What Types of Damages Are Common in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases?

 Posted on January 27,2021 in Brain Injuries

While injuries like broken bones, lacerations, and contusions are almost always immediately apparent, injuries to the brain are often harder to recognize. In fact, a person may sustain a severe brain injury and have little to no sign of damage on the outside of his or her head. Brain injuries range from mild to severe. Many traumatic brain injuries (TBI) begin subtly but eventually lead to severe symptoms. TBI symptoms can prevent an individual from working, fulfilling their responsibilities, and even enjoying life. If you or a loved one sustained a traumatic brain injury, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your damages.

Medical Expenses and Lost Income

Traumatic brain injuries may be caused by a car accident, act of physical violence, slip and fall accident, or other situation in which the head is forcefully struck. To diagnose TBI, a doctor may order CT scans, x-rays, and other tests. Some TBI suffers even require an emergency craniectomy to surgically relieve pressure from swelling. Between ambulance fees, hospital bills, surgery, testing, and other medical costs, treating a TBI can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. The financial burden created by medical expenses may be exacerbated by the fact that the injured person cannot work while he or she is recovering. Through a personal injury claim, you may be entitled to compensation for your past and future medical bills, lost income from missed work, and any impairment to your income-earning ability.

Mental Suffering and Other General Damages

The consequences of a traumatic brain injury are not only financial. A moderate or severe TBI can dramatically reduce a person’s quality of life. Non-economic damages or “general damages” are those costs that cannot be represented by a number on a bill or receipt. General damages in a traumatic brain injury case often include physical pain, mental or emotional anguish, inconvenience, and loss of enjoyment of life. The value of non-economic damages is often calculated by multiplying the value of medical bills and other economic damages by a multiplier between 1.5 and 5. The amount of compensation that a person may be entitled to for non-economic damages after a traumatic brain injury will likely be based on the severity of the TBI, the degree to which the TBI affects your ability to work and complete everyday tasks, and whether your own actions contributed to the TBI.

Contact a Waukegan Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury in an incident caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages. Contact a Lake County personal injury attorney from Salvi & Maher, L.L.C. to learn more. Call us for a free consultation at 847-662-3303 today.

Source:

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Traumatic-Brain-Injury-Information-Page