According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 1.5 million people suffer from brain injuries every year in the United States. There are many injuries that will have a lasting impact on the victim and their loved ones, but few have such widespread impacts as a traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries range in severity from minor concussions to permanent brain damage or even death, and regardless of severity, they will likely suffer measurable damages as a result. If you are one of the 1.5 million victims of a TBI, and someone else causes your injuries, then you may be entitled to compensation in the form of a personal injury claim, either against their representative insurance company or directly from the responsible party.
Regardless of the path forward to your compensation, working with experienced Fort Lauderdale brain injury attorneys is one of the best ways to ensure that you can focus on your recovery while also improving your chances of getting the money you deserve — not just the money the other party wants to pay to resolve their legal issues.
Contact 1-800-Injured To Connect With a Brain Injury Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL Today
1-800-Injured is an attorney and medical referral service. We understand that trying to take on the process of finding a brain injury attorney in Fort Lauderdale who is both ready and willing to take your case — all while dealing with your recovery and the many other complications a victim must deal with following an accident — can be overwhelming. This is why we are here to connect you with an attorney through our referral network. Instead of tracking down a law firm that handles brain injury cases, reaching out, and hoping to hear back, we can handle this part so you can stay focused on your personal needs and working towards getting your life back on track.
Read more below to get a better idea about some of the many complex legal facets of a Fort Lauderdale brain injury case, and contact us as soon as possible to connect with a law firm that is ready to give you the support you need and deserve.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
One of the essential pieces of information to establish is what a traumatic brain injury really is and the symptoms and impacts of this type of injury. Remember, though, that no two injuries are alike, and therefore you may or may not see symptoms listed below that resemble your own situation.
Whether or not you recognize the following indicators as being consistent with your own, contact us now to connect with an attorney for a free consultation.
A traumatic brain injury is, as the name implies, any sort of injury to the brain caused by trauma or impact that more than 1.5 million Americans suffer each year. These are common after car accidents and other motor vehicle collisions, as well as medical malpractice, slip and fall injuries, or assaults. Traumatic brain injuries, otherwise known as TBIs, can occur due to blunt force without any sort of penetrating wound or may be the result of a foreign object penetrating the skull and brain. Whether or not the injury is an open wound, these injuries MUST be examined by a doctor as soon as possible.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries
Mild TBIs can have many different signs that, historically, people have encouraged victims to ignore and “shake it off.” This is why TBIs are now known as “silent killers,” and as medical research has improved, our understanding of their impacts become more apparent. Mild TBIs commonly have symptoms including the following:
- Headaches
- Nausea or vomiting
- Constant feelings of tiredness
- Slurred speech or difficulty speaking
- Dizziness or feelings of vertigo
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to lights
- Loss of consciousness for under a few minutes
- Memory loss
- Trouble concentrating
- Mood swings or irritability
- Disruptions to sleep patterns (sleeping more or less than normal)
If you or a loved one lose consciousness for any amount of time after a blow to the head, it is imperative that you see a medical professional as soon as possible to get the proper care and attention. Even head injuries that do not look serious, injury care is essential and must be addressed immediately.
Moderate or Severe Traumatic Brain Injuries
A moderate or severe TBI may be easier to recognize than a mild TBI after a Fort Lauderdale, Florida accident. Keep an eye out for any symptoms on the following list. After any accident, you should consult with a doctor to make sure that there is nothing you are missing, either way. Keep an eye out for the following symptoms that may occur if a victim is suffering from a serious TBI after an accident:
- Loss of consciousness for several minutes or more
- Persistent, severe headache
- Constant nausea and vomiting
- Seizures
- Dilated pupils
- Extreme confusion
- Major mood swings or combativeness
- Inability to wake up
- Coma
A serious TBI can be life-threatening if left untreated and must be examined by a doctor as soon as possible so a treatment and recovery plan can be put into action as soon as possible.
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Fort Lauderdale
Experienced brain injury lawyers represent Florida clients who have suffered a TBI for a range of causes and will fight for compensation from the responsible party. Regardless of whether or not your injury was caused by one of the following examples, contact 1-800-Injured today to connect with a brain injury attorney in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who can take your case and fight for the money you deserve.
Common types of brain injuries include:
- Anoxic Brain Injuries
- Brain Bleeding
- Brain Swelling
- Frontal Lobe Damage
- Minor Concussions
- Concussions
Car Accidents
A car accident, even at low speeds, can cause a blow to the head that can lead to a serious brain injury. After a low-speed car accident, a victim may try to ignore indications that they may have suffered a brain injury, but any sign of an injury to the brain should be treated seriously and with expediency.
Slip and Fall Accidents
According to the CDC, 50% of traumatic brain injuries suffered by children are the result of falls, but even adults are at risk of brain injuries after falls, too. The most common type of fall in a personal injury case is the result of a premises liability when a property owner fails to address a hazard on their property that leads to an avoidable accident that injures a visitor.
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice is a scary and dangerous type of personal injury caused by a negligent or reckless medical professional that fails to provide their patient with appropriate, prudent medical care. Examples of medical malpractice include things like surgical errors, misprescribed medication, or misdiagnosed illnesses.
Calculating Damages For a TBI
Working with a brain injury attorney is one of the best ways to make sure that you get the money you are rightfully owed for a range of damages, including things like your lost wages, medical bills, and the many intangible impacts that a brain injury will have on your life. When you file a personal injury claim, the insurance company handling your claim will go through an investigation with the goal of limiting your payment, meaning that you will need to advocate for yourself or hire a professional to handle this process as you focus on recovery.
1-800-Injured can connect you with Florida brain injury lawyers who are ready to help calculate the following damages and more.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the basis of a personal injury case and include all damages that have a set dollar value associated with them, such as medical bills, lost wages, and services a victim may need to hire as they work through recovering from their brain injury. There are many other economic damages stemming from brain injuries, as well, and your Florida lawyer will be able to examine each and every detail to ensure that no damage is omitted from their negotiations.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are much more complex to calculate because they seek financial compensation for damages that do not have dollar values. These include things like the pain and suffering that come with brain injuries, as well as a reduced quality of life, loss of enjoyment, and much more. Again, your attorney will need to go through the many details of your injury in order to ensure that each is accounted for, at which time they will use one of a number of tools at their disposal to reach a fair, comprehensive dollar amount that they believe you are owed in settlement.
One of these tools is known as the multiplier method, which uses a numerical scale to indicate the overall severity of these damages. This number is multiplied against the economic damages you have calculated in order to reach a set dollar amount. At this point, your attorney will then go through an aggressive negotiation period in an attempt to reach an out-of-court settlement agreement; however, failed negotiations do not mean you are out of options. If your attorney believes that you will not get what you are owed out of court, their next move will be to file a lawsuit with the Florida courts.
Contact 1-800-Injured Now
The sooner you contact us, the sooner you can connect with an attorney who can help you move forward. As you can imagine, with well over 1 million TBIs reported in the US each year, a seasoned personal injury lawyer will have experience with a number of these cases and can help you stand apart from the million + other victims as you fight for the money you deserve. Contact us now to take an important step in your legal journey.