Minnesota Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be a catastrophic experience, forever altering the course of lives. The reverberating effects it can have on families will influence them financially, emotionally, physically, and psychologically. With adults, you may wonder how well they will recover if they are a partner, parent, primary earner, or living on their own. With children, you can be left with a lot of questions when a bright, developing young life is hindered due to an accident caused by the negligence of another.

If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury due to the negligence of another, call or text our Minnesota brain injury lawyers at 612-INJURED at (612) 465-8733. We understand how a TBI can affect the outlook for victims and their families. Medical bills can quickly become overwhelming, and the fear of how to move forward is very real. Let us deal with the insurance company and complex legal system while you take time to focus on yourself.

What is a traumatic brain injury?

A traumatic brain injury is an injury caused by head trauma that affects normal brain function. Mild head trauma may only affect someone temporarily, causing only a brief change in mental function. Severe traumatic brain injuries can lead to long-term issues and even death.

How common are traumatic brain injuries?

Every year, an estimated 1.5 million people suffer a traumatic brain injury in the United States. Of these, 50,000 people die. Between 80,000-90,000 of those develop a long-term disability. For children and young adults, traumatic brain injuries are the leading cause of disability and death.

Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms

The symptoms of traumatic brain injuries can vary according to the type of injury. It is important to note that symptoms may not necessarily appear immediately and can surface even weeks later. Mild injuries will produce symptoms like headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, and sensitivity to light/sound. Catastrophic ones can cause a variety of severe cognitive and physical symptoms.

1. Seizures and convulsions
2. Numbness in fingers and toe
3. Nausea and vomiting
4. Difficulty waking
5. Coordination loss
6. Dilated pupils
7. Loss of consciousness
8. Headache
9. Confusion
10. Agitation
11. Speech slurring
12. Coma

If a child is injured, it can be more difficult to tell what is happening. Particularly with young children, they may have difficulties or total inability to verbally express what is happening. If you observe these signs, you should take your child to a doctor immediately. Keep in mind that, like adults, some symptoms might be delayed.

1. Drowsiness
2. Sleep pattern change
3. Loss of interest
4. Depression
5. Irritability
6. Persistent crying
7. Seizures
8. Change of habits in eating

In a situation involving children, it is important to contact a traumatic brain injury lawyer soon to be able to investigate what happened, as children are often unable to adequately verbalize what occurred that led to their injury.

What to Do after a Head Injury

Seek medical attention right away. Anything much more than bumping your head on a cabinet door should be examined. Symptoms from head injuries can take weeks to become apparent, and time is crucial in case of a brain bleed.

If your injury was due to the negligence of another, call an attorney for your head injury after seeking treatment. A traumatic brain injury lawyer will get started on your case immediately to sort liability and other crucial aspects to your claim, so they will be ready to address the insurance company on your behalf.

Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Some common causes of traumatic brain injury include sporting events like base path collisions, recreational activities like trail biking, and self-inflicted harm. As a personal injury and workers’ compensation law firm, some other causes are more common to us.

1. Falls are the cause of almost half of hospitalizations related to traumatic brain injuries. A common way people are injured in falls is in slip and fall accidents. These are accidents where a person is injured in a fall due to the negligence of another. An example of this is a person falling due to a property owner not putting salt on an icy sidewalk.
2. Motor vehicle accidents can cause nerve axons to be twisted or torn and other damage to the brain when it strikes the interior of the skull due to a sudden deceleration.
3. Work accidents can produce head injuries through falls, falling objects, and the movement of machinery. We have seen that some occupations are more prone to these. Those include construction, manufacturing, and production.
4. Medical malpractice and negligence can result in brain injuries by such means as abuse, failure to diagnose a stroke or heart attack, issues during surgery, or birth trauma. This is far from an exhaustive list of how these can occur in a hospital, but it is important to acknowledge that a traumatic brain injury can even happen in an institution whose mission is to care for people’s medical needs.

Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries

1. A closed brain injury occurs when the skull is not broken or penetrated. This happens when the brain is injured due to it striking the inside of the skull because of either a rapid forward or backward motion. Auto accidents and slip and falls commonly cause this type.
2. A penetrating brain injury occurs when the skull is fractured. These can be caused by high-velocity projectiles as with a nail gun or being hit with a heavy object like a tool falling from overhead at a construction site.

Prognosis of a Traumatic Brain Injury

For those suffering from a mild brain injury, life returns to normal somewhere between a few days to a few months. Those with a moderate to severe TBI may never experience life as it once was, though it is important to mention that every brain injury and patient is different. Some factors influencing this include age, history of brain injuries, stress, having a support system, and if whether they experienced any other injuries at the time of their TBI.

A short list of long-term issues can include memory issues, paralysis, difficulties in social situations, sleep disorders, seizures, difficulty speaking or hearing, depression, aggression, and lack of inhibition. Duration of symptoms can vary, but many will face them the rest of their lives.

Do I need a traumatic brain injury attorney?

If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury from an accident, call a Minnesota traumatic brain injury lawyer right away. There can be a lot of complexity with these cases. We will make sure you get the care and settlement you deserve. This includes lost wages, medical bills, rehabilitation, long-term care, and more.

Insurance companies are businesses, and they are in business to make money. They see many situations daily involving traumatic brain injuries. They want to pay as little as possible, even if that means claiming your brain injury is minor or non-existent. An experienced traumatic brain injury attorney knows how to deal with insurance companies, so you are fairly compensated for your injury.

Why Choose Us

At 612-INJURED, we work with insurance companies daily to ensure our clients get the settlements they deserve. Our attorneys deal with all facets of traumatic brain injuries, from medical care to personal injury claims to workers’ compensation for those hurt on the job. We handle claims for both children and adults across the state of Minnesota. If you or a family member has suffered from a traumatic brain injury due to the negligence of another, call or text us at (612) 465-8733.