Have You Sustained a Rotation or Shaking Injury?

If you or someone you know has suffered a rotation or shaking injury as a result of a bicycle accident with a motor vehicle in San Diego that was someone else’s fault, you may be entitled to compensation. You need an experienced attorney to guide you through the complex legal process to make sure you receive the monetary amount that is rightfully yours. Call the San Diego bicycle accident lawyers of Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers at (619) 233-5020 today to speak with one of our injury and accident attorneys. We will fight for you to get you the money you deserve so you can move forward with your recovery and put this devastating accident behind you. Your initial consultation is free.

Injury from Shaking or Rotation of the Head

An injury of this type occurs due to the rotation or shaking of the head when rolling or flipping after impact with the ground. If you have sustained this kind of injury from a bicycle accident with a motor vehicle, it may be mild, moderate, or severe based on multiple factors. Depending on the severity of the injury, it may result in a diffuse axonal injury (DAI), which is a kind of traumatic brain injury.

To determine severity, doctors will evaluate a patient’s physical ability, including verbal response, motor response, and the function of opening the eyes. While most traumatic brain injuries fall on the mild end of the injury spectrum, the majority of DAIs are classified as severe. Due to the nature of rotational injury, a bicycle helmet will not protect a cyclist from a shaking or rotation of the head injury.

Symptoms of a Rotational Injury

The symptoms resulting from an injury of this type vary based on the circumstances and details of the accident itself. On the mild end, the symptoms may be similar to a concussion, including things like a headache, fatigue, and dizziness. On the severe end of the spectrum, symptoms may be as extreme as a long-term comatose or vegetative state lasting for multiple months or longer.

Symptoms may also fall anywhere between mild and severe. Doctors will use a combination of tests and observable criteria to evaluate the patient. These may include MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging), radiography, and DTI (diffuse tensor imaging), among others.

Medical Treatment and Rehabilitation

Medical treatment is critical after a bicycle injury of this type since it involves the brain. Prompt medical attention and accurate evaluation are essential and time-sensitive so that the victim receives the highest degree of care to allow the most favorable prognosis possible for recovery. The degree of medical treatment and the different modalities involved will vary based on the severity of the injury. One of the main goals will typically be to prevent any further injury that may occur as an indirect result of the initial injury. Rehabilitation may include many different approaches such as:

• Intensive care
• Neurosurgery
• Sedation
• Seizure prevention
• Monitoring the amount of oxygen and cerebral blood flow
• Speech therapy
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy

The goal of the recovery plan is to take care of the victim through disciplines deemed medically necessary. The medical bills for these and any future ongoing treatments can quickly add up to an overwhelming amount that should not be yours to pay if another party is responsible for the accident and your injury.

Who Is Responsible for Your Injury?

Assigning responsibility for an accident is based on the determination that a party acted negligently, thereby causing the accident. The term “negligent” means that a person either caused harm or failed to act safely. This must be proven legally by clearly showing that the injury is a direct result of the party’s negligence. In other words, if the party had upheld their duty to act safely, the victim’s injury would not have occurred.

Proving negligence involves many factors and requires significant specific documentation. You need an experienced injury attorney who knows which evidence to preserve to successfully prove the negligence of the at-fault party. Documentation to be collected may include photos and evidence from the scene of the accident, eyewitness reports, any available video from dashboard cameras of nearby cars, and police reports.

Compensation for a Rotational Injury in San Diego

If you or someone you know is the victim of a shaking or rotation bicycle injury, the impacts to the individual and their family may be devastating. Symptoms may last for years, and recovery may be slow. In some cases, symptoms may not improve. The long-term prognosis may be focused on managing symptoms and preventing them from getting more severe. The victim’s quality of life may be drastically impacted, and they may be permanently disabled. This, in turn, can dramatically affect the victim’s family, especially if the victim has dependents who were previously under their direct care and support.

The victim may be entitled to monetary compensation that may include economic and non-economic components. This compensation is called “damages,” which is money paid to the victim for expenses incurred and other detrimental impacts they sustained because of the accident. Examples of damages include:

• Lost wages, present and future
• Medical expenses from the initial accident
• Ongoing care such as physical therapy and medication
• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Contact Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers Today to Discuss Your Options

If you are the victim of a rotation or shaking injury from an accident involving your bicycle and a motor vehicle, the time to act is now. There are many time-sensitive aspects that require intimate knowledge of the legal process and how to ensure that all the evidence and documentation are preserved. We have an expert legal team ready to advocate for you to get you the compensation you deserve.

We have successfully helped many other satisfied clients who were victims of severe injury due to no fault of their own. Our San Diego personal injury law office will take charge of your case so you can put this traumatic experience behind you and get back to your life. Call Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers at (619) 233-5020 today.