Brain injuries are among the most severe types of personal injury an individual can suffer. The effects of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are unimaginable to those who have not seen first-hand the impact on a person’s life. Things we take for granted every day—like driving ourselves to work, cleaning our house, making dinner for our family, or even just going for a walk—are impossible for many survivors of TBIs.
If someone else’s negligence, recklessness, or wrongdoing caused your or a loved one’s traumatic brain injuries, the law is on your side. You’re not without legal options. There may be substantial compensation available to help you lead your most meaningful and financially secure life.
Find out how a Baton Rouge brain injury lawyer can assist. The team at Bianca | Matkins is ready to help with your potential claim.
What Causes Brain Injuries?
An injury can happen any time a person acts without consideration for the safety of others. You or a family member may have been injured by one of these common causes of brain injury in Baton Rouge:
- Car accident
- Motorcycle accident (especially those involving unhelmeted riders)
- Commercial vehicle or truck accident
- Bicycle collision
- Slip and fall accident
- Sports injuries
- Construction injuries
- Dangerous drugs and medication interactions
- Malpractice by a medical professional (including a birth injury)
- Physical violence and criminal assault due to negligent security
- Workplace injuries
Common Types of Brain Injuries
A sudden-onset brain injury that is caused by an external force (like a blow to the head) is referred to as a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Traumatic brain injuries are generally divided into two categories:
- A closed head injury happens when the skull is not broken, but the brain is forced back and forth, causing bruising, tearing, broken blood vessels, and brain damage.
- A penetrating brain injury is when a sharp object pierces the brain, resulting in an open head injury.
Both of these types of traumatic brain injuries can cause severe trauma and lasting debilitating effects.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 214,110 traumatic brain injuries required hospitalization in 2020, while nearly 70,000 TBI’s resulted in death in 2021. These numbers equate to 586 hospitalizations and almost 200 TBI-related deaths per day.
Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury
A head injury should never be taken lightly. If you or a loved one suffered a potential brain injury, seek medical attention immediately. Common symptoms of moderate to severe brain damage include:
- Headaches that won’t go away
- Loss of consciousness
- Slurred speech
- Personality changes
- Emotional and behavioral changes
- Seizures
- Disturbances in sleep patterns
- Clear fluid leaking from the nose or ears
- Confusion or amnesia
- Loss of coordination and balance
These and other symptoms can indicate traumatic brain injury. The sooner injuries are evaluated and treated, the greater the chance that medical providers will be able to limit or reverse any loss of brain function the victim suffered in the accident.
The Life-Altering Impact of a Serious Brain Injury
Brain injuries cause big life changes, both mentally and physically. In many ways, a loss of physical abilities means a loss of independence. Survivors may need ongoing rehabilitative therapy, home modifications, and continued daily support.
Financial compensation granted by Louisiana law allows victims to achieve what they need to lead a high quality of life. A settlement award in a Baton Rouge brain injury case is much more than just money.
For many head injury survivors, it means access to quality medical care, upholding one’s legal rights, the ability to support your family, and not worry about how you’ll pay bills when you can’t work.
Most of all, it means the opportunity to live the highest quality of life possible for you.
How a Baton Rouge Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer Can Help You
If you or a loved one was the victim of a brain injury suffered in an accident caused by another person, you may be entitled to take legal action against the at-fault party. Most accidents can be prevented through reasonable care. When the negligence of another person leads to a preventable brain injury, you and your family should not be the ones to bear the financial and legal burden.
A Baton Rouge brain injury lawyer from our team can help you:
- Investigate the cause of the accident and determine who was at fault
- File claims, complete paperwork, and meet mandated deadlines
- Negotiate with the insurance company
- Connect with medical professionals and other expert witnesses
- Calculate and win a full and fair settlement amount
Fair Compensation for Brain Injury Victims
We give our time, effort, and resources unreservedly to help victims of head injuries obtain the maximum compensation they are entitled to by law. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be able to recover compensation for:
- Medical bills for hospitalization, doctor and specialist appointments, and medication
- Therapy costs, including physical, speech, vocational, and occupational
- Lost wages if you miss time at work, or lost earning potential if you cannot return to work in the same role or at the same income level
- Accommodations to your home or vehicle if you need to make modifications
- Domestic services like cleaning and child care, and in-home nursing care
- Pain and suffering for both physical and emotional/psychological injuries
- Loss of enjoyment of life and loss of ability to participate in hobbies, sports, important events, and activities that were once part of your life
At Bianca | Matkins, we value the attorney-client relationship. You deserve more than just a lawyer—you deserve an advocate and guide who gives your case personal attention. We strive to meet the unique needs of each individual who walks through our doors.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a Baton Rouge brain injury lawyer you can trust to prioritize your well-being.
