Did you sustain a brain injury in an accident? Was it due to someone else’s negligent conduct? If so, do not hesitate to contact the Tampa brain injury attorneys of [firm-name](LINK 2) for legal representation. You might be entitled to recover compensation for your financial and emotional losses. Our experienced brain injury attorneys offer free consultation for individuals in the Tampa area suffering from the effects of a TBI due to an accident.
A brain injury disrupts the brain’s functioning temporarily or permanently. The severity of the injury depends on the type of damage and the location of the injury site. Some people suffer a mild brain injury that causes symptoms for only a couple of weeks. Others can suffer severe brain damage and experience mental or physical impairments.
A range of scenarios can lead to someone’s brain injury. Motor vehicle accidents commonly cause concussions from a driver hitting their head on the steering wheel or window. A person could also sustain a concussion from falling and hitting their head on the ground. Symptoms can interfere with a person’s daily life. Many accident victims experience severe headaches, dizziness, and other issues that prevent them from returning to work or caring for their families.
At Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers, we understand the consequences of a brain injury. It can lead to long-term complications and significantly reduce your quality of life. If you require assistance performing daily tasks or ongoing treatment to manage symptoms, you could face financial strain. Medical bills are expensive and can lead to massive debt.
The at-fault party should be liable for your injury. Their actions caused the injury. You have a right to pursue compensation from them to pay for your medical treatment and other accident-related expenses. Our Tampa brain injury attorneys are ready to represent you in your brain injury claim and fight for the maximum settlement possible. We will create a legal strategy to meet your needs and try to reach your desired result.
Call Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers at [phone number] for your free consultation, and let us help you recover the money owed to you for your brain injury.
Common Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Various circumstances could cause a brain injury. Symptoms might appear immediately following an accident or take several days or weeks to emerge. Different brain injuries can cause a range of different symptoms.
The two primary types of brain injuries are:
Non-Traumatic Brain Injury
A non-traumatic brain injury doesn’t result from external force. A range of incidents can cause non-traumatic brain injuries, including:
- Metabolic disorder
- Illness
- Drowning
- Brain aneurysm
- Oxygen deprivation
- Cardiac arrest
Two classifications indicate the factors that contribute to a non-traumatic brain injury:
- Anoxic injury – Anoxia results from a lack of oxygen to the brain. The brain can’t function as normal when it doesn’t receive the oxygen it needs.
- Hypoxic injury – With hypoxia, the brain receives a reduced amount of oxygen due to reduced blood flow, causing functioning problems.
Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when the body or head suffers a violent jolt or blow. Penetrating injuries can also lead to traumatic brain injuries.
The classification of a TBI depends on the cause. Those classifications include:
- Intracranial hematoma – A hematoma is a collection of blood outside a blood vessel after it ruptures. Intracranial hematomas cause a pooling of blood within the skull. The pressure placed on the brain could be fatal without immediate medical attention.
- Concussion – A concussion is a mild form of a traumatic brain injury. It happens when the head experiences a sudden and violent movement or blow. The damage can alter the brain’s normal functioning and cause issues with concentration, memory, and coordination.
- Coup-contrecoup – When someone suffers a coup-contrecoup injury, the damage happens in two stages. First, the brain impacts the front of the skull because of an external force, such as a car accident caused by another party. Then, the brain rebounds off the front of the skull and impacts the back of the skull, causing additional damage.
- Penetrating brain injury – A penetrating brain injury results from an object fracturing the skull and injuring the brain. Internal bleeding, brain swelling, and other complications can arise.
- Contusion – A contusion is a bruise. Brain contusions often lead to swelling and bleeding near the site of the injury.
- Diffuse axonal injury – A diffuse axonal injury causes microscopic changes to the brain. An external force can cause the brain to rotate and shift inside the skull, resulting in the tearing of the long connecting nerve fibers. This type of injury could lead to a coma.
- Closed head injury – A closed head injury is a serious condition that can occur from accidents, such as slip and fall accidents or car accidents, without penetrating the skull. It can lead to internal bleeding, skull fractures, or traumatic brain injury, with symptoms that may not be immediately apparent.
TBI Symptoms
TBI symptoms can vary based on the type and location of the injury. The most common symptoms of a traumatic brain injury are below.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
A jolt, bump, or blow to the head or brain causes the brain to move back and forth quickly inside the skull. This results in a mild TBI. Symptoms might be noticeable immediately following the trauma or take some time to appear. Mild traumatic brain injuries often cause temporary damage that heals over time.
The most common symptoms of a mild TBI include:
- Loss of consciousness for a few seconds or a few minutes
- Blurry vision
- Loss of balance or dizziness
- Headaches
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping more than usual
- Sensitivity to light or sound
- Memory and concentration problems
- Fatigue or drowsiness
- Changes in mood
- Feeling anxious or depressed
- Issues with speech
- Nausea or vomiting
Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
A penetrating injury or a blow, jolt, or bump to the head can cause a severe traumatic brain injury. Typically, symptoms begin within hours or days. Permanent damage to nerves, brain cells, and tissue can occur and lead to various complications.
The most common symptoms of a moderate to severe TBI include:
- Dilated pupil in one or both eyes
- Profound confusion
- Slurred speech
- Loss of consciousness for a few minutes or hours
- Persistent or worsening headaches
- Convulsions or seizures
- Combativeness, agitation, and other unusual behavior
- Coma and other consciousness disorders
- Repeated nausea or vomiting
- Inability to wake from sleep
- Weakness or numbness in the fingers and toes
- Loss of coordination
Children can exhibit a range of symptoms that you might not notice right away. Some kids are too young to understand what’s happening or vocalize how they feel. You should pay attention to your child’s behavior and look for warning signs of a TBI, such as:
- Sad or depressed mood
- Seizures
- Reduced or loss of attentiveness
- Changes in nursing or eating habits
- Crying persistently and inability to be consoled
- Loss of interest in favorite activities or toys
- Drowsiness
- Irritability
- Changes in sleeping habits
If you or your child suffered a brain injury like a blow to the head, you should go to the hospital immediately. A doctor can perform a physical examination and diagnose the injury. A CT scan is often necessary to determine the type and severity of the TBI. With the appropriate treatment plan, you might make a full recovery without suffering long-term complications.
Most Common Causes of Brain Injuries
Multiple factors can contribute to brain injuries. Traumatic accidents don’t have to occur to cause serious damage to the brain. Sometimes, a seemingly insignificant incident can cause an injury, and symptoms don’t show up until weeks later.
Regardless of the severity of your injury, you should contact Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers so we can represent you. Our Tampa brain injury lawyers have extensive experience in recovering compensation for brain injuries resulting from a range of brain injury cases, including car accidents, which are a common cause of traumatic brain injuries. We are well-versed in handling cases involving:
- Truck accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Airplane accidents
- Premises liability
- Pedestrian accidents
- Elder abuse
- Dog bites and attacks
- Boat accidents
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
If someone caused your brain injury in any of these scenarios, let Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers start working on your case for you. Attempting to hold the negligent party liable without the help of an experienced Tampa brain injury attorney could lead to an unfavorable outcome.
Compensation for a Brain Injury
You could file a Tampa brain injury claim with the at-fault party’s liability insurance company and receive a settlement that compensates you for your brain injury-related losses, such as:
- Medical bills and medical expenses
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Emotional distress
- Property damage
You might also recover punitive damages if you file a lawsuit for your brain injury. This form of compensation punishes the defendant for their actions. You must show clear and convincing evidence that the at-fault party acted with intentional misconduct or gross negligence to receive this financial award.
Statute of Limitations for a Brain Injury
You have to file your brain injury lawsuit by a specific deadline if you want to sue someone for causing your brain injury. In Florida, the statute of limitations for severe brain injuries caused by someone else’s negligence allows the injured party four years to file. That means you must file your lawsuit within four years of the date of the accident.
Once the statutory period elapses, you could lose your right to pursue maximum compensation through the court system. However, some exceptions could give you more time to initiate your lawsuit:
- Out of state – If the defendant leaves the state temporarily, the clock won’t start to run until they return, and their absence won’t count towards the four-year statute of limitations period.
- Legal disability – If you are under 18 years old or of unsound mind at the time of the injury, you will have four years from the date you are no longer under a legal disability to file suit.
Contact Us
Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers has represented injured clients like you in brain injury cases involving since 2007. We will fight hard to seek the justice you deserve. You will be our top priority and receive the guidance and support you need to get through this traumatic experience.
If someone’s negligence caused your brain injury in an accident, call (813) 605-1100 today for your free consultation with one of our trusted and skilled Tampa brain injury lawyers.
