Traumatic brain injury cases can sometimes get complicated and complex. You’ll need a brain injury lawyer to help protect your best interests, help you make sound decisions, and negotiate fair compensation on your behalf.
If you or your loved one has suffered a brain injury, contact our experienced brain injury attorneys in Westlake Village. We will assist you with all the legal help you need in seeking financial compensation for damages incurred due to the accident.
Learn about your rights as a victim of traumatic brain injury, how an experienced brain injury attorney can assist you, and some commonly asked questions about TBI.
What is a traumatic brain injury?
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is any injury to the brain that disrupts the normal functions of the brain. These injuries occur from sudden external trauma or physical assault on the brain. Brain injuries often result from the reckless and negligent acts of another.
Brain injuries are serious, life-threatening, and may lead to disability. Unfortunately, these injuries are common and impact nearly 400 people in California yearly. It affects victims and their families mentally, emotionally, and financially. The impacts are difficult to recover.
Bojat Law Group understands how brain injuries affect victims and their families. We are committed to seeking justice for our clients, providing them with the best legal assistance they need to obtain maximum compensation.
Types of brain injury
There are many types of brain injuries, but generally, brain injuries are in two categories.
Mild traumatic brain injury
Mild traumatic brain injury may only affect brain cells temporarily. The symptoms of this injury are mild, and the impacts of mild TBI are short-term. An example of mild traumatic brain injury includes – mild concussions.
Though the symptoms associated with this category of TBI are mild, brain injuries like this can pose risks for victims because their symptoms may seem harmless.
Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury
Moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries are more serious and often mean significant problems for victims. This category of TBI is often associated with disability. It causes thousands of deaths in the US each year.
Recovering from a severe TBI can take a long time, months or years. They are often expensive to treat. An example of severe TBI includes– penetrating brain injury.
It is imperative to seek immediate medical assistance after brain injury. No matter how benign the symptoms may seem. Whether you’ve suffered from a mild, moderate, or severe TBI, or brain injury lawyers can help you get your life back on track.
Symptoms of traumatic brain injury.
The symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury include:
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Ringing in the ears, blurred vision
- Changes in sleep pattern
- Sensitivity to sound and light
- Feeling confused and disoriented for a few seconds or minutes
- Anxiety and depression
- Mood swings
Symptoms of moderate to severe brain injury include all the symptoms of mild brain injury, in addition to the following symptoms.
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
- Weakness in the body
- Dilation of pupils
- Loss of combination and dizziness
- Persistent headaches and confusion
- Coma
- Slurred speech
- Persistent nausea and vomiting
- Mood changes, agitation, and behavior changes
- Memory loss
Causes of traumatic brain injury
Some common causes of traumatic brain injury include
Motor vehicle accidents
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury. In 2013, about 14% of TBI incidents were related to motor vehicle accidents. These accidents account for 19% of all TBI-related deaths.
Workplace accidents
Getting hit by falling objects at work is also referred to as unintentional blunt trauma. 15% of all related brain injuries are due to impact.
Physical assaults
Physical assaults account for 10% of all traumatic brain injuries.
Slips and falls
In previous years, slips and falls accounted for 47% of reported traumatic brain injuries.
Effects of traumatic brain injury.
Victims of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury may experience long-term disability and deficits in body movement and functions.
The effects of severe TBI are long-term impairment and behavioral impacts. Some of which include
Cognitive impairment
Cognitive impairment is common in traumatic brain injury and can include;
- Confusion
- Short attention span
- Impaired memory or memory loss
- Planning difficulty
- Inability to differentiate between right and wrong
Speech and language impairment
TBI can impair a victim’s speech and language. They include
- Slurred speech
- Communication and language problems
- Difficulty speaking and reading
Sensory impairment
Sensory impairment includes;
- Vision impairment— double or blurred vision, partial or total vision loss, increased sensitivity to light.
- Perceptual impairment— partial or total loss in pressure and touch sensations, difficulty perceiving temperature and body movements.
- Smell and taste impairment– total or partial loss of taste and smell.
- Hearing impairment— persistent ringing in the ears, total or partial loss of hearing, and increased sensitivity to sound.
Motor skills impairment
Traumatic brain injury can lead to motor skills impairment, such as;
- Loss of coordination
- Muscle stiffness or weakness
- Difficulty swallowing
- Partial or total paralysis
- Difficulty performing basic tasks like writing, bathing, brushing, wearing shoes, and so on.
Behavioral impacts
Behavioral impacts of TBI include depression, anxiety, aggression, social dependency, and others. Behavioral impacts are the effects and impairments caused by TBI.
How our traumatic brain injury attorneys can assist you
If you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury, you have the right to file a lawsuit. Our traumatic brain injury attorney can help hold the at-fault party liable for damages, represent you, and negotiate on your behalf for a fair settlement.
Damages claim in a traumatic brain injury lawsuit include;
Economic damages — these are the financial losses incurred from brain injuries, such as loss of income, loss of earning capacity, present, and future medical expenses, and others.
Non-economic damages — these are emotional impacts of traumatic brain injury, such as loss of enjoyment and quality of life, emotional distress, disability, pain and suffering, and others.
Contact a brain injury attorney in Westlake Village from Bojat Law Group. We will help you regain control of your life by recovering every loss you’ve suffered resulting from the accident.