After a fall, car crash, or other accident, a victim may suffer from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Traumatic brain injuries are serious injuries that can affect every facet of a person’s life, from affecting how they think to move their body and control their emotions. Many people with TBIs require extensive medical treatment. They may be unable to work or live the life they had prior to the accident.
The Illinois brain injury lawyers from Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys work closely with personal injury victims. We have seen the impact a TBI has on their lives and those of their families. Suppose someone else’s negligence was responsible for you or a loved one’s brain injury in Illinois. In that case, you deserve to be fairly compensated for the losses you’ve suffered – both financial and personal.
Our legal team has decades of experience holding negligent parties responsible for the harm they cause in Illinois. We have secured over $100 million for our deserving clients. We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Super Lawyers, and Best Lawyers. Contact us today for a free consultation at (312) 726-1616 to discuss your case with an Illinois brain injury attorney.
How Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help After a Brain Injury
Brain injuries can have a wide-reaching effect on victims and their families in Illinois. They can cause cognitive and memory issues, alter the victim’s personality, cause communication issues, and lead to long-term complications, such as cranial nerve damage and mobility issues. When you are dealing with such a life-altering injury, you need a strong Illinois personal injury lawyer in your corner who can fight for the justice and accountability you deserve.
When you hire an Illinois personal injury lawyer from Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, you get the peace of mind of knowing that a legal professional is handling all aspects of your claim, including:
- Accident investigation and analysis
- Evidence gathering and preservation
- Communication with insurance companies and third parties
- Claim paperwork and filings
- Negotiation
- Litigation
Learn more about how we can help when you call us for a free case review with an Illinois personal injury attorney.
Brain Injury Statistics
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2020, there were 214,110 TBI-related hospitalizations. There were 69,473 TBI-related deaths in 2021. These numbers do not reflect the many TBIs that are only treated in the emergency department, primary care, or urgent care or left untreated.
This means millions of people are suffering from a traumatic brain injury at any given time. People aged 75 and older had the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths, representing 32% and 28% of all such cases, respectively. Men are almost two times more likely to be hospitalized and three times more likely to die from a TBI than women.
What Are Brain Injury Claims Worth?
Every brain injury case is different because each brain injury can affect a victim differently.
Some of the questions our personal injury lawyers may ask to estimate the value of your claim are:
- What type of brain injury did you suffer?
- Did you suffer a mild, moderate, or severe TBI?
- How has the injury affected your life?
- What type of medical treatment did/do you require?
- What is the extent of your pain and suffering?
- Did the injury affect your ability to work?
- Did the brain injury cause permanent disabilities or impairment?
- Who is responsible for your brain injury?
- What insurance coverage is available for your claim?
After thoroughly investigating your case, we can give you a better idea of the potential case value.
Compensation You Can Recover from a Brain Injury Case
Brain injuries can have devastating and life-altering effects on victims and their families. Through a personal injury claim, you may be able to recover compensation for the following:
Medical Expenses
The medical expenses related to a brain injury can be exorbitant. They may include costs for:
Emergency Treatment
To reduce the likelihood of long-term complications or death, it’s essential to seek medical attention immediately after a blow to the head. Healthcare professionals can ensure that you receive adequate oxygen to your brain.
In many brain injury cases, an interdisciplinary team of medical professionals will be assembled to address all the various areas that can be affected by a brain injury. Your team may include a neurologist, surgeon, primary care physician, mental health provider, and physical therapist.
In serious cases, you may require treatment at a trauma hospital before being transferred to a specialized clinic to help with the next stage of your recovery.
Diagnostic Tests
Medical professionals may use various diagnostic tests to determine the type and extent of the brain injury, such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans.
Medicine
You may receive different types of medication for different purposes, such as:
- Anti-seizure drugs – These medicines help prevent seizures.
- Coma-inducing drugs – It may be necessary for your doctor to put you to sleep, such as to perform surgery.
- Diuretics – These drugs help reduce fluid in tissues and pressure inside the brain.
Surgeries
Your doctor may need to perform surgery to remove blood clots, reduce brain swelling, or repair fractures to the skull.
Rehabilitation
Emergency treatment is just the first part of your treatment. Your recovery journey may include months or years of ongoing rehabilitation. Your rehabilitation will likely begin at the hospital but then continue on an outpatient basis. Rehabilitation can help you build strength, relearn skills, and adapt to the brain injury.
Mental Health Care
Many brain injury victims require psychological counseling and other forms of mental health care to learn coping skills and to process the trauma of the accident.
Long-Term Care
Even with medical intervention, brain injury victims may suffer serious injuries that render them unable to work or care for themselves. They may require in-home healthcare aides or an assisted living facility.
These combined costs can quickly add up, so it’s vital that you work with an experienced personal injury lawyer who can fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.
Lost Income
Receiving the medical treatment you need after a brain injury will likely require you to miss a significant amount of work. You can recover compensation for lost wages you incurred because you were receiving medical treatment or recovering from your injury. You can also seek compensation for your used employment benefits, such as sick days and vacation time.
Pain and Suffering
Brain injuries can lead to substantial physical and mental pain and suffering. You can recover compensation for these intangible losses, as well as the direct financial losses you suffer due to the brain injury.
Future Losses
Personal injury claims can seek compensation for the future losses they are likely to incur, including future medical expenses, reduced future earning capacity, and future pain and suffering.
Can I Still Recover Compensation if I’m Partly at Fault?
Yes. As long as you are not more than 50% at fault for an accident, you can still recover compensation in a personal injury incident in which you contributed under Illinois’ modified comparative negligence law. However, your compensation is reduced proportionately to your degree of fault.
Here’s how this concept works: Imagine you were involved in a car accident. The other driver was texting, but you were driving a few miles over the speed limit. In example one, let’s say the jury finds you were 20% at fault for the accident. If you suffered damages of $100,000, your damages would be reduced by 20%, which is $20,000 in this example.
But let’s say that the situation was flopped. If you were found 80% at fault for the accident, you could not pursue a personal injury claim because you were mostly at fault for the accident.
Insurance companies are familiar with these laws and exploit them to try to reduce personal injury victims’ compensation. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help minimize fault attributed to you by gathering strong evidence of the at-fault party’s negligence and defending you against unfounded allegations of fault.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries and Parties Responsible for Brain Injuries
Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys helps people who suffer brain injuries and other injuries in accidents such as:
- Motor vehicle accidents – Our law firm helps people injured in car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents. We can pursue compensation against negligent drivers, their employers, and trucking companies.
- Slips and falls – Property owners who do not keep the premises in safe condition can be held accountable for foreseeable injuries that occur on their property.
- Medical malpractice – Our law firm can seek compensation from hospitals, doctors, and other healthcare professionals whose negligence harms patients during care.
- Nursing home abuse – Some brain injuries are caused by violent attacks, including those on the most vulnerable. We can pursue compensation against these criminals and the nursing homes who negligently hire them.
- Defective products – Manufacturers can be responsible for brain injuries caused by manufacturing or design defects.
An experienced personal injury lawyer can review your case and determine who is legally responsible for your injuries.
What Is the Deadline To File a Brain Injury Lawsuit?
The deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois is two years. Contacting an experienced personal injury lawyer is the first step to safeguarding your right to financial compensation.
Contact Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys
The Illinois brain injury lawyers at Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys want to help you and your family during this challenging time. We can handle your Illinois legal claim while you focus on recovery. Contact us today to take advantage of a free, no-obligation consultation.
