Brain injuries range from temporary to permanent and from minor to life-threatening. Regardless of its severity, a brain injury requires time to heal. Many people in Colorado may not be able to work and perform other tasks like they did prior to the brain injury. In these situations, money can become a real impediment to recovery. If the injury was caused by another person, you might be able to demand damages or sue for compensation.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries
The effects of a brain injury can vary widely depending on different factors like:
If you have suffered a brain injury, some symptoms to expect include headaches, dizziness, confusion, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, and changes in behavior or personality. Once a brain injury is determined, treatment may involve medical interventions, rehabilitation therapy, and ongoing support to help individuals recover and manage their symptoms, if possible.
In personal injury lawsuits, the type of brain injury is important because it can impact the amount of compensation awarded. Plaintiffs typically seek damages to cover medical expenses, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, and other related expenses. Expert medical testimony is often necessary to establish the extent of the injury and its long-term effects on the plaintiff’s life.
Some of these types of injuries overlap – for example, a TBI can also be a penetrating brain injury where a serious car accident leads to glass or metal piercing the victim’s head.
Some of the most common causes of TBIs include:
Common causes of non-traumatic brain injuries include:
Effective legal representation in Colorado will be the key to ensure that the cause is directly linked to the type of brain injury in order to ensure maximum compensation.
A workers’ comp claim is based on situations where the victim is injured because of their work or while working. Workplace brain injuries can occur in various industries and job roles. Common causes of brain injuries in the workplace include:
Implementing proper safety protocols, providing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and ensuring a safe working environment can help mitigate these risks. It is the employer’s responsibility to do so, and if not, in some cases, a personal injury claim may be applicable and provide more compensation than a workers’ comp claim.
Depending on the nature of the injury, the effects of a brain injury may be immediately apparent or develop over time. The injury can result in short-term consequences that quickly resolve or permanent conditions that affect every aspect of a person’s life.
The brain plays a crucial role in every bodily function. A brain injury can have wide-ranging effects on a person’s cognitive functioning, behavior, physical abilities, social skills, and general quality of life.
Potential consequences of a brain injury include:
Serious brain injuries can also cause death. The more serious the consequences and their impact on the victim’s quality of life could increase the damages the victim receives.
If you’ve sustained a brain injury as a result of a workplace accident or someone else’s negligence, there are several avenues to seek potential compensation.
If your injury occurred at work, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation to cover your medical costs and lost wages. The availability and application of workers’ compensation vary between states.
Alternatively, if you can demonstrate that your brain injury was caused by another person’s negligence, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. This allows you to seek both economic damages—such as past and future medical costs and lost wages—and non-economic damages, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of intimacy with your spouse.
Due to their nature and presentation, brain injuries are a complex feature of personal injury lawsuits.
The impact can be life-long, extending well beyond the time it takes to settle or win a compensation claim. It can also take some time to discover a brain injury, with new symptoms emerging months or even years after an incident. What first appears to be a mild injury can later lead to a much more serious diagnosis and a broader impact on the injured person’s life.
For these reasons, if you have a potential brain injury you should seek medical assistance immediately after your accident or the incident that caused it. It’s also important to keep copies of your related medical documents to discuss with our personal injury attorney.
When preparing a personal injury case, an attorney will ensure all economic and non-economic damages—including future ones—are included. Expert witnesses are often key to putting this evidence before a court. They can explain the ongoing consequences of an ABI for an injured person to ensure they receive the compensation they are entitled to.
