Philadelphia Brain Injury Attorney

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stoke, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a form of acquired brain injury that is caused by a sudden trauma that damages the brain. A TBI can occur when the head “suddenly and violently” hits something. Another cause is when “an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue.” People can suffer traumatic brain injuries in many different types of accidents.

Some of the common types of accidents that can result in brain injuries include the following:

• Motor vehicle collisions
• Motorcycle wrecks
• Truck crashes
• Slip and fall accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Construction accidents
• Workplace accidents
• Defective helmets
• Medical malpractice

If you or your loved one have sustained a traumatic brain injury, a Philadelphia brain injury attorney at Raynes & Lawn can help. Our team is prepared to meet with you and provide a free evaluation of your claim. Contact us today to request a consultation.

Types Of Head Trauma

Brain injuries can occur through open or closed head trauma. Brain injuries caused by open head trauma occur when a foreign object pierces through the skull and contacts the brain, causing damage. Open brain injuries can happen in violent assaults, catastrophic motor vehicle wrecks, being struck by projectiles on a worksite, and other situations in which an object pierces the skull.

Closed brain injuries happen when a blow to the head or a sudden, violent jolt causes the brain to bounce inside of the skull and strike the bones of the skull. This can cause hemorrhaging, bruising, and other types of damage.

Effects Of Traumatic Brain Injuries

The consequences of traumatic brain injuries depend on several factors, including the location of the injury, its size, the victims’ ages and general health, and the length of time that passes between the time of the injuries and when they are diagnosed and treated.

Some of the potential effects of traumatic brain injuries include the following:

• Diffuse axonal injury – Tearing of the long nerve fibers caused by the brain rotating inside of the skull and can result in coma and widespread brain damage
• Cerebral edema – Swelling of the brain that can disrupt the blood-brain barrier and can be life-threatening
• Brain hematoma – Collection of blood from a leaking vessel that can place pressure on the brain and interrupt the flow of oxygen the leaking vessel supplies to the affected brain areas
• Hypoxia – Oxygen deprivation to the brain that can cause brain cell death
• Intracranial hemorrhage – Bleeding inside of the brain tissue due to ruptured vessels that can interrupt the flow of oxygen and led to cell death

These potential effects of head trauma can result in permanent damage or death. If you think that you have sustained a traumatic brain injury or have received a blow to your head, you should seek medical care immediately.

Symptoms Of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Some of the symptoms that might indicate that you or your loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury include the following:

• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Bad taste in mouth
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Restlessness and agitation
• Numbness or tingling in the extremities
• Slurred speech
• Cognitive changes
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Memory loss
• Loss of consciousness
• Fluid discharged from the nose or ears
• Seizures and convulsions
• Behavioral, mood, and sleep changes
• Severe headache

The symptoms of a TBI can range from mild, moderate, and severe. Someone with a mild traumatic brain injury may pass out momentarily and then regain consciousness not even a minute later. Meanwhile, those with a severe traumatic brain injury may be fine initially but complain of a headache and experience seizures later on.

If you experience any of these types of symptoms after an accident, you should go to the emergency department. Getting prompt medical treatment can help to prevent your injury from worsening and causing more damage.

How Brain Injuries Are Treated

The types of treatment you might receive will depend on the severity and location of your injury.

Some of the types of treatment that might be used include the following:

• Respiratory, speech, occupational, or physical therapy to help regain function
• Diuretics, anti-seizure medications, or anti-inflammatory medications
• Surgery to remove foreign objects or to relieve pressure caused by fluid buildup or brain hemorrhages
• Medically induced coma to prevent additional brain damage caused by swelling

Mild traumatic brain injuries might resolve on their own in a few weeks with rest. Moderate to severe brain injuries might require more aggressive interventions. Most of the time, surgery is required to stop any hematomas and contusions from developing inside the skull or to relieve any pressure. When promptly caught and treated, TBIs can heal successfully. The lingering effects depend greatly on the speed of treatment, as well as the severity of the traumatic brain injury.

Damages In A Brain Injury Lawsuit

The damages you might receive after suffering a brain injury because of the negligent or wrongful acts of others will depend on its severity and the costs required to treat it. Other factors can also impact the damages you might receive.

Some of the potential types of damages that might be recoverable through a lawsuit include the following:

• Hospitalization costs
• Other medical expenses
• Surgical costs
• Past and future rehabilitation costs
• Medication costs
• Future anticipated medical costs
• Past wage losses
• Reduction in your ability to earn an income in the future
• Modifications need for your home if you are disabled
• Attendant care costs
• Physical pain and suffering
• Loss of the enjoyment of life
• Disability
• Emotional trauma

Following an accident and a traumatic brain injury, you need to meet with a lawyer who can properly value your claim. Our attorneys work with experts to help build our clients’ cases, including neurologists and others. Working with experts helps us to understand your brain injury and how it might affect your life and can help us to value your claim and seek a full and fair settlement for you.

How Do You Prove a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Since most clients are not neurologists or brain specialists, the Philadelphia brain injury attorneys at Raynes & Lawn call in the experts to stand as a witness in your case. Most of the time, we call on those medical professionals who diagnosed your TBI in the first place. Furthermore, hospitals and doctor’s offices maintain a high level of record-keeping to ensure that every step of your treatment is on file. Thus, your doctor or surgeon can produce and describe the documents pertaining to your traumatic brain injury diagnosis.

There are several approaches to diagnosing these kinds of injuries, all of which could be presented in court to prove the extent of the damages you faced.

Here are some ways a Philadelphia brain injury lawyer would prove a TBI had occurred:

• The Glasgow Coma Scale: a scale that measures the level of cognition in an individual based on three facets. This includes speaking ability, movement, and opening and closing the eyes. Since people suffering from traumatic brain injuries tend to have cognitive disabilities (both temporary and permanent), the scale is used to measure the grade of severity by those symptoms.
• Intracranial Pressure (CP) Monitoring: a probe is inserted into the skull to monitor swelling and the potential of brain damage.
• Computerize Tomography (CT) Scans: x-rays that create a total rendering of the brain to show bruising, bleeding, and other damages.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): a scan that uses radio waves and magnets to develop images far more detailed than a CT scan.

With this information, as well as physical evidence of injuries from your accident, Raynes & Lawn will show you have been hindered and require compensation for the damages inflicted. After all, TBIs are more than just a medical expense. They influence every part of your life, even long after you have healed.

Talk To A Brain Injury Lawyer In Philadephia

If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident because of the actions of another person or entity, you should speak to the experienced Philadelphia brain injury attorneys at Raynes & Lawn. We have more than 50 years of experience fighting for the rights of accident victims. Our experienced and knowledgeable attorneys have recovered billions of dollars on behalf of those with TBIs. Schedule a free consultation by filling out our contact form or by calling us at 1-800-535-1797.

For the general public:  This Blog/Website is made available by the law firm publisher, Raynes & Lawn, for educational purposes. It provides general information and a general understanding of the law but does not provide specific legal advice. By using this site, commenting on posts, or sending inquiries through the site or contact email, you confirm that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Blog/Website publisher. The Blog/Website should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.