Virginia Brain Injury Lawyer
The brain is a complicated organ that scientists still don’t fully understand. Sometimes damage to the brain can heal. Sometimes an accident victim can be left with life-altering physical and mental disabilities. How do you put a price on the human brain after a significant accident?
At Deering Hedrick, we understand the complex physical and emotional complications that can come from a traumatic brain injury. Mike Deering and Chris Todd Hedrick are committed to helping victims of traumatic brain injuries understand their legal rights. Our legal team provides compassionate support and valuable legal advice to accident victims when they need it the most.
If you or a family member has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury following an accident, contact the Virginia Beach office of Deering Hedrick. We take the time to listen to your story and discuss your legal options for recovering meaningful compensation for your losses.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Brain injuries can be complex. However, they typically only occur in one of two ways. The first category of brain injury is called a closed-brain injury. A closed-brain injury occurs when a violent force thrusts the head forward and backward or side to side. Most closed-brain injuries result from car accidents, sports injuries, and falls.
Traumatic brain injuries can also be caused by piercing wounds. These injuries are known as penetrating brain injuries. Penetrating brain injuries typically occur when a foreign object breaks through the skull and enters the brain. Gunshots tend to be the most common cause of penetrating brain injuries.
Closed-brain injuries and penetrating wounds can lead to numerous types of traumatic brain injuries. Some of the most common traumatic brain injuries include:
- Concussion – Concussions are the most common types of traumatic brain injuries. Most concussions are considered mild TBIs. A concussion is typically the result of a violent blow or jolt to the head. The jolt propels the brain forward and backward or side to side and can cause the brain to collide with the skull.
- Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury – A coup-contrecoup brain injury is not just one injury. It is two injuries. First, trauma to the brain occurs during a violent impact, such as a car accident. A subsequent brain injury follows when the force of the jolt causes the brain to hit the opposite side of the skull from where the initial impact occurred.
- Intracranial Hematomas – When trauma causes blood to pool in the skull or brain, the result is a hematoma. There are three main types of cranial hematomas, subdural, epidural, and intracerebral.
- Hypoxic Brain Injury – Brain injuries caused by the restriction of oxygen-rich blood flow are called hypoxic brain injuries. Lack of oxygen first impairs brain cells, then kills them.
- Diffuse Axonal Injury – Axons are long nerve fibers in the brain. A diffuse axonal injury occurs when these fibers shift or rotate in the brain, causing tears.
Traumatic brain injuries fall into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. Mild TBIs may take weeks to heal, while severe brain injuries can take years. In some cases, severe TBIs can cause permanent physical, emotional, and mental disabilities.
Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury
You may think the signs of a traumatic brain injury are apparent. Unfortunately, not all traumatic brain injuries manifest symptoms of damage immediately. The most common signs and symptoms of TBI can include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Headache
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vision changes
- Hearing changes
- Slurred speech
- Memory problems
- Difficulties concentrating or communicating
- Muscle weakness
- Fatigue
- Changes in mood
- Changes in appetite
- Insomnia
- Seizures
It can sometimes take hours or even days to experience the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, which is why after any accident, you should seek medical attention right away, no matter what.
Long-Term Complications Associated with Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries often leave a lasting impact on accident victims. It can be challenging to predict the exact long-term medical complications that may accompany a traumatic brain injury. Some people fully recover from a TBI and resume living much as they did before the accident. Other individuals may suffer life-altering physical and emotional complications. Potential long-term complications associated with TBIs may include:
- Depression
- Emotional outbursts
- Emotional instability
- Difficulties with impulse control
- Personality changes
- Memory loss
- Vision and hearing loss
- Insomnia
- Learning impairments
- Trouble communicating
- Difficulty understanding or using language
- Paralysis
- Loss of coordination
- Muscle weakness
- Tremors
Some research also indicates traumatic brain injuries may increase a person’s risk of developing degenerative disorders later in life. Those diagnosed with a TBI may be more prone to being diagnosed with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Compensation Available for Traumatic Brain Injuries in Virginia
Is a careless individual to blame for causing the accident that led to your traumatic brain injury diagnosis? You may be entitled to recover valuable compensation for your injuries and financial losses. In general, you might be able to seek money for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
The value of your case can depend on the severity of your injury and the cause of the accident. An experienced Virginia Beach traumatic brain injury lawyer can evaluate your case and help you understand what it may be worth.
The Commonwealth of Virginia is one of only a handful of states that subscribes to a contributory negligence model in personal injury cases. This regulation states that if you are in any way responsible for causing an accident, you cannot obtain compensation for your losses.
For example, if a court determines an individual is ten percent to blame for causing an accident, they cannot be compensated financially for their injuries. The contributory negligence rule binds all civil court decisions. The regulations also heavily influence how an insurance adjuster will evaluate a claim.
Contact Deering Hedrick Today for Help
Did you or a loved one suffer a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s carelessness or an intentional act? If so, you are not alone, and help is available to you. The injury attorneys at Deering Hedrick want to help you get justice and fair compensation for the harm you’ve suffered.
Let Mike Deering and Chris Todd Hedrick help you recover the compensation you deserve. Contact the Virginia Beach office of Deering Hedrick today to set up a confidential legal consultation.
