Because most brain injuries are caused by preventable accidents or intentional violence, injured victims have the right to pursue financial compensation from those liable for their injuries. A DC closed head injury lawyer can negotiate a settlement or litigate a judgment that will provide maximum recovery for TBI patients and their families.
Of the nearly two million Americans sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year, an overwhelming majority suffer a closed head injury. Unlike a penetrating injury, in which a foreign object enters the brain, a closed injury is one in which the dura mater, or protective covering of the brain, is not breached. Closed head injuries are often the result of blunt force or acceleration/deceleration trauma. Most closed injuries result in mild TBI or concussion, but moderate to severe TBI can result in permanent disability or death. Some statistics show that as many as 90,000 people are disabled by brain injury each year, with 2,500 of those remaining in a persistent vegetative state. Even mild concussions require medical care, and treatment of severe TBI can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Cognitive disabilities, communication difficulties, seizures or epilepsy, loss of vision or hearing, paralysis, behavioral disorders and other symptoms of TBI may require extensive treatment and therapy and may prevent an individual from gainful employment. Injured people and their families may face a tremendous physical, emotional, and financial burden in the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury. Financial compensation for economic and non-economic impacts of a serious closed head injury may be available through a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
Consulting a closed head injury lawyer in Washington, DC, is often the first step in recovering a damage award to compensate for medical expenses, rehabilitative therapy, assistive or adaptive technology, funeral and burial expenses, pain and suffering, and other consequences of severe TBI.
Traumatic brain injury is generally a preventable injury caused by negligent behavior or criminal actions. Whether a person sustains TBI as a result of a reckless driver who causes a serious accident or as a result of a violent assault, the person responsible for the injury may be held liable through personal injury litigation. Contact a DC closed head injury lawyer with our firm to discuss your legal options.
Closed injuries are head injuries that do not penetrate the skull or brain. These injuries are often caused by a blow to the head, but may occur as a result of acceleration/deceleration or rotational trauma. Common causes of brain injury from closed head trauma include:
In a closed head injury, the traumatic force causes the brain to strike the skull, resulting in contusions, lacerations, hematomas, diffuse axonal shearing, and hemorrhage. Most closed injuries result in mild concussion, marked by headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, slurred speech, and ringing in the ears. However, severe TBI and accumulated trauma from repeated concussions can have serious lifelong effects, including permanent disability and death. Depending upon the circumstances, if you or a loved one have sustained such an injury, there may be someone who is liable for the harm and losses you have suffered. A DC closed head injury lawyer will be able to assess the facts of your case, and make a determination as to whether or not you have a viable personal injury claim.
A closed head injury can result in severe TBI which may cause permanent brain damage or may be fatal. Some of the most serious trauma associated with a closed head injury include:
These bruises to the brain tissue occur in between twenty and thirty percent of all serious brain injuries. Contusions can lead to cerebral hemorrhage or secondary injury from increased intracranial pressure. Brain contusions are generally localized at the point of impact.
One of the most serious brain injuries, axonal shearing is permanent nerve damage to the brain. This type of injury is most frequently associated with automobile accidents and Shaken Baby Syndrome. It may cause edema (swelling) and intracranial pressure. Ninety percent of patients sustaining diffuse axonal shearing suffer coma or vegetative state.
Intraparenchymal, epidural, and subdural hematoma occur when the brain is forced against the skull, resulting in blood pooling in the brain or in the area between the brain and the skull.
As with other traumatic brain injuries, closed head injuries are often associated with serious long-term or permanent impairment of cognition, motor function, emotion, and behavior. These physiological impairments can be debilitating, and thus it is in your best interest to consult with a DC closed head injury attorney, as such a lawyer will be able to discuss the potential for restitution.
