Columbus Brain Injury Lawyers

What is Traumatic Brain Injury?

The brain is the control center of the body. Therefore, even seemingly minor injuries can have major consequences. Brain injuries affect your physical and mental capacity and overall quality of life.

A traumatic brain injury is a head injury that disrupts the brain’s normal functions. The severity of a TBI may range from “mild” to “severe.” And data shows that the top three causes of traumatic brain injury are car accidents, firearms, and falls.

There are a few tools that medical practitioners use to diagnose a traumatic brain injury. One of the most common is the Glasgow Coma Scale. This is a 15-point scale based on overall social capability or dependence on others. The test measures motor, verbal, and eye-opening responses. This lets medical professionals gauge the severity of a traumatic brain injury.

Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

A mild TBI or concussion can happen in countless scenarios. A concussion from a car accident is very common, and the symptoms may take hours or days to appear fully. This makes misdiagnosis a severe concern.

Many people are not immediately aware that they suffered a concussion. If you were recently in a car accident and believe you may be suffering a concussion, you need to seek medical treatment.

You can even suffer a mild TBI or concussion without hitting your head. The neck experiences a whiplash-type injury, and the brain moves inside the skull after the head stops. Other common causes of traumatic brain injuries include:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Slip and fall accidents
• Medical malpractice

Common Types of Columbus Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries can take many forms. Some examples of head injuries you might experience after a severe accident include:

• Anoxic head injuries
• Concussion
• Diffuse axonal brain injuries
• Edema
• Hematoma
• Hemorrhage
• Hypoxic brain injuries
• Skull fractures
• Stroke

Signs & Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury

Common signs you might have suffered a traumatic brain injury following an accident in Columbus include:

• Difficulty focusing
• Difficulty with balance or coordination
• Disorientation
• Fluid leaking from the nose or ears
• Headache
• Loss of consciousness
• Loss of muscle control
• Mood changes
• Nausea
• Trouble focusing your eyes
• Vomiting

Columbus Brain Injury Recovery

Brain injuries affect who you are and how you think, act, and feel. Most mild TBIs will resolve over time. However, a person can experience many changes in more severe TBI cases.

There are indicators that medical teams use for prognosis:

• Duration of Coma: The shorter the coma, the better the prognosis.
• Post-traumatic amnesia: The shorter the amnesia, the better the prognosis.
• Age: Patients over 60 or under age 2 have the worst prognosis, even if they suffer the same injury as someone outside of those age groups.

Recovering from a traumatic brain injury varies greatly based on the individual and nature of the brain injury.

In Columbus, the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center is nationally recognized in rehabilitative care for people with traumatic and nontraumatic brain injuries. However, even with the leading rehab programs, recovery can take months or even years.

As a top-rated Ohio injury firm, here are some resources for people dealing with brain injuries in Columbus.

With considerable experience helping local injury victims, our Columbus lawyers will guide and assist you with documenting the medical care and costs associated with a TBI. We have strong relationships with the many excellent hospitals and trauma centers in Columbus, including:

• Ohio State University Hospital
• Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital
• Mount Carmel
• OhioHealth
• Other local ERs

Brain Injury Insurance Claims and Lawsuits

You may have the opportunity to file an insurance claim for your brain injury if the defendant carries insurance coverage. However, many times, insurance coverage is not sufficient. For this reason, you should always be prepared to file a brain injury lawsuit to fully recover your damages.

Who’s Liable for a Brain Injury?

The type of accident involved will generally indicate who could be at fault for your injuries. But there may be more than one person or insurance policy involved. Your attorney will be tasked with proving the defendant’s liability to secure the necessary compensation.

Some parties commonly named in traumatic brain injury lawsuits include:

• Parts manufacturers and distributors
• Motorists
• Safety inspectors
• Government agencies and municipalities
• Negligent property owners
• Companies
• Other third parties

What’s the TBI Claim Process?

After retaining an attorney, the claims process can vary depending on the circumstances. Usually, if the defendant has insurance coverage, your attorney will handle negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf. This way, you do not risk being taken advantage of.

However, since most insurance settlements are insufficient to meet an injury victim’s needs, you should be prepared to bring your case to trial. Although you may be able to settle outside of court, if your case goes to trial, it may be the best way to recover maximal compensation for your suffering.

Fatal Brain Injuries

You may also pursue compensation if your loved ones suffered a traumatic brain injury they eventually succumbed to. Filing a wrongful death lawsuit may be the best way to recover the decedent’s medical expenses, funeral costs, and ensure the surviving family members are compensated for their suffering.

Columbus Brain Injury FAQs

Our Legal Team Will:

• Go over your damages and losses to calculate the value of your brain injury lawsuit
• Investigate the exact cause of your brain injuries
• Negotiate with the insurance company to get the most out of your brain injury claim
• Obtain clear evidence to prove how your brain injuries occurred and who is responsible
• Prepare insurance claims, trial documents, and other necessary paperwork
• Represent your best interests at a brain injury trial (if required)