Injuries to the brain often result in permanent physical, cognitive, and behavioral changes. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors and their family members will be permanently affected by the consequences of the injuries, which can all be traced to another person’s negligence. The financial damage caused by a brain injury will also be steep due to all of the special treatments needed to care for a TBI patient.
Brain injuries and their life-altering consequences warrant significant financial compensation. As such, representation by a Bel Air, Maryland brain injury lawyer is highly recommended. The experienced attorneys at Portner & Shure, P.A. have been successfully fighting for brain injury victims for more than 30 years, making us one of the most trusted names in local litigation.
Call to start your brain injury claim today.
Anoxic & Hypoxic Brain Injuries
When an individual’s brain receives an insufficient amount of blood or oxygen, they usually suffer an anoxic or hypoxic brain injury. An anoxic injury results from a disruption of blood flow to the brain while a hypoxic brain injury occurs when the blood lacks sufficient oxygen. Strangulation will disrupt both blood and oxygen flow.
Both injuries usually result from:
- Suffocation
- Electrocution
- A severe fall
- Severe bleeding
The lasting effects of an anoxic or hypoxic brain injury can be dramatic. Many survivors will experience a loss of motor skills, behavioral changes, and loss of cognitive skills.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
When an individual receives a direct impact to their head, they may suffer a traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries include concussions, contusions, hemorrhages, lacerations, and more. Concussions are among the most common types of TBIs.
The common symptoms of a concussion include:
- Headache
- Ringing ears
- Dizziness
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Fatigue or drowsiness
- Blurry vision
While the effects and symptoms of a concussion are often temporary, severe concussions can result in nerve damage. Similar to a concussion, a contusion is also usually caused by a severe impact to the head. The main difference is that a contusion is a bruise to the brain tissue, which can be more likely to cause permanent symptoms.
The common symptoms of a contusion include:
- Headache
- Sleepiness
- Loss of consciousness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Confusion
- Difficulty with coordination and movement
Effects of a Brain Injury
Some brain injuries have temporary effects while other injuries result in permanent changes. This is because the severity of a brain injury depends on the severity of the underlying accident that caused the injury.
Common long-term effects include:
- Memory loss
- Behavioral and personality changes
- Loss of motor skills and coordination
- Speech impediments
Many brain injury victims are unable to resume their prior lives. Keeping gainful employment can become impossible, robbing the TBI patient of income, perhaps forever.
Treatment Options for Brain Injuries
Only a small percentage of brain injuries can be treated with bedrest, but all brain injuries require a trip to the hospital. You will not know the extent of your brain injury until a medical professional has a chance to carefully diagnose you and run several tests.
Moderate or traumatic brain injuries usually require emergency surgery and extensive follow up care. Occupational, speech, neuropsychology, and physical therapies could be prescribed for years or decades. The economic cost of treating a severe brain injury can be staggering, which is why representation by an aggressive Bel Air, Maryland brain injury lawyer can be so useful.
Damages & Litigation
To obtain financial compensation in any type of personal injury case, a personal injury victim has to prove their claim by a preponderance of the evidence, i.e., 51%. Personal injury cases involving brain injuries are often factually complex. This is because the victim must prove that the underlying accident caused their brain injury and not some sort of unrelated incident or preexisting medical condition.
Maryland law allows a victim to claim economic and noneconomic damages. Economic damages include past bills for medical treatment, the cost for future medical treatment and rehabilitation, and past and future lost wages. Noneconomic damages are meant to compensate a victim for the pain and suffering caused by their brain injury. To accurately assess these damages in a brain injury claim, expert witness testimony is often required in court.
Hire Portner & Shure, P.A. Today in Bel Air
Portner & Shure, P.A. is synonymous with fantastic legal representation in Bel Air, Maryland. Brain injury cases that might scare off other law firms do not intimidate our talented attorneys. Insurance companies know our name, too, so they know they need to offer a fair settlement to our clients or prepare for one of the most challenging legal fights of their careers.
