Wilkes-Barre Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer
When someone suffers from a traumatic brain injury, it’s devastating to them and their loved ones. Brain injuries cause emotional, cognitive, and physical challenges, and recovery is usually a long and difficult process. In some cases, victims never recover at all. Treating brain injuries is also very costly, placing those injured under severe financial hardship at a time when they are already suffering. In Pennsylvania, when someone else’s negligence has caused the brain injury, victims can file a claim for compensation. To get the full amount they deserve, accident victims should speak to a Wilkes-Barre traumatic brain injury lawyer.
Common Types of Brain Injuries
There are five different categories of brain injuries. They include:
- Concussions: These are the most common type of traumatic brain injuries and they often have severe and long-lasting effects. A concussion occurs when the brain moves back and forth in rapid succession, striking the walls of the skull.
- Coup-contrecoup: This type of injury is typically a result of a blow to the head that also causes the brain to hit the sides of the skull. A coup injury results in damage to the same side of the head that was struck, while a contra-coupe injury results in damage to the opposite side of the head.
- Contusion: A contusion refers to bleeding on the brain and in many cases, these injuries require surgery to be removed.
- Penetration: When something penetrates the skull and enters the brain, such as part of a windshield, it results in serious injury to the brain.
- Diffuse axonal: These injuries occur when the brain has been violently shaken and the nerve tissues in the brain tear. These injuries can result in severe brain damage, coma, or death.
All of these brain injuries are traumatic and can take months or years to recover from, when recovery is possible.
Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
There are many different causes of traumatic brain injuries. The most common cause is car accidents. The head can hit many different parts of the vehicle during a crash, and flying objects and debris can penetrate the skull and brain.
Workplace accidents are also a common cause of traumatic brain injuries, particularly when they occur on construction sites. Construction workers often work at great heights and when they fall, they can sustain a brain injury.
Other slip and fall accidents, such as those that happen on commercial property, are another common cause of traumatic brain injuries. Slip and falls are most likely to result in a brain injury when a person falls more than six feet, or when they hit their head on a hard surface, such as concrete, during the fall.
Medical malpractice can also result in a traumatic brain injury. Tragically, these often occur during the birthing process when infants are deprived of oxygen.
When these accidents occur and victims sustain a traumatic brain injury as a result, they are often able to claim compensation to help deal with their injuries. In the case of negligence, those hurt can file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party, and injured workers can claim workers’ compensation.
Suffering from a Traumatic Brain Injury? Call Our Pennsylvania Personal Injury Attorneys
If you or a loved one was in an accident and are now dealing with a traumatic brain injury, you need the help of our Wilkes-Barre personal injury attorneys. At O’Donnell Law Offices, we know how to hold negligent individuals and their insurance companies accountable so you receive the compensation you need to help with your recovery. Call us today at (570) 821-5717 to schedule your free consultation and to learn more about how we can help with your case.
