|
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
One of the worst things about traumatic brain injury ("TBI") is that you can't see it. An individual who suffers from a brain injury usually looks and acts perfectly normal to the outside. Inside, however, something very different may be going on. This presents a problem to the attorney handling a TBI case, and is further complicated by society's ever increasing critical views about personal injury cases in general, especially those where the injury is not self-evident.
People who have been in an automobile accident, had a fall, or are otherwise traumatized often suffer from a "shearing" injury, where brain tissue is torn against the sharp edges of the skull. Moreover, the incidence of traumatic brain injury in this country is about 1 new case per 500 people annually! Approximately 10 percent of these cases are classified as severe. The others, often considered "mild TBI," produce anything other than "mild" effects on the accident victim. "Mild" brain injury victims suffer symptoms severe enough to disrupt memory, mood, basic cognitive functioning. The general feeling is that a traumatic brain injury victim is a "different person" than before the injury.
These problems don't all manifest themselves at once. In fact, initially perhaps only one or two areas are affected. Memory and organizational skills may be left intact and somehow the victim suffers only emotional problems. Sometimes, tasks may be performed accurately, however, not without the victim suffering from constant fatigue. The damage can be subtle, but no less serious. Usually it takes a family member or close friend to recognize it. Furthermore, much of this is undetectable by MRI, CT Scan, or several of the other traditional means of diagnosis.
A victim of traumatic brain injury should find a lawyer who works closely with neurologists and neuropsychologists as well as the client and his or her family to provide the needed background information necessary to produce an accurate diagnosis. The relief that this provides victims and their families who were once said to be "milking the system" or "malingering" is invaluable. Armed with objective, neuropsychological test results and confirmation of traumatic brain injury by a qualified expert, we can force the opposition in a lawsuit to take these injuries seriously. If you or someone you love suffers from a traumatic brain injury as a result of the negligence of another, please fill out the form below. An attorney will review your form and may contact you to discuss your case.
|
