St. Charles Brain Injury Lawyer
A brain injury, although often invisible, can have a long-lasting and life-altering impact on a person’s life. If you’ve suffered a brain injury, you may require intensive hospitalization or surgery, followed by months of rehabilitation. Even when you reach the optimal recovery from your injury, you may still be left with physical and cognitive disabilities. Those may require daily care for the rest of your life.
When your brain injury was caused by the wrongful acts of another party, you deserve compensation for your medical treatment and care, lost income, and pain and suffering. Trying to pursue a legal claim for compensation can become even more difficult as you recover from your injury.
We can help. Contact the Law Office of Andrew S. Martin, LLC, today to schedule a consultation. Let our St. Charles brain injury attorney pursue the compensation you need and deserve.
When Can You File a Personal Injury Claim after a Traumatic Brain Injury?
You may be entitled to file a personal injury claim when you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury. But you must first prove that another party intentionally, recklessly, or negligently caused your injury.
A traumatic brain injury caused by negligence means the other party owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, and in doing so directly and proximately caused your injury.
You must also be able to prove, to a reasonable degree of accuracy, the damages you’ve incurred. Those may include the costs of treatment, lost income, and non-economic damages such as lost quality of life or pain and suffering.
How a Missouri Brain Injury Attorney Can Help You
After you’ve suffered a brain injury in Missouri through no fault of your own, an attorney can help you file a claim for compensation for your injuries and damages by:
- Investigating the circumstances of your brain injury
- Documenting and calculating your damages for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering
- Identifying those responsible for your injuries and the financial resources available to compensate you
- Aggressively negotiating for a full and fair settlement that compensates you for your losses
- Preparing to take your case to trial, if that becomes necessary
Let a St. Charles brain injury lawyer handle the burden of fighting for the compensation you need and deserve. That will allow you to focus on your physical and emotional recovery as you get your life back to normal.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries
Causes of brain injuries come in two main categories: traumatic brain injuries and non-traumatic brain injuries. A traumatic brain injury can happen from any event that puts severe force upon the head. Common causes of traumatic brain injuries include:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Parking lot accidents
- Work accidents
Non-traumatic brain injuries typically arise from a disease or infection that damages the brain tissue.
Compensation for a Head Injury
If you have endured a head or traumatic brain injury because of someone else’s acts or omissions, you may be entitled to hold them accountable. You may be able to get compensation for the damages you’ve incurred as a result of your injury. Those damages include:
- Past and future treatment costs
- Lost wages while you miss work during your recovery from your injury
- Lost earning capacity, if your brain injury prevents you from returning to your pre-injury job
- Pain and suffering
- Lost quality of life, such as from disabilities or inability to do activities you previously enjoyed
If your head injury was caused by intentional or egregiously reckless conduct, you may also be entitled to receive punitive damages.
Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can take physical, sensory, or cognitive forms. Those may include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Confusion or disorientation
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fatigue or drowsiness
- Speech problems
- Sleeping problems
- Dizziness or loss of balance
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears
- A bad taste in the mouth
- Changes to smell
- Sensitivity to light or sound
- Memory and concentration problems
- Mood changes and mood swings
- Depression and anxiety
Symptoms of a severe traumatic brain injury that require immediate medical attention include convulsions/seizures, dilated pupils, clear fluids draining from the nose or ears, weakness or numbness, loss of coordination, profound confusion, agitation and combativeness, slurred speech, and coma or other consciousness disorders.
Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury
Treatment for traumatic brain injuries depends on the severity of the injury. Most mild injuries will require no treatment other than rest and over-the-counter pain relievers.
A person with a mild TBI should avoid school or work or recreational activities and other activities that require physical or cognitive activity, until cleared by a doctor. A person who has suffered a mild TBI should also be monitored by others for persistent or worsening symptoms.
If a person has suffered a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, he or she will likely require emergency medical care. Treatment for more severe traumatic brain injuries can include:
- Medication, including diuretics to reduce pressure on the brain, anti-seizure drugs, or coma-inducing drugs to reduce the brain’s need for oxygen if blood vessels are unable to supply sufficient oxygen
- Surgery to remove blood clots, repair skull fractures, stop bleeding in the brain, or open a window in the skull to relieve pressure on the brain
- Rehab, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and vocational therapy
Talk to a Brain Injury Attorney in St. Charles Now
If you or a loved one have suffered a brain injury in St. Charles or elsewhere in Missouri due to someone else’s wrongful or negligent acts, you deserve to seek compensation for your injury and damages. Contact the Law Office of Andrew S. Martin, LLC, today. Schedule a consultation to talk to a St. Charles brain injury attorney about your rights and options for seeking compensation for your injury.