Did you or someone close to you suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Athens, Alabama? Unfortunately, these injuries are all too common. Many people who sustain them face both immediate and long-term health complications, including seizures, impaired cognition, and changes in mental health. These complications often require extensive medical care, time away from work, and more.
If someone else caused your TBI, you should not have to shoulder the burden of the consequences on your own. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and related losses.
At Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., our brain injury lawyers have recovered millions of dollars for injury victims in Athens and surrounding areas of Alabama. To find out how we can help you pursue justice and accountability after a TBI that wasn’t your fault, contact our firm for a free case review with a traumatic brain injury lawyer in Athens, AL.
Types of TBI Cases Our Attorneys Handle in Athens
Sadly, traumatic brain injuries are quite common in the United States, with an average of 1.7 million TBIs recorded each year, according to Alabama Public Health. Our traumatic brain injury lawyers have experience handling various TBI cases, including those involving:
- Motor vehicle accident cases – Motor vehicle collisions, including car accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents, are one of the top causes of TBIs in the nation.
- Workplace accident cases – TBIs can occur in nearly any workplace, but they are particularly common in the construction, transportation, mining, and manufacturing industries.
- Unsafe premises accident cases – When property owners fail to keep their premises safe and secure for visitors, accidents like slips and falls, dog bite attacks, and acts of violence can lead to TBIs.
- Unsafe product accident cases – Unsafe products like dangerous appliances and defective drugs can have adverse effects that lead to preventable TBIs, even when consumers use those products as intended.
- Medical malpractice cases – Common examples of medical malpractice that could result in a TBI include failure to diagnose, delayed diagnosis, failure to monitor oxygen levels, and prescribing or administering incorrect medications.
- Nursing home abuse cases – When nursing home administrators or staff are abusive or careless, residents can suffer TBIs due to unattended slips and falls, lack of appropriate medication, or intentional physical abuse.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Here are some examples of the most common types of traumatic brain injuries:
- Concussions – Concussions are the most common type of TBI and are typically relatively mild. Many concussions result in a brief loss of consciousness, but concussed patients do not always experience blackouts. Other concussion symptoms include confusion, nausea, blurred vision, and difficulties with balance, speech, sleep, or focus.
- Contusions – “Contusion” is simply the medical term for a bruise, which occurs when blood vessels just beneath the skin’s surface are damaged. A contusion affecting the brain’s soft tissue can result in excessive intracranial bleeding that can put dangerous pressure on the brain.
- Hypoxic and anoxic injuries – A hypoxic brain injury is one in which the brain does not receive enough oxygen. In contrast, an anoxic injury causes the brain to receive no oxygen. A hypoxic or anoxic brain injury can lead to permanent damage if left untreated.
- Diffuse axonal injuries – A diffuse axonal injury occurs when violent shaking, accelerating, decelerating, or twisting forces damage or tear axons, which are special nerve fibers that transmit signals between the brain’s two hemispheres.
- Coup-contrecoup injuries – A coup-contrecoup injury occurs when a sharp blow to the head causes an injury on first one side of the brain and then the other as the brain slams into the inside of the skull wall.
- Penetrating head injuries – Penetrating head injuries are among the most serious and deadly TBIs. These injuries happen when bone fragments or foreign objects like bullets pierce the skull and, in some cases, directly damage the brain.
Symptoms and Treatment of a TBI
Some of the most common symptoms associated with a TBI include:
- Loss of consciousness for any length of time
- Unusual feelings of confusion and disorientation
- Persistent headaches and dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Slurred speech
- Unusual fatigue or trouble sleeping
- Unusual trouble with balance and coordination
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Unpleasant taste in the mouth
- Changes in the ability to smell
- Unusual trouble with memory and concentration
- Unusual anxiety, depression, and mood swings
- Convulsions and seizures
- Weakness and numbness in the extremities
- Dilation of one or both pupils
- Clear fluids draining from eyes or ears
Depending on the nature and severity of the TBI, doctors may recommend one or more of the following types of treatment:
- Rest and over-the-counter (OTC) medications for more mild cases
- Prescription medications to reduce swelling or prevent seizures
- Surgical treatment to repair fractures, stop bleeding or relieve pressure
- Physical, cognitive, speech, and occupational therapy and rehabilitation
Why You Need a TBI Lawyer
Whether you’re pursuing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit, TBI cases can involve high dollar amounts, complex questions of liability, and other factors that make it challenging to obtain fair compensation. A knowledgeable Athens TBI lawyer with Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., can help you by:
- Answering your questions and evaluating your legal options in a free case review
- Conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the cause of the TBI
- Identifying potentially liable parties
- Obtaining helpful evidence for your claim or lawsuit
- Communicating with insurance companies and other parties on your behalf
- Managing important case documentation and filing requirements
- Negotiating aggressively to maximize your settlement from the insurance company or taking your case to court, if necessary
Contact Our Firm in Athens to Speak with Our TBI Lawyers
If you are struggling to recover in the aftermath of a TBI, the experienced lawyers at Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., want to help you seek the justice and compensation you deserve. Do not hesitate to contact our firm today to get started with your free initial consultation.