If you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s negligence, you need experienced legal counsel to pursue the financial relief and justice you deserve. The legal team at Kevin A. Adamson, P.C. can help you seek compensation after a traumatic brain injury.
With nearly 40 years of combined experience, our Duluth brain injury attorneys advocate for the rights of accident victims throughout Georgia – and we can do the same for you. We have a strong track record of success, including multiple six- and seven-figure settlements and verdicts. Contact Kevin A. Adamson, P.C. today for a free consultation with a Duluth brain injury lawyer to learn more.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is damage to the brain tissue caused by a violent blow to the head or an object that goes through the skull and enters the brain. Traumatic brain injuries can cause changes to brain function or damage the brain’s structure.
What Accidents Can Cause a Brain Injury?
Brain injuries can occur due to any force on the head or an object penetrating the skull.
Examples of accidents that can lead to a brain injury include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Defective or dangerous products
- Slip and fall accidents
- Aviation accidents
- Premises liability accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Sports and recreation accidents
What Are Some Signs and Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can vary depending on the severity of the injury. Signs of an injury can manifest immediately after an accident or take several hours or days to develop.
Some of the common symptoms of mild traumatic brain injuries include:
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue and drowsiness
- Difficulty speaking
- Dizziness
- Problems with balance
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears
- A bad taste in the mouth
- Sensitivity to light or sound
- Brief loss of consciousness
- Feeling dizzy, confused, or disoriented
- Memory or concentration problems
- Altered mood or mood swings
- Feeling depressed or anxious
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Sleeping more than normal
Moderate or severe brain injuries can cause the symptoms listed above, as well as:
- Unconsciousness lasting several minutes or hours
- Persistent or worsening headaches
- Persistent nausea or repeated vomiting
- Convulsions or seizures
- Dilated pupils
- Clear fluid draining from the ears or nose
- Inability to wake up from sleep
- Loss of coordination
- Weakness or numbness in the fingers or toes
- Severe confusion
- Agitation or combativeness
- Slurred speech
How Are Brain Injuries Classified?
Doctors classify brain injuries as mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the symptoms or complications caused by the injury.
Examples of common traumatic brain injuries include:
- Concussion – A concussion occurs when the brain gets jostled due to a violent force on the head or body. Concussions cause temporary changes in brain function that usually resolve in a few days or weeks but may cause long-term complications.
- Contusion – A contusion refers to brain bruising from the brain hitting the inside of the skull.
- Coup-contrecoup – This is a type of bruising that occurs when the brain strikes the inside of the skull with enough force to rebound and strike the other side of the skull, causing bruising on opposite sides of the brain.
- Hemorrhage – Hemorrhage is an uncontrolled bleeding on or inside the brain.
- Hematoma – Hematoma is the pooling or clotting of blood on or inside the brain that damages brain tissues due to the pressure on the brain.
- Penetrating brain injury – This traumatic brain injury occurs when an object penetrates the skull and enters the brain.
- Diffuse axonal injury – A diffuse axonal injury occurs when twisting forces on the brain have a shearing effect on the connections between brain cells called axons, potentially severing those connections and causing severe or fatal complications.
How Are Brain Injuries Treated?
The treatment for a brain injury depends on the severity of the injury’s symptoms. Mild traumatic brain injuries like concussions typically require rest and over-the-counter pain relievers to treat headaches. Doctors and family members should closely monitor someone who has suffered a mild traumatic brain injury for new, persistent, or worsening symptoms, which may indicate a more severe injury.
Moderate and severe brain injuries require immediate medical treatment. Emergency care for severe traumatic brain injuries will focus on ensuring sufficient oxygen flow to the brain and preventing further injury to the head and neck. Accident victims may receive medications such as anti-seizure drugs, diuretics to reduce brain swelling, or coma-inducing drugs to reduce the amount of oxygen the brain needs while it heals.
TBI patients may undergo surgery to stop bleeding, repair skull fractures, remove blood clots or foreign objects from the brain, or relieve pressure from swelling. Once an injury has stabilized, a patient usually receives physical, occupational, and speech therapy to restore function or learn adaptations to perform daily tasks. Contact our Duluth brain injury lawyer today.
What Compensation Can I Receive from an Injury Lawsuit?
In a brain injury lawsuit, you could recover compensation for the financial and personal losses you suffer due to your injury.
Compensation may include money for your brain injury including:
- Medical care and rehabilitation expenses
- Home health care costs or expenses for personal services you need due to disabilities
- Ongoing and future losses of income and job benefits if you cannot work or suffer a reduction in your earning capacity
- Physical pain and emotional distress
- Loss of quality of life
Does Georgia Have a Time Limit on Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Under Georgia’s statute of limitations, TBI victims typically have two years from the date of an injury to file a lawsuit. Although two years may seem like plenty of time, you should speak with a Duluth brain injury lawyer as soon as possible after an accident. If you file your lawsuit after the deadline, the court will likely dismiss your case. An experienced injury attorney can keep track of deadlines and ensure your case is filed on time.
Contact a Duluth Brain Injury Lawyer
If you suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident, you deserve compensation and accountability from those responsible for the harm you suffered. Contact Kevin A. Adamson, P.C. today for a free consultation with a knowledgeable Duluth brain injury lawyer.