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Sandy Springs Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer
We hope we never have to find ourselves or loved ones faced with a traumatic brain injury, but unfortunately, tragedies can and do occur every day. Something as devastating as a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can completely alter a person’s life as well as their family’s life. Between the possibility of losing the ability to see, speak, work, or move, and the thousands of dollars you could spend on medical care and treatment, post-recovery life can seem bleak. That is why you should call a Sandy Springs traumatic brain injury lawyer at Ashenden & Associates to seek out the maximum compensation for your or your family’s suffering. Our team of experienced traumatic brain injury attorneys know they can never undo the brain damage, but they can still help you receive the financial support you need while healing. We have been supporting and representing brain injury victims for decades. Call 770-394-8909 to schedule a free consultation at our brain injury law firm today.
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury is a type of head injury that’s characterized by brain dysfunction and damage. These head injuries are usually caused by a violent blow to the head or violent penetration to the head. So a traumatic brain injury could be either a closed head injury or an open head injury, depending on what type of accident occurred.
Common types of traumatic brain injuries can include a concussion, a diffuse axonal injury, an anoxic brain injury, a cerebral contusion, and an open head injury due to a penetrating object. Those who suffer serious brain injuries due to negligence should call a Sandy Springs traumatic brain injury lawyer as soon as possible.
How Common are Traumatic Brain Injuries in the U.S.?
Sadly, thousands of Americans suffer from traumatic brain injuries each day. According to the statistics provided by the CDC, it is estimated that approximately 1.5 million Americans survive a traumatic brain injury every single year; among these, about 230,000 are hospitalized.
Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms
While all traumatic brain injury cases should be taken seriously, the types of brain injuries can range from mild, to moderate, to severe. Additionally, people don’t always suffer from physical ailments but can be deeply scarred emotionally and mentally as well.
The most common mild traumatic brain injury is one that you have surely heard of — a concussion. Most of the time, people recover from mild traumatic brain injuries with very little medical treatment and often have no lasting effects, but the symptoms should still not be ignored. Common symptoms of a mild traumatic brain injury can include:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Confusion
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Difficulty balancing or standing
- Difficulty with speech
- Changes in memory or comprehension
- Changes in sleep
- Light sensitivity, blurry vision, ringing in ears, etc.
- Headache
- Changes in mood regarding anxiety or depression or anger
- There may be a loss of consciousness, but you do not have to lose consciousness to have a mild traumatic brain injury.
A moderate to severe TBI often requires immediate medical attention because it can be life-altering or life-threatening. While traumatic brain injury victims can recover, they may suffer from lifelong complications and hurdles. Symptoms of a moderate to severe injury are similar to the ones listed above, but can also include:
- A severe headache or migraine
- Seizures
- Extreme confusion
- Constant nausea or vomiting
- Pupil dilation in one or both eyes
- Inability to wake or long-term loss of consciousness
- Major mood swings and strange behavior
- Fluids leaking from the ears or nose
- Loss of coordination
- Difficulty speaking
- And more.
Long-Term Effects of a Traumatic Brain Injury
One would think that the hardest trial would be surviving the serious brain injury, but there can be many long-lasting effects from head trauma. Many people who suffer traumatic brain injuries go on to have long-term medical issues, but they can still live relatively normal lives with the right medical care. These long-term health issues can fall under the diagnosis of post-concussive syndrome.
Every situation, person, and brain injury is different. But if someone suffered a serious brain injury resulting in permanent brain tissue damage, cell death, or even a brain bleed, they should expect that their recovery and post-recovery life will look quite different. Long-term physical, emotional, and cognitive complications can show up immediately or months later.
Like mentioned above, a traumatic brain injury can cause a person to have a long list of physical symptoms and complications. That is why it is so important to have a strong team of Sandy Springs traumatic brain injury lawyers that will work hard to recover compensation to assist with your medical bills and other damages. Traumatic brain injuries can also cause physical disabilities such as:
- Weakness or tenderness in the limbs
- Difficulty standing or keeping balanced
- Frequent seizures
- Pressure in the head
- Vomiting
- Changes in blood pressure
- Blood clots
- Dizziness
- And more
A traumatic brain injury victim may suffer behaviorally and emotionally for the rest of their life. Some of these complications include:
- Anxiety, depression, mood swings
- Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD
- Violent outbursts
- Out-of-character behaviors
- Easily irritable
- Lack of self-control
- Psychologically damaged (lack of empathy for others, dislike of others, etc.)
- Strange social behaviors
Unfortunately, traumatic brain injury survivors can also suffer from communication and intellectual complications, sometimes for the rest of their lives. Some of these complications can include:
- Memory loss or issues
- Slurred speech or inability to speak
- Inability to concentrate or difficulty concentrating
- Inability to read or write
- Changes in judgment, reasoning, and rationality
- Difficulty planning, organizing and problem-solving
- Difficulty in processing thought and understanding
- Loss of social awareness/normal social behaviors
- And more
If you or your loved one has noticed or is experiencing any of these complications after a traumatic accident, it is important to seek legal assistance from a Sandy Springs traumatic brain injury attorney at Ashenden & Associates. We can listen to your story and help you determine if you have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit in order to recover financial compensation.
Common Causes of a Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injuries can be caused by everyday activity; all that’s needed is a violent blow to the head. Whether it be an accidental slip down your steps or a hard hit in a football game–you could suffer a TBI. Some of the most common causes of traumatic brain injury are:
- Motor vehicle accidents such as a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, boating accident, bicycle accident, bus accident, etc.
- Medical negligence or medical malpractice incidents such as surgical errors, anesthesia errors, medication errors, etc.
- Violent physical assaults such as beating and shootings
- Sports accidents
- Explosive or combat injuries
- Workplace accidents
- And more
Traumatic Brain Injury Treatments
Depending on the severity of your traumatic brain injury, treatments may vary. For something mild like a concussion, you may just be sent home to rest and have someone watch you to make sure you don’t experience any further complications. You may also be prescribed pain medication or be told to stay home from work or school for a short time.
Meanwhile, a traumatic brain injury that is moderate to severe may require extensive medical intervention. Of course, each individual traumatic brain injury case will differ–requiring unique medical care specific to their brain trauma. A severe brain injury may require surgery and physical therapy. Some traumatic brain injuries may be treated with medications. And tragically, some traumatic brain injury victims may not make it out of hospital care at all, racking up mountains of debt through medical expenses and lost wages.
That’s why you should call a Sandy Springs traumatic brain injury lawyer today at Ashenden & Associates. Our traumatic brain injury attorneys work closely with medical experts to determine the exact cause and severity of your injuries. That way, we can accurately calculate your medical costs and lost wages in a brain injury lawsuit.
Proving Negligence in a TBI Lawsuit
Just like other personal injury lawsuits, successful brain injury lawsuits require the victim and their legal team to prove how someone else’s negligence caused the head injury. A Sandy Springs head injury lawyer does this with the four elements of negligence:
- Duty of Care: The defendant owed the traumatic brain injury victim a certain duty of care to act safely and responsibly.
- Breached Duty of Care: The defendant violated that duty of care by driving drunk or recklessly and causing a motor vehicle accident (for example).
- Causation: The traumatic brain injury is directly inflicted by the breached duty of care.
- Damages: The traumatic brain injury survivor can seek out compensation for whatever damages they incurred from the responsible party’s negligent behavior.
Sandy Springs personal injury attorneys may prove these elements of negligence with the help of medical records, witness statements, police reports, surveillance camera footage, etc.
TBI Damages
There are so many types and different damages related to traumatic brain injury that can be sought after in a traumatic brain injury lawsuit. They are as follows:
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future rehabilitation bills
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
- Physical pain and suffering
- Any bills associated with medical care and equipment
- Caretaking expenses such as home health
Call a Sandy Springs Brain Injury Lawyer at Ashenden & Associates Today
If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury caused by someone else’s negligence, you may have grounds to recover financial compensation through a traumatic brain injury claim. But before you go down the complex road of civil lawsuits, it’s crucial to hire experienced legal representation. Every Sandy Springs head injury attorney at Ashenden & Associates has the skill and experience necessary to obtain justice and a fair settlement for accident victims. In fact, our top-notch personal injury lawyers have recovered more than $2.3 million in settlements just for motor vehicle accidents alone. And, as we all know, traumatic brain injuries are very common car accident injuries.
Do not suffer alone with your physical, emotional, and financial struggles after your accident. Call Sandy Springs head injury lawyers at 770-394-8909 to schedule a free consultation today.
