Suffering a brain injury from incidents such as slip-and-falls, car collisions, or medical malpractice can result in severe health complications, including lasting physical and mental disabilities.
In addition to the physical burden, medical bills for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can put significant financial strain on victims. Patients with TBIs often face lengthy and costly recoveries. Rehabilitation, medications, and ongoing medical treatment account for the largest share of these expenses.
If you or a loved one has suffered from a brain injury due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, you can seek damages to help pay for your expenses and losses. Our catastrophic injury attorneys at Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Contact us now for a free consultation.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries
Brain injuries happen when the brain suffers internal or external trauma, typically from blunt force to the skull, penetrating objects, or other harm that causes swelling or damage. TBIs can occur in various situations, including the following personal injury accidents:
- Auto Accidents: Auto accidents often cause TBIs due to violent head impact that shakes the brain within the skull. It is estimated that motor vehicle crashes cause 50% to 70% of all TBIs in the U.S.
- Slip-and-Fall Injuries: Falls are the leading cause of TBI-related hospitalizations for children under 17 and adults over 65 years of age.
- Medical Malpractice: TBIs from medical malpractice often occur due to errors such as incorrect surgical procedures on the brain, anesthesia mistakes, or failure to treat conditions that lead to increased pressure within the skull.
- Birth Injuries: Birth injuries leading to TBIs can occur due to physical trauma or oxygen deprivation during a difficult delivery, leading to long-term harm to the newborn.
- Boating Accidents: Boating accidents pose a unique risk for TBIs, especially from high-impact collisions or individuals falling overboard and hitting hard surfaces or water.
- Motorcycle Accidents: Motorcycle accidents put riders at a heightened risk for TBIs, as the lack of physical barriers means even a low-speed crash can cause the head to strike the ground or another object forcefully.
- Sports-Related Brain Injuries: Contact sports and recreational activities are common sources of brain injuries, with concussions being a prevalent form of TBI among athletes.
Hiring a skilled attorney from Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy can help you get compensation for short- and long-term medical care after a brain injury. We can determine the cause of your TBI, who is liable, and pursue a settlement in a civil case.
Workplace Accidents and Brain Injuries
Many serious head injuries occur at work, especially in industries involving physical labor, heights, machinery, or falling objects. Workers in construction, manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, and healthcare settings are at an increased risk.
Common workplace accidents linked to brain injuries include:
- Falls from ladders, scaffolding, or elevated surfaces
- Being struck by tools, equipment, or falling debris
- Slip-and-fall accidents
- Vehicle and forklift accidents
- Explosions and industrial accidents
Some injured workers may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, but those benefits may not fully cover the long-term financial impact of a TBI. In certain situations, injured workers may also have claims against third parties whose negligence contributed to the accident.
In Ohio, injured workers can find support through the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC), including filing a claim.
Brain Injury Symptoms by Location
The location of a TBI often predicts what symptoms a victim experiences.
- Cerebellum: Motor skills, balance, and equilibrium can all suffer as a result of cerebellum injuries.
- Frontal Lobe: Injuries to the frontal lobe may impact your mood, cause personality changes, or affect your ability to focus, organize, or plan.
- Occipital Lobe: Vision may be impacted by injuries to the occipital lobe.
- Parietal Lobe: Visual attention, perception, and sense of touch can be damaged by parietal lobe injuries.
- Temporal Lobe: Memory can be affected by injuries to the temporal lobe.
Brain Injury Symptoms
Multiple sections of the brain can be affected by TBIs, which often cause victims to experience a variety of symptoms impacting more than one bodily function.
Recognizing the symptoms of a brain injury early can be crucial for timely treatment and recovery after a personal injury accident. TBIs can affect victims in different ways depending on the severity of the injury.
The Mayo Clinic classifies TBIs as mild or moderate-to-severe based on symptoms.
Symptoms of Mild Brain Injuries
Mild TBIs, including concussions, may still have serious effects and should never be ignored. Symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness or balance problems
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Mood changes
- Brief loss of consciousness
Symptoms of Moderate-to-Severe Brain Injuries
Moderate-to-severe TBIs often require emergency medical treatment and may result in permanent complications. Symptoms include:
- Extended loss of consciousness
- Persistent headaches
- Repeated vomiting
- Slurred speech
- Seizures
- Significant confusion or agitation
- Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
- Loss of coordination
- Coma
- Profound cognitive or behavioral changes
Regardless of severity, TBI symptoms are not always obvious immediately after an accident. It is important to seek both prompt medical care and legal advice to protect any potential claim. In Ohio, the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is two years from the date of the accident.
Our team can support you while you recover by helping you understand your legal rights. We have successfully represented injured Ohioans for almost a century with the compassion and care they deserve.
Contact us now for a free consultation.
The Toll of Living with a Brain Injury
Living with a brain injury can be life-altering, often leading to challenges that go far beyond the initial recovery. You may experience the following long-term challenges after suffering a brain injury:
- Physical Toll: You may face ongoing physical challenges, such as chronic pain, fatigue, and impaired motor skills. These symptoms can limit your ability to perform daily tasks, reduce your overall physical health, and necessitate long-term medical care.
- Mental Toll: The psychological impact of a TBI can be severe, with changes in personality, mood swings, depression, anxiety, and difficulties with memory and concentration. This can strain your relationships and complicate social interactions, leading to isolation.
- Financial Toll: The costs of ongoing medical treatment and rehabilitation and the potential loss of income due to reduced work capacity can financially burden you and your family. This can lead to financial stress and may require changes in lifestyle or dependence on financial support systems like disability benefits.
Compensation in a Brain Injury Claim
TBIs often require extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care. The value of a brain injury claim depends on several factors, including the severity of the injury and how it affects the victim’s daily life.
Potential compensation can include damages for:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical care and rehabilitation
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Long-term disability accommodations
- Diminished quality of life
Several legal and factual issues may also affect compensation in an Ohio brain injury case.
Severity of the Injury
Moderate-to-severe TBIs generally involve greater medical costs, longer recovery periods, and more significant long-term limitations.
Impact on Daily Life and Employment
Some brain injury victims cannot return to their previous jobs or may require lifelong assistance with daily activities. Cognitive and emotional impairments can also affect relationships and independence.
Ohio Comparative Negligence Rules
Ohio follows a modified comparative negligence rule. Under that rule, injured victims can recover compensation if they were 50% or less at fault for the accident, but their compensation may be reduced based on their percentage of fault. For example, if you are found to be 30% at fault for your own accident, your compensation can be reduced by 30%.
Ohio Caps on Certain Damages
Ohio law places limits on some non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, in personal injury cases. However, the exact impact of these limits depends on the circumstances and severity of the injury.
Workers’ Compensation Limitations
Workers’ compensation benefits may cover certain medical expenses and lost wages after a workplace brain injury, but they may not provide compensation for pain and suffering.
Why Brain Injury Cases Often Require Legal Representation
TBI claims tend to be more complicated than other personal injury cases. Brain injuries can be difficult to diagnose, symptoms may evolve over time, and insurance companies sometimes argue that victims are exaggerating cognitive or emotional impairments.
Proving the full impact of a brain injury could require extensive evidence, including:
- Neurological evaluations
- Brain imaging results
- Neuropsychological testing
- Expert medical testimony
- Employment and vocational records
- Testimony from family members and caregivers
Determining liability can also become complicated in cases involving commercial vehicles, dangerous property conditions, or defective products. Having an experienced legal team on your side to handle these complications can give you the best chance of collecting the compensation you need to move forward.
Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy can investigate the accident, gather evidence, work with medical professionals, and pursue compensation for the long-term effects of a brain injury.
Contact Our Cleveland Brain Injury Lawyers Today
A TBI can affect your cognitive abilities, sensations, emotions, and language skills, impacting your and your family’s lives. Our dedicated and compassionate legal team can represent your case, ensuring proper investigation and pursuit of fair compensation every step of the way.
If you suffered a brain injury due to another’s negligent actions, speak with our attorneys at Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy as soon as possible. With more than 90 years of experience managing catastrophic injury cases, we have won millions in settlements for victims.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and get help and support with your recovery.
