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Charlotte Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer
Charlotte Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney
Few things can be as detrimental to one’s health as a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Often the result of a catastrophic accident, a TBI is one of the most devastating injuries a person can sustain. It can affect your quality of life dramatically, cause lifelong health problems, and affect your relationships and employment status. If a TBI is the result of someone else’s negligent behavior, you may want to pursue legal action with the help of a Charlotte traumatic brain injury lawyer.
At Bridgman Gantt Law Offices, our attorneys understand how difficult a TBI can be for both sufferers and their loved ones. Whether your injury was caused by a bicycle accident or a slip and fall, we can gather the evidence to hold the liable party accountable. The financial, emotional, and physical difficulties that follow a TBI can be immense, but compensation can give you peace of mind. We’re prepared to exhaust every option to ensure you’re appropriately compensated for your damages.
What Can Cause a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A TBI can be caused by any severe blow to the head. The severity of a TBI depends on how hard the head is hit, how soon the injury is treated, and whether or not it is treated effectively. Failure to properly diagnose a TBI can result in a worse condition or even death in extreme cases.
A TBI is sometimes the result of a serious accident, but it can also be inflicted by violence or others’ recklessness. Here are some of the more common causes of traumatic brain injuries:
- Car Accidents: A car accident can be a sudden, violent impact that results in serious injury or even death. Car accidents remain one of the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries. Depending on your circumstances, you may have a TBI that you’re unaware of, such as a concussion or some form of internal bleeding.If you have been involved in a car accident, you should seek medical help in case you are dealing with internal damage that is not immediately recognizable. You may also want to consider speaking with a car accident lawyer.
- Bad Falls: Sometimes, a TBI can be caused by something as minor as a bad fall. Landing wrong on a hard surface can cause the brain to knock against the skull, which is effectively a concussion. Falling off your bed, on the sidewalk, in the shower, or down the stairs can all result in a traumatic brain injury, as well as broken bones or lacerations, depending on the specific accident.
- Violent Encounters: A violent encounter with a stranger or someone you know, such as a mugging or domestic violence situation, can result in a TBI if you suffer a serious injury to your head. For instance, a gunshot wound, blunt-force trauma, or some other form of assault could cause severe bodily harm.
- Sports Injuries: Sports-related TBIs are common due to the aggressive nature of activities like football, hockey, and boxing. Even playing soccer can result in TBIs if players collide forcefully with each other or the ball.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries can be unpredictable. The symptoms, treatment, and noticeable signs can vary from person to person and are largely determined by the accident that caused the injury in the first place. There are two distinct forms of traumatic brain injuries that medical professionals can diagnose:
- Penetrating TBI: A penetrating TBI occurs when something actively penetrates the skull and injures the brain directly, such as a bullet, bone fragment, or a blade of some kind. Typically, these types of TBIs injure only the part of the brain that was penetrated, but sometimes, they can cause damage to the entire brain if the injury is severe enough. These TBIs can result in permanent disabilities or death, depending on the situation.
- Non-Penetrating TBI: A non-penetrating TBI, or closed TBI, is caused by an external force that hurts the brain through blunt-force trauma. These TBIs will often be the result of car accidents, bad falls, sports injuries, or violent strikes. Often, there is no break in the skull. Moreover, rapid shaking can lead to the bruising of brain tissue, particularly in babies, through a condition known as “shaken baby syndrome.”
Possible Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries
It is vitally important to pay attention to how you feel following a head injury, as you could be experiencing potential symptoms of a traumatic brain injury. If you are feeling any of the following symptoms for any reason, you may want to consider reaching out to a doctor, if only for peace of mind:
- Physical Symptoms. Some potential physical symptoms may be:
- Constant headaches
- Seizures
- Unexplained nausea and/or vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Increased drowsiness
- Slurred speech
- Loss of balance
- Increased weakness in your arms and/or legs
- Pupil dilation
- Cognitive Symptoms: A bad head injury will affect your brain’s equilibrium, which may cause you to experience bizarre cognitive behaviors, such as:
- Random loss of consciousness
- Disorientation
- Memory loss
- Mood swings
- Increased feelings of depression or anxiety
- Insomnia
- Irritability or unexplained frustrations
- Problems making decisions
- Sensory Symptoms: A TBI may also affect your basic senses, which can manifest in a number of different ways, such as:
- An unexplainable bad taste in your mouth
- Ringing in your ears
- Loss of balance or coordination
- Blurred vision
- Light or sound sensitivity
- A lack of energy or motivation.
Not all of these symptoms will be evidence of a TBI. Still, if you have recently suffered a head injury and are feeling some or many of these symptoms, you may want to speak to a medical professional.
Traumatic Brain Injury Claims
If your TBI was caused by another person’s or entity’s negligence, you could file a traumatic brain injury claim against them to recoup the damages you suffered. If successful, you could receive compensation for a myriad of both economic and non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost earning capacity, among others. In many cases, the defendant and their legal counsel reach a settlement with the plaintiff before the claim goes to trial.
FAQs
Q: What Is the Average Settlement for a Traumatic Brain Injury Case?
A: There is no average settlement for a traumatic brain injury case, as every case is different from the rest. Each case brings with it a unique, specific set of circumstances and details, which means the settlement amount for that case will differ from any other. It depends on a number of significant factors, such as the severity and intensity of your injuries, the evidence that proves negligent behavior, and your personal injury lawyer’s negotiation skills.
Q: How Much Is a Traumatic Brain Injury Worth in North Carolina?
A: A traumatic brain injury could be worth a great deal in North Carolina, and an appropriate settlement amount should reflect the seriousness of your case. The more severe and debilitating your TBI, the higher the likelihood of your settlement being substantially high. You can refuse any settlement amount offered by the defendant or the insurance company that does not adequately cover your losses. Your lawyer will help ensure the amount is satisfactory to you.
Q: Do TBI Patients Ever Fully Recover?
A: Yes, some TBI patients do fully recover eventually, but there is no guarantee. Every case is different because every brain is different. Some recover remarkably quickly, others may take years, and still others may never recover at all. According to one study, 28% of patients with a severe TBI made a full recovery four years after their injury, while 79% were even capable of living on their own without full-time care. It depends entirely on the case at hand.
Q: Are Personality Changes After a TBI Permanent?
A: Yes, sometimes, personality changes following a TBI can be permanent, but they can go away with the proper treatment in other cases. At times, a brain injury can cause a virtual rewrite of a patient’s personality.
Those with TBIs could be diagnosed with new neurological disorders they’ve never had before, such as depression, anxiety, and various personality disorders. Receiving the proper treatment can make all the difference and can even help cure those disorders in certain cases.
Consult With an Experienced Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney Today
Dealing with the painful and emotional fallout from a traumatic brain injury can be one of the hardest things one can do in their life. The feelings of isolation, rage, and confusion can be overwhelming, especially if you are going through the recovery process alone. Thankfully, a lawyer can provide compassionate legal assistance.
The talented lawyers at Bridgman Gantt Law Offices are prepared to help you throughout the process of your recovery by assisting you in building your case, gathering the necessary evidence to help you prove negligence, and advocating on your behalf against insurance companies and in court.
This is likely an incredibly difficult time for you, and you deserve a compassionate, empathetic team that knows how to recover compensation on your behalf. Contact us to talk to a member of our team and see how we can help.
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