering from a brain injury if you are involved in a vehicle collision.
Treatment following the diagnosis of a traumatic brain injury will depend on the extent of your brain injury. You or a loved one could experience a variety of treatments and therapies in the hours, days, weeks, and even months following your diagnosis.
Unlike other injuries from car accidents, brain injury recovery could last a lifetime. On average, brain injury recovery costs $85,000 – $3,000,000 over the lifetime of a patient. Many people who suffer a brain injury can no longer work or no longer work in the job they had before the accident. It can be stressful trying to figure out how to financially recover from a car accident, let alone facing a lifetime of recovery and up to 7-figures worth of medical and rehabilitation bills. A Seattle brain injury lawyer can help.
A traumatic brain injury results from a sudden blow, bump, or jolt to the head. The blow, bump, or jolt causes your brain and skull to collide and permanently damages your brain tissue. The term Traumatic Brain Injury refers only to damage caused by an external force. Damage resulting from a stroke, tumor, or other medical condition is not the same as a TBI.
The human brain is a soft and delicate mass of tissue. Despite protective fluid and three layers of protective membranes covering the 3-4 pound brain, a powerful enough blow to the head may cause the brain tissue to shake violently inside the skull, causing compression, stretching, pulling, and even tearing of the brain tissue.
There are differences between closed head injuries and open head injuries but both types may cause traumatic brain injury. In a closed head injury, the brain experiences damage from a blow or from the head stopping suddenly after moving at high speed, such as in a collision car accident. In a closed head injury the brain may experience the following trauma:
An open head injury means that something has penetrated the skull and the protective layers covering the brain, exposing the sensitive tissue to air. Open head injuries typically cause smaller areas of damage than closed head injuries but may be just as destructive depending on the pathway of the penetrating object and what area of the brain is damaged or destroyed.
The primary injury to a brain occurs at the time of the accident, injury, or blow to the head. Examples of primary injuries include:
Secondary injuries occur hours or even days after an initial injury and happen as a result of swelling or lack of oxygen.
Most TBIs fit into one of three major categories depending on the type of injury and amount of damage it caused. Doctors determine this based on the amount of time a patient lost consciousness — if they lost consciousness at all.
Treatment for a TBI depends on the injury’s severity. Every accident victim with a head injury should seek treatment immediately so a doctor can determine whether there has been a TBI and its severity. Mild TBIs like concussions and contusions typically require only rest, pain medication, and observation.
Moderate to severe TBIs require immediate emergency medical treatment to maintain the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and to reduce swelling to minimize damage. Patients may need medications and surgery to repair damage or relieve pressure on the sensitive brain tissue. Once stabilized, treatment includes any necessary ongoing medications and rehabilitation services to maximize a patient’s quality of life.
Wearing a seatbelt and using approved, age-appropriate child car seats at all times in a moving motor vehicle minimizes the risk of a driver or passenger experiencing a traumatic brain injury in a crash.
Wearing a helmet on a motorcycle and when cycling, skating or participating in other wheeled sports and activities protects against TBIs in the event of an accident or fall.
Install window guards and stair-safety gates in homes with children and provide safe places for children to play. Keep chairs and beds away from windows in multi-story homes or apartments. Asking for help and protection in domestic violence situations and securing away all firearms in the home minimizes the risk of TBIs from violence, accidental shootings, and suicides.
If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury due to another party’s negligence or reckless behavior, the skilled litigators at The Fang Law Firm can put their decades of experience with TBI claims to work on your behalf.
In recent decades, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) have become a leading cause of death in the United States. It is also the leading cause of injury-related accidental deaths. Data reveals that 1.70 million people sustain some degree of TBI per year. An average of 52,000 people die from traumatic brain injuries annually. Car accidents, falls, and work-related injuries are common causes of TBIs. The effects of traumatic brain injuries vary according to the severity of the injury, but all brain injuries are significant and can have long-term effects.
The Seattle brain injury attorneys at The Fang Law Firm are standing by to help you with your brain injury claim. Don’t delay; contact The Fang Law Firm today at (206) 489-5140. One of our knowledgeable brain injury attorneys in Seattle will walk you through a free case consultation.