Brain injuries are among the most serious personal injuries that one can suffer. While some may recover in the days and months afterward, others will be left with severe impacts for the rest of their life.
Brain injuries are also among the most expensive to treat, potentially costing millions of dollars. Families can be left to deal with prohibitive costs. When someone else is responsible for the accident, they are legally obligated to pay financial compensation.
Call the Mt. Pleasant brain injury lawyers at Rikard & Protopapas if you or a loved one have suffered a TBI in an accident.
Causes of a Traumatic Brain Injury
An accident victim can suffer a brain injury any time that there is trauma to the head. In most cases, this is a direct blow to the head. However, one can also sustain a brain injury when their head snaps forward violently.
One can suffer a brain injury from a:
- Car accident
- Motorcycle accident
- Pedestrian accident
- Slip and fall
- Bicycle accident
All it takes is one moment of impact of intense trauma, and the brain can be affected permanently.
Different Types of Brain Injuries We Handle
The most common type of brain injury is a closed brain injury. This injury occurs when there is a violent motion, and the brain moves back and forth inside the skull. The brain tissue and vessels would bruise and tear. Most often, these injuries are caused by a fall or a motor vehicle accident. One could also suffer a closed brain injury through other types of violent impact, such as an assault.
Types of closed-head brain injuries include:
- A diffuse axonal injury is when there is damage to the axons of the brain cells. The brain cells would not be able to function, costing the patient vital functions.
- An edema is when the brain swells from a traumatic impact. The skull does not expand, placing extra pressure on the brain.
- A concussion is a common brain injury that results from the brain hitting the skull from a violent motion.
A penetrating brain injury occurs when something enters the head, such as a bullet. These injuries can destroy entire regions of the brain and cause lifelong effects for those who are able to survive.
Symptoms of a Brain Injury
There are times when a brain injury patient may not yet realize that they have been hurt. Symptoms of a brain injury could develop over time.
It is crucial to seek medical attention if you or a loved one are experiencing any of the following after an accident:
- Persistent headaches that do not get better
- Loss of vision in one or both eyes
- Slurred speech
- Prolonged nausea and vomiting
- Trouble concentrating
- Unexplained irritability
In more serious cases, the accident victim will develop immediate complications. They may lose vital bodily functions, such as movement or speech.
Treatment for a Traumatic Brain Injury
The days after a brain injury are the most crucial ones for treatment. In the short term, doctors may need to relieve pressure on the brain. In cases of serious brain injury, the patient may need emergency surgery. In other cases, the doctor may administer medication or even induce a coma.
In the longer term, the patient may need extensive rehabilitation to help them regain as much of their function as possible. Treatment for a traumatic brain injury includes:
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- Speech therapy
- Treatment from a neuropsychologist
- Recreational therapy
The brain does regenerate tissue or heal itself over time. Therefore, much of the longer-term treatment is aimed at helping the patient live with their brain injury and relearn some functions.
The Costs of a Brain Injury in South Carolina
There is a reason why brain injury cases result in one of the higher average settlements of any type of personal injury action. The costs associated with a brain injury are extremely high. From the medical care to the costs necessary to help with daily activities, you have likely suffered extensive damages,
Your settlement or award will depend on how seriously you have been injured.
Some severe cases may result in medical costs alone in the millions of dollars. In addition, there are the following damages to consider:
- The costs of caring for a brain injury patient and helping with activities of daily life.
- The pain and suffering that a brain injury patient endures.
- The money that the accident victim would have earned over the course of their working career.
- The embarrassment and humiliation that one experiences after a brain injury.
You should focus on getting every dollar possible because you will need this money in the future. You only get one chance to settle a brain injury claim or lawsuit, and you will not be able to get more money if you settle the case for too little.
How Our Brain Injury Attorneys Can Help
At Rikard & Protopapas, we never stop fighting for you to get as much as you can in compensation. Many steps need to happen first, and our Mt. Pleasant injury attorneys help with every one of them, including:
- Investigating the accident to determine the proper defendants and gather the evidence necessary to prove your case
- Reviewing your situation and working with experts to determine the amount of damages
- Dealing with the insurance company on your behalf, saving you and your family the burden
- Filing the claim with the insurance company or the lawsuit in court on your behalf
- Securing adequate compensation, either through a settlement agreement of after presenting your case to a jury
Contact a Mt. Pleasant Brain Injury Lawyer Today
A family needs every possible dollar that they can get in financial compensation when a loved one has suffered a brain injury. The TBI attorneys at Rikard & Protopapas make your case our cause, fighting for your long-term interests through a difficult legal process. Families should reach out to a lawyer as soon as possible after the accident to schedule a free consultation.
You can call us today at 803-978-6111 or message us online to speak to a lawyer. You owe us nothing at all unless you win your case.