Traumatic Brain Injuries

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1.4 million Americans suffer brain injuries each year. Additionally, the CDC estimates that at least 5.3 million people in the United States have long-term care needs as a result of a traumatic brain injury.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a severe head injury that occurs when normal brain function is disrupted or destroyed by a violent or sudden trauma. The leading cause of traumatic brain injury among both adolescents and adults is motor vehicle accidents, though a TBI may be caused by any blow to the head or penetrating injury. In fact, an actual blow to the head may not be necessary, since a shearing or rotational injury to the brain may occur from the violent whipping of the head that occurs in auto accidents, falls, and sports-related injuries. Our brain injury attorneys understand the full medical and legal implications of head injuries and recognize the emotional stress that a personal injury lawsuit can add to your situation. We are prepared to handle your claim expertly so that you can concentrate on recovery. Contact the Locks Law Firm to schedule a free, confidential consultation with Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York brain injury attorneys. Our catastrophic personal injury lawyers have been standing up to insurance companies for years in order to help brain injury victims obtain the compensation to which they are entitled, and we can help you, too.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results from sudden impact with an external force, such as the dashboard of a car or the severe whipping motion of the head. A brain injury is a life-altering event that may result in short- or long-term impairment or even wrongful death.

These injuries have various levels of severity and affect each victim differently. A TBI victim may have to readjust many areas of his or her life and may be unable to continue living the way that he or she did before the brain injury. The victim's personality, physical abilities, and mental state may be different after a brain injury.

Brain injuries are generally classified into three categories: mild, moderate, or severe.

Mild Brain Injury

Victims of so-called "mild" brain injuries typically suffer a period of lost consciousness, confusion, or disorientation shorter than 30 minutes. A majority of brain traumas are concussions or other forms of mild injuries. But, don’t let the name fool you, as anyone who has suffered a “mild brain injury” knows, the term is a misnomer. Any injury to the brain which causes loss of short term memory, personality changes, severe fatigue, concentration difficulties and other functional deficits can significantly impair the ability of a person to function as they did before the injury. We take these cases seriously at the Locks Law Firm and help you to find the necessary medical evaluations to prove your case, whether through neuropsychological testing or sophisticated imaging as discussed below.

Moderate Brain Injury

Moderate brain injury victims experience longer periods of unconsciousness or memory loss and generally have more serious long term effects of their injury, including memory loss, fatigue, impairment of physical function, loss of hearing, taste or smell and other deficits.

Severe Brain Injury

Severe brain injuries generally result in significant and permanent loss of a wide range of physical and mental functions depending upon which part of the brain is injured. In its most severe forms, brain injury can cause coma or death and will often cause serious loss of function in those that survive.

If you or a family member has suffered a traumatic brain injury, contact the TBI attorneys at the Locks Law Firm.

Prognosis for Brain Injury Victims

Serious brain injury may require surgical intervention to relieve pressure from bleeding in the brain which can be recognized by a CT Scan obtained in the emergency room. If physical pressure is not continuing in the brain such as may be caused by a hemorrhage inside the skull, more conservative treatment will most likely be required.  Regardless of whether surgery is necessary or not, many brain injury patients suffer long-term disabilities, ranging from difficulties with communication, memory, sensory processing, motor function and cognition, to behavioral and mental health deficits. What disabilities a patient suffers and how severe the symptoms are depends on a multitude of variables, such as age, the type and severity of TBI suffered, and the general health of the injured person.

The economic cost of a traumatic brain injury can be staggering. For this reason, it's imperative that brain injury victims or their families retain experienced, effective representation. At the Locks Law Firm, our Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York brain injury attorneys can help you obtain compensation for your medical expenses (including hospital, surgical, and ambulance bills), rehabilitation costs (all expenses tied to restoring your ability to function – both physically and psychologically), lost income (any wages lost as a result of your brain injury), diminished earning capacity (limited ability for you to earn income), and pain and suffering (both physical and mental). Contact the Locks Law Firm today to schedule a free, confidential consultation.

Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury

The effects of a traumatic brain injury can be far-reaching and profoundly debilitating. TBI can cause both long-term physical disability and severe cognitive and behavioral changes that produce similar disruptions in the quality of the victim's life. The consequences of traumatic brain injury include:

• Cognitive: Short- or long-term memory loss; spatial disorientation; difficulty concentrating, communicating, or planning.

• Psychological/Behavioral: Anxiety; depression; mood swings; agitation; impulsivity.

• Physical: Seizures; chronic headaches; speech impairment; partial or complete paralysis; loss of vision, hearing, smell, or taste; impairment of motor function such as grip strength or dexterity.

Evaluating the combination of cognitive, behavioral, and physical deficits is an important first step in setting goals for rehabilitation. At the Locks Law Firm, we help clients obtain the compensation they deserve. Victims should not bear the financial cost of accidents that were not their fault. We will help you to hold the liable party or parties accountable for their actions and help you obtain the monetary settlement to which you are entitled. Contact our Pennsylvania, New Jersey or New York offices today for a free, confidential consultation with our brain injury attorneys.

Contact a Locks Law Firm Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

If you have suffered a brain injury, the Locks Law Firm TBI attorneys are here to help. Seasoned by decades of collective experience and hundreds of significant verdicts and settlements, the Locks Law Firm provides clients throughout the tri-state area with diligent, personalized representation. We meticulously prepare each claim and are willing and able to go to trial for justice. Contact the Locks Law Firm to schedule a free, confidential consultation with our Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York brain injury attorneys.