Although it is an organ that is completely surrounded by bone the human brain remains susceptible to injury. It is estimated that over 5,000,000 people in the United States have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Most in this group of people continue to live with varying degrees of disability. Many may require assistance of some kind in order to accomplish ordinary activities that must be performed to live independently, such as bathing and eating.
If you have been in an accident and have suffered a TBI due to no fault of your own, the compassionate Elk Grove and Sacramento County traumatic brain injury attorneys at the O'Brien & Zehnder Law Firm can help you get the compensation you need and deserve during this difficult time.
TBIs can occur without any penetration of the skull. These, known as "closed head injuries," are induced when forces due to an impact cause the soft brain tissue to bump against the skull. In a car accident, it is the aftermath of the victim's head being in motion at one moment and at the very next it comes to an abrupt stop.
In addition, TBIs occur when an object penetrates the skull and directly contacts the brain tissue. This type of TBI can also be called an "open head injury" or a "penetrating injury." Such TBIs are caused by a wide variety of impacts. From blunt trauma to the head as a result of a victim falling, to an object that is traveling at a high speed before hitting the victim's head. Or both the object and the victim could be in motion before they collide; such as when a victim's head is moving forward and contacts a portion of another vehicle moving toward the victim's head.
Often TBIs are accompanied by injuries to any or all of the structures of the head: skull, face, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and cranial nerves.
The typical profile of a TBI victim is a relatively young (average age of 40) male (74%) with a modest education (63% of victims got no further than high school).
The most common causes of TBI are:
The very essence of a person is contained in the brain: personality, intellect, memory, emotions, and values. A serious injury can alter any or all of these traits. Even injuries classified as "mild" can have long-lasting mental and emotional effects. TBIs classified as moderate and severe - up to 25% of all TBIs - almost always involve some degree of detrimental long-term effects.
The effects vary based on the part of the brain that's injured and how severe the injury is. These effects can include:
Dealing with the consequences of TBIs of any significant severity usually requires extensive rehabilitation and therapy, both physical and mental. Psychological counseling and therapy may be needed to ameliorate the victim's emotional distress. In many cases, the victim requires alteration of the home and the use of assistive devices, both of which require major financial outlays.
Whether or not the victims and their families will be able to obtain these resources usually depends on their success in recovering compensation from the people who caused the injury.
Not every personal injury law firm is equipped to handle the complexity and subtlety of TBI cases.
It takes experience in these cases to really understand the subtleties of TBIs and to anticipate the claims that the defendants are likely to make in resisting liability.
It also takes access to the best medical experts who can assess crucial factors that affect the amount of compensation to which you are entitled:
The personal injury lawyers at the O'Brien & Zehnder Law Firm have been successfully handling these cases for many years. Our peers and our clients in both Elk Grove & Sacramento rate us highly. Personal attention and dedicated preparation of each case are standard practices. We prepare every case as if it's headed to trial, even as we work diligently to reach a fair settlement that will get you the compensation you need more quickly through an out-of-court settlement.
If you or a family member needs representation in a TBI case in Sacramento or any surrounding county, call a knowledgeable traumatic brain injury lawyer at the law firm of John M. O'Brien & Grant Zehnder to schedule a consultation at no charge. The longer you wait, the more difficult the case is likely to be, so contact us today.