Category: Brain Injuries

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have devastating impacts. From medical expenses to long-term disability accommodations, the consequences of a TBI can reach to every aspect of a person’s life. If someone else is responsible for your injuries, you have the right to pursue legal action to recover damages. Understanding the types of compensation available is essential to protect your financial future and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve for the harm you have suffered.

Recovering Damages for Your Traumatic Brain Injury Case

Immediately following a traumatic brain injury, there will likely be extensive and expensive medical interventions. Hospital bills, surgeries, and emergency care bills can quickly accumulate into overwhelming costs. Beyond the initial treatment, TBIs often require long-term care and rehabilitation. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy sessions may also be recommended as well as necessary to regain lost functions. Furthermore, there will be the cost of prescription medications and possibly the need for assistive devices like wheelchairs and other medical treatments. These expenses should all be included in any damage award you pursue following an accident that left you with a traumatic brain injury.

You may also need significant disability accommodations as brain injuries can lead to permanent disabilities necessitating modifications to a victim’s living and working environment. These accommodations can be costly but crucial to maintaining a decent quality of life. If you have sustained a TBI as a result of someone else’s negligence, you have the right to recover compensation for expenses related to these disability accommodations. This may include the costs associated with:

• Installing ramps for wheelchair access
• Widening doorways to accommodate mobility aids
• Adapting vehicles for transportation
• Acquiring special communication tools for those who have lost their ability to speak or write

TBIs can also have a temporary or permanent impact on a person’s ability to work, leading to substantial financial losses. This means not only a loss of current income, but, in severe cases, a reduction in your future earning potential. You can recover compensation for lost wages if you have to take time off work to recover or receive treatment. If you are unable to return to your previous profession or have to settle for a lower-paying job due to your injuries, you have the right to secure a settlement for the loss of your future earnings. This is especially important because the financial impact of a TBI can persist for years or even a lifetime.

Pain and suffering damages are also compensable damages. This includes the pain and emotional suffering you have endured due to your injury. Chronic pain, mental anguish, depression, anxiety, loss of enjoyment of life and more should all be included in your damage award. You must take care to document all of your damages as you will need substantial evidence to support your damages claim. TBI cases can involve significant damages and insurance companies are likely to fight you tooth and nail on paying them out. Be prepared to come right back at them.

Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorneys

If you have sustained a traumatic brain injury, know that you can count on the dedicated team at Cooper, Schall & Levy to tirelessly pursue the damages to which you are legally entitled. Contact us today.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are commonly sustained in accidents involving head trauma. These are serious injuries and can be difficult to diagnose, particularly when a patient is not forthcoming about any symptoms they may be experiencing. Proper diagnosis of a TBI can be critical to most effective recovery and is also likely to play a pivotal role in any personal injury claim you may bring as a result of injuries and other losses you sustain in an accident. We want you to have as many of the facts as possible so that if you or a loved one ever finds yourself possibly having a TBI as a result of an accident, you get the care you need and the monetary recovery to which you are entitled.

Important Facts About Traumatic Brain Injuries 

First, it is good to know some of the basics about TBIs. TBIs run a wide range of severity. Some TBIs are mild while others are moderate or severe. Mild TBIs may result in a loss of consciousness for up to 30 minutes. Most TBIs end up being mild, but it is still important for them to be properly diagnosed as even mild TBIs can have serious health consequences. Symptoms may take days or weeks to present and can include:

• Trouble with coordination
• Depression
• Violent outbursts
• Mood changes
• Excessive sleep
• Sensory issues
• Memory loss
• Nausea
• Seizures

In the case of moderate to severe closed TBIs, the injury victim may lose consciousness for more than an hour. Symptoms can include:

• Dilated pupils
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Trouble speaking
• Confusion
• Irritability
• Combative behavior
• Depression

After an accident where you have sustained head trauma, be on the lookout for these symptoms. As there can be a delay in symptoms presenting themselves, be sure to monitor yourself for several days to a few weeks post-accident. Always be upfront with your doctor about any symptoms you have been experiencing. Accurately reporting your symptoms may lead to your doctor ordering a more thorough neurological examination or brain imaging studies to show if the brain’s surface has sustained any damage.

Proper diagnosis and treatment of a TBI can be critical to maximizing health recovery efforts. It can also be important for personal injury claim purposes. Treating a TBI can be expensive and there can also be costly follow-up care. Furthermore, sustaining a TBI can have a significant impact on your relationships, everyday life, and the activities you can participate in. These are all compensable losses and you can seek monetary recovery for such losses through pursuing a personal injury. 

In a personal injury claim, you can recover damages that include:

• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Medical expenses
• Cost of future medical care
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Pain and suffering

A damage claim is supported by things such as medical documentation. You can also support your damages claim by keeping a journal of how the accident and your injuries have impacted your life. 

Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorneys

If you or a loved one have sustained a TBI in an accident, the trusted team at Cooper, Schall & Levy can help you recover proper compensation for the harm you have sustained. Contact us today.