Nearly 1.4 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury every year. This can happen from incidents like a car accident or even a fall on the job. A traumatic brain injury can turn a person’s world upside down, both through inevitable daily struggles and financial struggles. If you or a loved one have suffered from a traumatic brain injury in an accident caused by another’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation.
If you are located in the Philadelphia area, Stark & Stark’s personal injury lawyers are here to help you. Contact us for a free legal consultation—you won’t pay anything unless we recover compensation for you.
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What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is as serious as it sounds. According to the Mayo Clinic, a traumatic brain injury “usually results from a violent blow or jolt to the head or body.” Objects that go through brain tissue, like a bullet or a shattered piece of skull, can also cause a traumatic brain injury.
Traumatic brain injuries are one of the leading causes of disabilities and deaths in the United States. According to the CDC, in 2014 close to 3 million emergency room visits, hospital visits, and deaths were caused by traumatic brain injuries.
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Philadelphia
While anyone can experience a traumatic brain injury, certain groups are more affected than others. Around 80% of those affected by TBIs are men. Traumatic brain injuries are also more common for people who are 65 and older.
There are also certain professions that run a higher risk of traumatic brain injuries, including construction workers. Construction workers are particularly prone to falls from heights, which is a common cause of traumatic brain injuries.
Other causes of traumatic brain injuries include the following:
- Motor vehicle accidents: Car crashes are one of the main causes of traumatic brain injuries and the leading cause of TBI-related fatalities among women.
- Falls: People over the age of 75 are more likely to suffer from traumatic brain injuries caused by falls. However, construction workers and anyone who works from scaffolding and roofs are at risk of injuring their heads in a fall from heights accident.
- Violence: The leading cause of brain injuries among men is violence, particularly from direct hits to the head.
Different Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
When diagnosing the type of traumatic brain injury a person has, medical professionals will consider the severity of the injury, whether the patient lost consciousness, abnormalities on their CT scan, and several other factors.
The type of traumatic brain injuries are as follows:
- Mild Concussions: Concussions are the most common form of traumatic brain injuries. In fact, concussions typically make up around 75% of all traumatic brain injuries. This type of injury can include having a dazed feeling, loss of consciousness for less than half an hour, and even memory problems.
- Moderate Traumatic Brain Injuries: This type of injury is described as losing consciousness for over half an hour, but less than a day. As well, confusion and memory problems tend to last up to one week.
- Severe Traumatic Brain Injuries: People with this type of injury will lose consciousness for more than one day. It’s also important to note that this type of injury is associated with changes on a CT or MRI.
- Closed Traumatic Brain Injury: This is the most common type of traumatic brain injury. A closed traumatic brain injury means that an outside force caused the blow to the head, but did not penetrate the skull. However, the impact does still cause the brain to swell.
- Open Traumatic Brain Injury: Also known as a penetrating traumatic brain injury, this type of injury occurs when something like a bullet or a knife goes through the skull. If the object goes through the brain, it directly damages the brain.
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Symptoms and Complications of Traumatic Brain Injuries
The symptoms a person experiences from a traumatic brain injury are directly related to how severe the injury is. One key sign is loss of consciousness, or passing out, after a blow to the head. Some people also experience a dazed feeling for a couple of minutes, and others are unresponsive for long periods.
Even those with mild traumatic brain injuries can have a multitude of symptoms. These symptoms tend to occur right after the injury and the days following. Some have even reported that they do not feel how severe their injury is until they return to work.
Other symptoms you may suffer from after a traumatic brain injury include:
- Mood changes
- Memory problems
- Convulsions or seizures
- Blurred vision
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Agitation
- Sensitivity to light
- Sensitivity to smell
- Disruption in normal sleep patterns
- Slurred speech
How Can a Philadelphia Traumatic Brain Injury Law Firm Help Me?
In addition to astronomical medical bills, traumatic brain injuries can prevent you from working. The financial stress combined with the physical toll caused by a traumatic brain injury can disrupt and sometimes permanently alter your life.
If you suffered a traumatic brain injury from an accident caused by another’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation.
Examples of negligent parties include:
- At-fault drivers
- Property owners who fail to remove slip and trip hazards on their premises
- Property owners or construction contractors who fail to provide proper safety equipment for workers
Traumatic brain injury cases are especially complex, which is why you need an experienced team of personal injury lawyers who can build a solid case for you to help get you the compensation you may be entitled to.
Stark & Stark’s traumatic brain injury attorneys will fight for the highest compensation possible to make sure this life-altering injury does minimum damage financially. Our Philadelphia traumatic brain injury law firm can help you get compensation for your medical bills, money back for lost wages while you were unable to work, pain and suffering, and more.
If your injury was caused by a work-related accident, our Philadelphia workers’ compensation lawyers can help you pursue workers’ compensation benefits regardless of who may have been at fault as well.
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Why You Should Choose Stark & Stark
Our traumatic head injury lawyers provide each client with personal guidance in order to obtain the best possible outcome to help their healing and recovery. At Stark & Stark, we fight tirelessly to obtain justice for our injured Philadelphia clients and are prepared to take their case to trial if a fair settlement offer cannot be reached.
Our Philadelphia office is ready to help you throughout every step of your pursuit for compensation. To find out if you qualify for compensation or to learn more about how Stark & Stark can help you, contact us.
