As the center of the body’s nervous system, the brain is responsible for all actions ranging from breathing to talking to eating to exercising. When the vital organ sustains serious harm, speaking with a Belton traumatic brain injury lawyer is generally the best action course. If you were involved in a severe accident that injured your brain, or a family member was and the accident could have been avoided, make an appointment with a dedicated catastrophic injury attorney as soon as possible.
Navigating life following serious brain trauma is not the same as recovering from a variety of other injuries, such as broken legs and arms, or muscle sprains and strains. Depending on the type of injury and what part of the brain was affected, the organ may never fully recover or require you or a loved one to relearn actions and tasks that were once easy. Often considered catastrophic, brain injuries can include expenses from ongoing medical care and physical therapy. Winning damages from a legal claim covers medical expenses and related costs.
Among the most common reasons for brain trauma that usually call for an attorney’s counsel and representation include:
Brain injuries fall into two main categories: penetrating or closed. Penetrating head injuries occur from impaled objects and gunshot wounds, and are not as common as closed injuries. The latter injuries include concussions, or the most common type of brain trauma. Concussions occur from blunt force impact to the head and cause the brain to move within the skull. They are linked to health issues later in life, including seizures. Symptoms include confusion, headaches, dizziness, balance issues, unexplained irritability, nausea and vomiting, and blurred vision.
Other brain injuries include epidural and subdural hematomas. Epidural hematomas happen when blood collects between the skull and the brain’s hard covering, which quickly puts pressure on the brain. Symptoms include dizziness, headaches, confusion, nausea and vomiting, seizures, and loss of consciousness. Subdural hematomas work in the same way as their epidural counterparts except that blood accumulates slowly over time. It causes many of the same symptoms of epidural hematomas, with both resulting in loss of life without treatment.
Skull fractures are among the additional examples of severe brain trauma and include depressed fractures that break if not crush part of the skull. Basilar skull injuries cause cerebral spinal fluid leaks because they affect the base of the brain.
Traumatic brain harm is considered a personal injury, worker’s compensation, or wrongful death claim in the law’s eyes. The state requires plaintiffs or their legal representatives to file claims within two years of the brain accident dates according to Title 2, Chapter 16, Section 16.002 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code to avoid case dismissals. However, if the suit is against the state government, the claim must be filed within six months according to Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code section 101.101.
Courts do grant extensions for extenuating circumstances, such as when the plaintiff is in a comatose state and does not have immediate family to speak with an attorney and file a brain accident claim. The legal professional must formally request an extension in such circumstances.
Whether you or a family member has suffered any type of brain trauma that has impacted your life and cost serious money in medical care, request a consultation with an attorney today. A Belton traumatic brain injury lawyer from our firm will work tirelessly to shape your case and hopefully help you recover damages.
Call our firm today to start the legal process.