Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 2.5 million traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, occur every year as the result of an injury or combination of injuries.  A TBI is an injury that disrupts the regular function of the brain and is caused by a jolt, bump, or blow to the head, or by some other penetrating head injury.  Brain trauma can be the result of negligence in the context of a car accident, domestic violence, assault, or a fall caused by a slip and fall on unsafe premises.

Catastrophic Brain Injury

Severe blows can cause catastrophic brain injury, resulting in long periods of unconsciousness or amnesia following the injury. According to the CDC, traumatic brain injury is a contributing factor in 30% of all injury-related deaths in the United States.

The following symptoms can be associated with a traumatic brain injury:

• Changes in cognitive function
• Changes in motor function
• Changes in sensation
• Changes in emotion

A severe traumatic brain injury can be life-altering.  Treating the effects of a traumatic brain injury can cause a lifetime of medical expenses, emotional distress, and pain and suffering – for both injured individuals and those closest to them.

Concussion

Even seemingly “minor” jolts or bumps can result in less severe, but still dangerous, traumatic brain injuries known as concussions.  A concussion can occur even without a direct blow to the head if the head is jolted back and forth, such as in a whiplash injury.  The CDC reports that concussions and other “minor” TBIs make up about 75% of TBIs each year.  Symptoms of concussion can be difficult for others to see, but can cause major disruptions to a person’s life, resulting in medical bills, lost wages, and emotional distress.  These symptoms include:

• Changes in thinking
• Changes in sensation, including vision and balance
• Difficulty with language
• Emotional difficulties and personality changes, such as depression, anxiety, and socially inappropriate behavior

When traumatic brain injuries fail to resolve over an extended period of time, post-concussive syndrome can develop.  Although unusual, post-concussive syndrome can last for months, and even years, robbing the injured person of their ability to lead life as they did before suffering a concussion.

If you’ve suffered a concussion due to the negligence of another person, you are likely to face a steep uphill battle in getting compensation from the wrongdoer’s insurance company.  Insurance companies routinely deny claims for concussions or post-concussive syndrome, or offer to pay the bare minimum, taking advantage of the subtle and sometimes ambiguous nature of the symptoms of TBI.  Insurance companies will try to tell you that you had these problems all along, or that your symptoms are all in your head, or even that you are faking your brain injury.

The Maine personal injury attorneys at Briggs & Wholey have the depth of knowledge needed to fully litigate brain injury claims and concussion cases.  Whether you or a family member have suffered a catastrophic brain injury following major trauma, or have developed post-concussive syndrome following a whiplash injury, our attorneys have the experience and expertise to build your traumatic brain injury to maximize your compensation so that you can focus on your recovery.  For a free, confidential consultation, call our office at (207) 596-1099.