Georgia Injury Law Blog
A brain injury is one of the most devastating injuries a person can suffer in an accident. Brain injuries are not only debilitating to the victim, but they can have a tremendous impact on the victim’s family as well.
Car accidents as well as slip, or trip, and fall accidents are two of the most common causes of brain injuries. And as serious as brain injuries are, they are also, surprisingly, one of the most difficult and complicated injuries to diagnose and treat. According to the International Brain Injury Association, approximately 1.5 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year. Of these, 75% are classified as mild TBI. Unfortunately, a mild TBI is often unnoticed or misdiagnosed because many victims do not have visible symptoms that most people associate with a brain injury. Because of this, the mild TBI has been called a “silent epidemic.” However, the term “mild” can be misleading as these injuries can still have long-term and devastating complications on a victim’s life.
Many times a person may have been involved in a slip and fall or a car accident and, although he or she may not think they sustained serious injuries, could very well be overlooking some classic symptoms of a brain injury or mild TBI. Symptoms of a brain injury or mild TBI include (1) any period of loss of consciousness, even if just for a few seconds, (2) any loss of memory immediately before or after the accident, (3) any altered state of mind such as confusion or disorientation at the time of the accident, (4) any neurological problems including speech, vision or hearing, (5) headache, nausea or vomiting, and (5) fatigue, sleepiness or dizziness.
If you, or a loved one, were involved in an accident and you suspect you may have sustained a brain injury, you should pay special mind to your cognitive and neurological status after the accident so you can be properly diagnosed. A person who has sustained a brain injury or mild TBI may face long term consequences from the injury such as difficulty keeping a job, maintaining relationships or performing family duties, or returning or completing school. In fact, loss of income and the cost of disability from brain injuries have been estimated to be in the billions each year.
Brain injuries not only result in physical pain but emotion injury as well. These can include emotional distress, anxiety, and depression. A traumatic brain injury can also cause a reduction in life expectancy which can also have a devastating impact on you and your family. You may be able to recover damages for your injuries and pain and suffering, along with the costs of medical care to treat the brain injury if your injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident, you may be eligible for damages to compensate you for your losses like medical costs, lost incomes and other losses. Talk to an Atlanta personal injury lawyer at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers, and discuss how you can file a claim for damages to offset your losses.