Austin Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury in a slip and fall accident or traffic collision that was caused by someone else’s carelessness, contact us today. With the right Austin brain injury attorney on your side, you can rest assured that your personal injury case is in good hands.
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) defines traumatic brain injury as an acquired condition that results when sudden trauma damages the brain. Traumatic brain injury most commonly occurs when an object pierces the skull and brain tissue, or when the head is suddenly and violently struck, bumped, or jolted, which disrupts the brain’s normal functions. The symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe.
Medical professionals will attempt to stabilize victims of traumatic brain injuries to prevent further injuries, but most often, nothing can be done to reverse the trauma’s initial damage to the brain. The permanency and severity of the effects this injury has on the victim varies, but some of the common disabilities associated with traumatic brain injury include problems with communication, cognition, and sensory processing, and difficulties with behavior and mental health. The most serious cases often leave the victim in a vegetative, unresponsive state that can last permanently.
What Are The Symptoms Of TBI?
Traumatic brain injuries can have a variety of symptoms, ranging from severe to almost undetectable. Sometimes, symptoms are difficult to identify because they appear weeks or months after the traumatic incident; others appear immediately. Mild brain injuries can be characterized by the following symptoms: loss of consciousness (for several minutes), confusion, vomiting, drowsiness, insomnia, excessive sleep, mood swings, headaches, problems with balance, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and the inability to concentrate.
Severe brain injuries can result in these symptoms and a variety of other complications. After a severe traumatic brain injury, the victim may lose consciousness for hours. The victim might experience serious confusion, agitation, aggressive behavior, slurred speech, numbness in the fingers and toes, the inability to coordinate, headaches, persistent vomiting, seizures, convulsions, clear fluid draining from the ears, and pupil dilation.
Common Causes Of TBI
Traumatic brain injuries can be the result of almost any accident. According to May Clinic, falls are one of the most common incidents behind traumatic brain injuries. Even simple accidents, such as a child falling from a bed, can result in a TBI. Other common accidents include slipping in the shower, falling down staircases, and falling from ladders. These accidents commonly involve young children or elderly adults. Car accidents are another common cause of TBI. Car accident victims can suffer a multitude of injuries – including traumatic brain injuries. In fact, even relatively mild car accidents have been known to result in serious medical complications related to TBI. Vehicle-related accidents include car accidents, trucking collisions, motorcycle accidents, and pedestrian-related traffic accidents.
Treating Traumatic Brain Injuries
Mild TBI is usually treatable with pain relievers and rest. Generally speaking, mild brain injuries will heal without medical attention, but should be monitored to make sure that the injured person does not exhibit signs of a more severe injury. Serious brain injuries are treatable with medication and surgery. In extreme cases, emergency surgery may be used to control the damage associated with the injury:
- Blood Clots – Doctors may need to perform surgery to eliminate hematomas (bleeding around the brain that results in a clot). Hematomas may cause further brain damage by pressing against tissue in the brain.
- Skull Fractures – Severe TBI can result in a skull fracture. Doctors may need to perform surgery to remove bone fragments from the brain and repair the fracture.
- Pressure Build Up – Cerebral fluid can being to build up underneath the skull and create damaging pressure. Doctors may need to create a space in the skull to relieve pressure.
Contact an Austin Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney
Preventable accidents devastate families and completely disrupt lives, and those who cause these injuries must be held responsible. The Austin personal injury lawyers at Loewy Law Firm have devoted our careers to representing personal injury victims, because our passion lies in helping people rebuild their lives after tragic events. We are highly accomplished and adamant advocates for victims’ rights, and may be able to help your family obtain compensation for your injuries.
Our Austin brain injury lawyers understand how difficult it is to face medical bills, daily pain, and the loss of your previous abilities and can provide you with the support you need to start anew. We will work diligently to create a comprehensive and powerful case to give you the best possible chance of success, and you can be confident that we will do everything we can to achieve justice for your family. If a traumatic brain injury has affected your loved ones, do not hesitate to call our Austin firm to discuss your legal options.