Concussions happen frequently, and they have many causes. Concussions are also becoming more common in children. In one decade, the number of children who suffered traumatic brain injuries, like concussions, increased 57 percent. This fact causes concern for parents of young children, especially those who are involved in accidents, as children’s brains are still developing, and any injury can have a lifetime of negative consequences.
However, children are not the only individuals susceptible to concussions. People of any age can suffer a concussion depending on the circumstances. These injuries often occur in high contact sports and car accidents, but they can also happen when someone slips and falls. In every case, brain damage occurs.
No matter what has caused your concussion, you deserve to hold the negligent party accountable for your injury and your suffering. To do that, you need to work with a skilled and experienced traumatic brain injury attorney who can help you seek compensation for your injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is just like it sounds—an injury to the brain. While medical professionals classify a concussion as a “mild” TBI, that description only applies to the initial presentation of symptoms, not the lasting outcome. Indeed, concussions are serious injuries, as is any TBI.
Concussions happen when someone suffers a traumatic blow to the head or the body with such force that the brain moves inside the skull, slamming into the skull and causing damage. Most people associate a concussion with a car accident or other extreme force where direct pressure is applied to the head, but a direct impact to the head is not a requirement for someone to suffer a concussion.
In reality, a concussion can occur without any object hitting your head. In the example of a car accident, victims’ heads can bounce around, causing whiplash, and never come into contact with a steering wheel or dashboard. Whiplash can and does cause concussions if the force is strong enough.
In almost every situation, brain damage results. A concussion can leave a lasting impact. Any brain damage is serious, and a concussion is no different.
Short-Term Effects
Almost instantly after suffering a concussion, you may feel disoriented and confused, and suffer from a headache. Depending on the severity of your concussion, you may also suffer a blackout in your memory and not recall the accident that caused your concussion.
Many victims suffer short-term effects after a concussion.
Depending on the severity of the concussion, the negative effects may last several days to several months and include:
- An inability to concentrate
- Dizziness
- Ringing in your ears
- Nausea
- Sudden fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Irritability
- Loss of balance
If you or a loved one has suffered an accident where a concussion may result, you need to pay attention to these warning signs. If you notice them in yourself or your loved one, seek immediate medical attention to ensure you get the care you need.
Long-Term Effects
Short term effects of a concussion are only the beginning for some concussion victims. Unfortunately, it is difficult to tell whether someone will suffer long term impacts other than observing their recovery. If you suffer from concussion symptoms longer than three months, the effects are considered long-term.
The biggest contributor to suffering long-term effects is having multiple concussions.
If you or a loved one has suffered more than one concussion, you are at greater risk of suffering long-term effects, including:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory loss
- Sudden personality changes
- Light sensitivity
- Poor sleep
- Depression
- Anxiety
The best way to ensure that you do not suffer long-term effects from your concussion is to rest. Allowing your body the time it needs to rest can help you recover and give you the best chance of keeping your symptoms short-term. When you are too active too quickly after suffering a concussion, even if you feel better, your brain is still in a fragile state and even the slightest of injuries could give you another concussion, causing long-term effects.
While avoiding activity might not be what you have in mind, it is the best thing for you. Your doctor will chart a path for your recovery, and following that advice is key to your successful recovery.
Living With a Concussion
Whether your symptoms go away after just a few days or weeks, or you suffer from long-term effects, living with a concussion is possible. Unfortunately, symptoms may get in the way of your daily life. They may prevent you from going to work, attending school, participating in sports and exercise, or keep you away from loved ones. This isolation creates additional negative effects on your psychological state, which you should not ignore.
Living with a concussion may require extra patience. We all hate not feeling well, but in most cases, we will get better, and we just have to take it easy and be patient. Unfortunately, with a concussion, that often requires patience over the course of several weeks or months, not just a few days. There will be good days and bad days, and when the good days outnumber the bad, you can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Every concussion is different. That’s why you need to speak with your doctor regularly about how you are feeling and how your symptoms are getting better or worse. Your doctor can make adjustments to your medication and suggest other exercises or activities to help move your recovery process along.
Getting better also requires ensuring that you have the financial resources to pay for all these doctor appointments, tests, and prescriptions. The best way to make sure you have the financial resources to pay those medical expenses is by filing a traumatic brain injury claim against the at-fault party, the party that caused your concussion.
To do this, you need to work with a trusted traumatic brain lawyer who can help you maximize your compensation. If you don’t file a traumatic brain injury claim, you could end up paying out of pocket for your medical expenses, and we never want to see concussion victims like you suffer that tragic situation.
Collecting Compensation
The best way for you to collect the compensation you need to get better is by filing a traumatic brain injury claim, but do not wait too long. You only have two years from the date of your injury to bring a claim against the negligent party.
While two years might seem like a long time, you need to think about everything that might occur during that time, including:
- Extended time out of work
- Multiple doctor visits
- Testing procedures
- Prescription medication
Besides all of that, you face psychological issues resulting from your injury. Your family may have to take on extra work to help pay for your medical expenses. That is not a burden that they should bear. This could place extra and unnecessary stress on you and your family, complicating your recovery.
The sole burden of paying your medical expenses should fall on the at-fault party. Working with a seasoned traumatic brain lawyer in San Diego will give you the leg up you need.
Your lawyer may try to collect the following compensation for you:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of life enjoyment
- Present and future medical bills
- Rehabilitation costs
Many concussion victims do not properly account for their financial needs and grossly underestimate how much it will cost for them to make a complete recovery. When you work with a knowledgeable traumatic brain attorney in San Diego, you can work together to create an accurate estimate of your future financial needs, which will include everything listed above.
It is vital to your traumatic brain injury claim that you know how much money you might need to get better. Otherwise, you could find yourself in financial hardship, having to pay out of pocket for your medical expenses.
When you work with us, we can help you understand the full value of your claim. That will include items many people do not usually consider, like lost income. It is not your fault that you are out of work, so you should not suffer financial hardship if you do need to miss work. The person who caused your injury should be the one to make sure you do not have to worry about how your bills get paid.
Offers for Settlement
Understanding the full value of your claim is important to make sure you only accept settlements that are in your best interest, and insurance companies do not have your best interests at heart. Insurance companies only want to make a profit, and that could mean taking advantage of your situation.
Soon after you suffer a concussion, the insurance company of the negligent party may contact you and offer you a quick settlement. Insurance companies know that you need quick cash, and they hope you do not have a lawyer yet. They hope you accept the initial settlement offer without much thought, and thus go away for as little money as possible.
If you do not have a lawyer when you receive a settlement offer, that is absolutely the time to get one. Your lawyer can advise you on the settlement offer and determine whether it contains enough settlement funds to cover all of your financial needs. If you sign the offer, you may waive your right to bring any future claims against the insurance company for this injury. That means, months or years later when you realize you have run out of settlement funds, you may have to pay out of pocket for your medical expenses. Do not let this happen to you.
Avoid this tragic situation by working with a trusted traumatic brain injury attorney who does not back down from the big insurance companies. We do everything in our power to maximize your compensation. Our goals align with yours—get you every dollar you deserve, so you do not have to pay out of pocket for your medical expenses.
Work With a Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer Today
Choosing a lawyer can make a difference in your traumatic brain injury claim. Many traumatic brain injury victims think they are better off and will receive more money without a lawyer, since they will not have to pay the lawyer. That’s a myth. In most cases, having a lawyer at your side will actually increase the amount of compensation you receive.
Your lawyer can build a case for maximum compensation by investigating the circumstances of your accident, speaking with witnesses, reviewing medical and police records, negotiating with insurance companies, and representing you at trial.
While most traumatic brain injury cases settle out of court, some insurance companies refuse to settle for a reasonable amount, in which case we may need to take your case to trial to maximize your compensation. We know you want to avoid this because a trial can delay receiving the money to help cover your bills, but you have already suffered enough, and we want to help put a stop to it by helping you recover.
That’s why you need to choose a traumatic brain injury lawyer with trial experience. While you focus on your physical recovery, your lawyer can work hard to protect your rights and prepare for trial. Sometimes, showing the insurance company that your lawyer is serious and fully prepared for trial makes it rethink its low offer and offer a more reasonable settlement. Without trial experience, your attorney may not have this leverage.
The right lawyer can make a difference in your traumatic brain injury claim. Your concussion injury will hopefully get better, but your medical expenses will not go away. Collect damages from the at-fault party by filing a traumatic brain injury claim with the guidance of a lawyer you trust.
If you or a loved one has suffered a concussion or other traumatic brain injury, getting legal help can make your recovery process smoother and quicker. Discuss your options with a trusted traumatic brain injury lawyer today.
Gomez Trial Attorneys
655 West Broadway, Suite 1700
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619)-237-3490
