brain injuries happen to everyone, it is common among men aged between 15 and 24. The elderly and children under five years also have high incidence rates. Traumatic brain injuries, mild, moderate, or severe, can affect the victim’s aspect and quality of life.
Brain injury has resulted in disability among 5.3 million Americans. About 100,000 of these individuals happen to be Minnesotans. Falls are the primary contributory factor of brain injuries in Minnesota. If you’re a resident of Minneapolis, for instance, and either you or a loved one has sustained traumatic brain injuries due to someone else’s negligence, you must hire a Minneapolis traumatic brain injury lawyer to help you seek justice and compensation. This guide highlights some causes and symptoms of traumatic brain injuries and why you should promptly hire a personal injury lawyer for your claim.
Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries often result from blows or heavy impacts on the brain. TBI is also caused by sharp injuries that penetrate the brain or skull. Common causes of blunt force trauma or penetrating injuries to the brain include:
- Violent altercations – Brain injuries, such as shaken baby syndrome, often result from violent altercations.
- Contact and non-contact sports – Sports like boxing, football, gymnastics, and horseback riding can cause brain injuries.
- Motor vehicle accidents – Auto accidents are responsible for several traumatic brain injuries annually. Passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists can sustain head trauma and other debilitating injuries from road accidents.
- Accidental slips and falls also cause brain injuries, especially among the elderly and young children.
Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Symptoms of brain injuries vary depending on the cause and severity of the injury. Some signs and symptoms of TBI manifest immediately after the accident, while others appear after weeks, months, or years. Symptoms include:
Symptoms of mild symptoms
- Headache
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Loss of consciousness
- Fatigue or lethargy
- Blurred vision
- Memory problems
- Change in sleep patterns
Symptoms of moderate to severe TBI
- Persistent headache that worsens
- Nausea and vomiting
- Inability to wake up
- Slurred speech
- Numbness of extremities
- Restlessness, agitation, and increased confusion
- Seizures and convulsions
Victims of traumatic brain injuries should be checked by medical personnel as soon as possible to prevent fatalities.
Legal Implications of Traumatic Brain Injuries
You can file a personal injury claim if someone else is liable for your traumatic brain injury. The claim will help you negotiate with insurance companies, worker’s compensation, and access to other benefits. However, you should hire an attorney to increase the chances of winning your compensation claim.
Litigating personal injury claims, including traumatic brain injuries, is complicated. As such, you should hire an experienced personal injury lawyer for the following reasons:
To know the legal basis of your claim
You should understand the legal basis of your claim as it determines several aspects of your personal injury claim. Knowing your legal basis also helps in evidence collection. Most traumatic brain injuries are based on individual negligence. Legal claims based on negligence require plaintiffs to provide sufficient proof that the liable party’s actions were indeed negligent.
The plaintiff should demonstrate the following to win the claim:
- The defendant owed the plaintiff and other people the duty of care
- The defendant didn’t act with reasonable care
- The actions and inactions of the other party are the primary cause of the victim’s injuries
- The victim suffered injuries and damages
Apart from negligence, brain injury lawsuits are sometimes based on defective products. You can file a defective product liability claim if you believe your injuries result from using defective products marketed otherwise. The biggest challenge is convincing the jury that the traumatic brain injury sustained was due to the defendant’s actions, especially in cases involving mild brain injuries, which are difficult to diagnose.
Gather evidence about your injuries
You should also hire an attorney to help you gather evidence to build a personal injury claim. Memory loss is a common issue for most victims recovering from brain injuries. However, you shouldn’t be worried if you can’t remember events that happened before the accident. Your attorney can piece together evidence and reconstruct the accident scene.
The Bottom Line
Victims of accidents that cause traumatic brain injuries often have to deal with the harrowing aftermath. The consequences of moderate to severe brain injuries are life-changing. If you believe your injuries were due to another person’s negligence, you can sue them for compensation. Ensure that you seek expert legal advice from a personal injury lawyer.