Traumatic Brain Injury Lawsuits and Info

Phoenix Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers Helping You Through a Challenging Time

The number of different injuries that can occur as a result of negligence is nearly limitless. However, one of the areas of the body that largely remains a mystery when it’s injured is the brain. In medical and legal language, this type of injury is known as a traumatic brain injury, and those who suffer from them face a long and difficult struggle.

Below you’ll find information regarding the nature of traumatic brain injuries, common causes of traumatic brain injuries, the types of damages that can be sought if someone suffers such an injury because of the negligence of someone else and finally how you should proceed if you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury that warrants protection and enforcement of your legal rights by an expereinced Phoenix personal injury attorney.

Traumatic Brain Injuries – A Brief Overview

Traumatic brain injuries have reached nearly epidemic proportions in the United States. Approximately 5 million people in the United States suffer from this injury in one way or another. The biggest problem associated with traumatic brain injuries is that no two brain injuries are ever exactly alike. The brain is an incredibly complex network of nerves, chemicals, hormones and other structures that basically control who and what we are.

When a traumatic brain injury occurs, the symptoms can vary widely. The effects on the patient can also vary widely and can depend on which part of the brain has been damaged. However, one common variable with traumatic brain injuries is that they are difficult to diagnose with specificity, can be impossible to repair surgically and present no dependable timetable for recovery if a full recovery is even possible.

For instance, a person who suffers from a traumatic brain injury could suffer from symptoms that include:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Memory loss
• Trouble sleeping
• Dizziness
• Depression
• Loss of senses including sight and smell
• Chronic pain
• Loss of bowel control

The above examples represent only a small subset of the entire list of possibilities for symptoms of a traumatic brain injury.

Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Fortunately for most patients, traumatic brain injuries are the result of a specific event and not something that can develop over time. This allows medical professionals to obtain a better level of understanding regarding the diagnosis of such an injury, even though this knowledge will not necessarily provide for a better prognosis for the patient.

In terms of those specific events, the following represent examples of some of the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries:

• Automobile accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Trucking accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Slips and falls
• Sports injuries
• Blunt force trauma

Basically, any activity in which the head is put in a position of risk can lead to a traumatic brain injury. When such an injury occurs, the brain is actually harmed twice in many situations. The initial impact can harm the brain tissue, and in many occurrences the brain will rebound or recoil against the interior of the person’s skull. This second impact can lead to as much or even more damage as the initial trauma.

Damages Available for Traumatic Brain Injuries

Given the reality that surrounds a traumatic brain injury, which includes serious damage done to the patient and the prospect of never fully recovering and a lower overall quality of life, there are several different forms of damages that can be sought if this traumatic brain injury was inflicted by someone’s negligence, recklessness or intentional conduct. Below is a brief look at these different forms of damages that may be sought by an Arizona personal injury lawyer.

• Compensatory damages – Compensatory damages are those damages that are awarded to a plaintiff in order to reimburse him or her for expenses incurred as a result of the incident. These costs can be substantial for a traumatic brain injury, as the plaintiff could incur costs for immediate medical care, long-term medical care, equipment needed to aid the person in everyday life and perhaps vocational training if the person has lost the ability to function normally in some basic way. In addition, a successful plaintiff can be awarded damages for pain and suffering to compensate the person for that lower quality of life.

• Punitive damages – In cases where the action that led to the traumatic brain injury was intentional, courts in Arizona can allow juries to award punitive damages. Punitive damages are basically in place to punish the liable defendant and to serve as a deterrent to others who may engage in similar conduct in the future. Punitive damages are also not awarded to compensate the plaintiff for any costs incurred.

If you or someone you love has suffered this sort of injury as a result of the actions of someone else, you need to seek the legal help of an experienced Arizona traumatic brain injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact the law firm of Phillips & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.