Each year approximately 40,000 individuals seek medical treatment as a result of some form of head injury. About three quarter of these individuals are diagnosed with traumatic brain injury also known as TBI. Traumatic brain injury refers to physical damage to the brain as a result of the head hitting an object. Injury to the brain can also result from object piercing the skull and the brain. Motor vehicle accidents account for a large percentage of traumatic brain injuries, other causes include sports injuries, falls and violent crimes. Due to the possible short and long term effects of TBI it is important to immediately seek the services of a New York brain injury lawyer in order to recover damages.
Few people are aware of the dangers of brain injury immediately following an accident, since the medical personnel is generally concentrated with saving the person’s life. As a matter of fact, historically, the death rate was high for individuals who suffered a traumatic brain injury. However, technological advancement has enabled healthcare experts to monitor breathing and reduce intracranial pressure that lead to significant improvement in the survival rate of TBI patients. Most experience New York brain injury attorneys understand the difficult task of representing TBI patients since the symptoms are often times misunderstood or confused with other complications. Signs and symptoms of TBI include memory loss, impaired perception, compulsive behavior, personality change, concussions, hearing and balance disorders and cognitive fatigue.
The majority of traumatic brain injury symptoms do not have clear physical manifestations. And, due to the complexity of these symptoms many patients do not receive appropriate treatment and care. In some instances patients with severe injuries are left in a permanent unresponsive state. People suffering from severe traumatic brain injury often require long-term rehabilitation in order to maximize their function and independence. This is because change in brain function is likely to have a dramatic impact on the individual’s family, career and social interactions.
Brain injury is often classified as mild or severe depending on the damage caused to the brain. In mild brain injury, confusion and loss of consciousness or disorientation is usually shorter than 30 minutes. CAT and MRI scans of such patients often appear normal although the person is likely to have cognitive issues such as memory loss, difficulty thinking, headaches, frustration, attention deficits and mood swings.
On the other hand, severe TBI is closely associated with loss of consciousness for more than half an hour, loss of memory after injury that lasts longer than 24 hours. Victims of severe TBI have deficits that range from high level of cognitive functions impairment to a state of comatose. Patients who survive such injuries often exhibit limited use of their limbs, abnormal language or speech, emotional problems and loss of coherent thought patterns.
Treatment and management of TBI involves physical, psychological, cognitive and social programs, and, such programs can become very expensive to administer. Some patients may be fortunate to have health insurance that may cover this cost but some are not so fortunate. In order to maximize money damages for TBI patients, you need an experienced brain injury lawyer who thoroughly understands the complexities of such injuries. Additionally, such an injury attorney should understand all the legal issues surrounding traumatic brain injury and how to successfully represent his/her client in a lawsuit.
If you or your loved one have experienced the above symptoms or have been involved in an accident likely to lead to TBI it is important to get good legal representation as soon as possible. You should contact a New York City brain injury attorney with in-depth knowledge and experience with such lawsuits.
