Brain injuries can be devastating to both the victim and their family members. If you or your loved one suffered a brain injury in an accident due to someone else's negligence, you may be able to seek compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages through a personal injury claim.
A Zayed Law Offices personal injury attorney experienced in traumatic brain injuries can review the details of your accident in a free consultation and determine if you have grounds to seek financial compensation. Contact our Joliet brain injury lawyer today for a free consultation about your personal injury case.
Getting Justice
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have life-changing consequences. In particular, financial insecurity can make everything worse, especially if you cannot afford the ongoing medical care and other medical expenses required to treat your loved one's brain injury.
Fortunately, you may be able to claim compensation from the party at fault to offset your financial needs. An experienced Joliet personal injury lawyer can help you establish your loved one's injuries and the other party's fault.
Ideally, the compensation for your family member's traumatic brain injury will be sufficient to cover their past, present, and future medical expenses related to the injury. In addition to the injury's severity, the amount of compensation you receive may also depend on the strength of your brain injury case. An experienced brain injury lawyer from Zayed Law Offices can help guide you through the legal process so you get the full and fair compensation you deserve.
Why Zayed Law Offices?
The legal team at Zayed Law Offices is devoted to helping victims of brain trauma recover compensation after accidents. Our track record speaks for itself:
TEAM
Adam J. Zayed built a firm of formidable attorneys who are compassionate about helping clients get the justice and compensation they deserve.
EXPERIENCE
Zayed Law Offices opened in 2009. Each of our attorneys is experienced in personal injury law. They have an intimate understanding of how the legal system works.
AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD
Zayed Law Offices has represented many personal and traumatic brain injury clients over the years. Here is a list of various awards we have won in Joliet and other cities across Illinois.
INTEGRITY
The attorneys at Zayed Law Offices work are committed to helping you seek justice and recover the financial compensation you need to move on with your life. To this end, our fees are fair and transparent. We use our resources to get you the compensation you deserve. And we offer a free consultation of your case.
What Are Brain Injuries?
Traumatic brain injuries are often the result of a serious accident. Our brain injury attorneys often see this trauma in serious car or truck accidents. The accident victim is often unaware they have suffered an injury. Typically, a family member notices a difference in their loved one's behavior after they have suffered a serious injury.
Brain injuries may be "invisible" to others, but they can affect a person's life—and the lives of their family—in profound ways, including physically, emotionally, and financially.
Brain injuries vary in nature:
CONCUSSIONS
A concussion is a brain injury caused by an impact on the head or excessive shaking. Medical professionals describe concussions as minor brain injuries because they are usually not life-threatening. However, the effects of a concussion can be quite serious. A concussion can cause headaches, memory loss, disorientation, difficulty concentrating, or even death.
CONTUSIONS
A contusion is a bruise on the brain tissue. When the head sustains trauma, the blood vessels in and around the brain can break and leak, leading to this type of injury.
Contusions range in severity from minor to extreme, and they cause adverse effects such as confusion, emotional distress, loss of consciousness, agitation, and fatigue. Additionally, severe contusions can cause blockages in the brain, resulting in limited oxygenation, swelling, and a buildup of pressure.
ANOXIC INJURIES
A lack of oxygen can cause anoxic brain injuries. The brain uses about 20 percent of the oxygen in the blood, which is more than most other organs. Because the brain needs so much oxygen, brain cells start drying after about four minutes without sufficient oxygen intake. Over time, oxygen deprivation and brain cell death can develop into larger-scale brain damage.
DIFFUSE AXONAL INJURIES
Diffuse axonal injury occurs when the brain is injured as it shifts and rotates inside the skull. It often causes coma and injury to many parts of the brain. Axonal injuries often occur due to car accidents, falls, or assaults. They can also occur from child abuse, such as in cases of shaken baby syndrome.
PENETRATING INJURIES
Penetrating injuries occur when an object breaks through the skull and cuts, pierces, or hurts the brain. It can also happen when skull fragments lodge into the brain. These injuries are usually severe and result from intense physical accidents, such as a shooting or car accident. The effects may include severe headaches, memory loss, permanent brain damage, and death.
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Accidents that involve physical impact on the head are the leading causes of head injury. The most common include:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Sports injuries
- Slipping and falling
- Impacts from falling objects
Accidents that cause brain injury can occur anywhere. For example, a brick could fall onto a person's head when passing a construction site. Or, someone could slip and fall on icy pavement and hit their head on the hard surface.
Traumatic Brain Injury Local Trends and Statistics
About 166 people die from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) every day in the United States. Overall, about 1.5 million Americans sustain brain injuries every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Unfortunately, TBI is one of the leading causes of disability and death across all states, including Illinois. Head trauma is often the result of an accident caused by another person's neglect. Zayed Law Offices handle dozens of accident-related traumatic brain injury cases every year.
Car and workplace-related accidents are the leading causes of brain injuries in Illinois's major cities. Over 1,000 people die in car accidents every year in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Transport (IDOT). As the third-largest city in Illinois, Joliet is the location of many of these deadly accidents, such as the interaction of Route 59 and Caton Farm Road or Where Theodore Street crosses Route 59.
Not all accidents in these cities result in traumatic brain injuries. However, mild and moderate concussions and contusions are common following high-impact accidents. Some fortunate victims of TBI recover over time, but others suffer life-changing disabilities. Therefore, it is necessary to seek justice and compensation by contacting an experienced personal injury lawyer, such as the personal injury lawyers at Zayed Law Offices.
The Life-Changing Effects of a Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury can have many adverse effects on a person's physical, mental, and financial life.
EFFECTS ON PHYSICAL HEALTH
The brain coordinates the functions of every limb and organ in the body. As a result, brain injuries can cause a range of physical health issues, including:
- Mobility problems – A brain injury can affect balance and make walking slow or impossible, often necessitating a wheelchair and other mobility aids.
- Sensory impairment – Senses such as touch, smell, taste, and sight may be affected, resulting in many other direct and indirect problems.
- Paralysis – Paralysis may occur if the brain or brain stem is injured.
- Fatigue and weakness – Fatigue and muscle weakness are common after many TBIs.
- Difficulty speaking – Speech may become slow or slurred, making communication challenging.
- Ataxia – Brain injuries often cause these irregular and uncontrolled movements or tremors.
- Spasticity – Spasticity is characterized by weakness and stiffness in the limbs, limiting movement.
- Epilepsy – Epilepsy is characterized by seizures and fits.
The physical effects of a head injury can be temporary or permanent, depending on the severity. Additionally, people can experience multiple issues simultaneously, seriously compromising their overall quality of life.
EFFECTS ON MENTAL HEALTH
A traumatic brain injury can also profoundly affect a person's mental health. It can affect hormonal production, emotions, behaviors, and cognitive capabilities. Some of the most notable effects of TBIs on mental health include:
- Temporary or permanent memory loss, especially affecting short-term memory
- A limited ability to process information and an overall shorter attention span
- Egocentricity and lack of empathy
- Aphasia – difficulty finding words to express yourself or understanding what someone else is saying
- Difficulty making sense out of ordinary shapes and things
- Lack of motivation
- Disinhibition and impulsiveness – loss of control over your speech, behavior, and actions
- Obsessive behavior, often accompanied by irritability and aggression
Depending on the injury's severity, these effects can be temporary or permanent. It is also worth noting that these issues often cause depression and anxiety.
EFFECTS ON FINANCES
A traumatic brain injury can adversely affect a family's financial security. As noted, a TBI has varying effects on physical and mental health. These health issues can make it difficult for TBI victims to do everyday duties, including working.
Many people who suffer severe traumatic brain injuries cannot be as productive as before the injuries. A significant percentage of the victims of traumatic brain injury lose their jobs and can't find employment elsewhere. This results in a loss of income and other related benefits, such as health insurance and a pension.
Additionally, treating a traumatic brain injury requires sophisticated and continuous medical care. Unfortunately, healthcare costs are becoming increasingly expensive, as are insurance policies that cover complex medical issues.
The resulting expenses include:
- Medical and care costs
- Buying mobility aide equipment
- Travel expenses to and from the hospital
These costs add up quickly and become nearly impossible to manage without a steady income. Seeking compensation can help victims of TBIs cover these and other expenses. Zayed Law Office can help you pursue compensation to ease your financial worries.
Let Our Joliet Brain Injury Lawyers Help You Get Justice!
As your loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury due to someone else's negligence? You may be entitled to compensation for your accident-related injuries, such as medical bills and lost income.
The legal team at Zayed Law Offices is experienced in handling personal injury cases involving accidents resulting in TBIs. We are here to help you get the justice and the full and fair compensation you deserve.
Contact our brain injury attorney today at (815) 726-1616 for a free and confidential consultation.