Suffering a brain injury is often devastating, leaving victims long-term health issue that require significant compensation. Our lawyers understand how sensitive and complex these cases are and can help you get compensation in yours.
Brain injuries can be caused in countless ways, but even minor ones can cause severe damage. You might have suffered a concussion in a car accident, and thinking you were fine, did not get medical attention. However, blood can build up, leading to even worse conditions like paralysis or a stroke. Our team can get the evidence that shows the extent of your brain injuries. Our services also include assessing your case for future medical treatment your injuries will require. Treating a brain injury is often an ongoing process, which is why our team will fight for compensation for future surgeries or physical therapy you might need to recover.
Call (312) 578-8502 to get your free case review with our burn injury attorneys at the Rhatigan Law Offices.
Understanding Traumatic Brain Injuries in Rockford, IL
Traumatic brain injuries, or “TBIs,” most often occur because of a violent impact on the brain. These injuries can happen for countless reasons, but usually, they are the result of someone else’s negligence. Our brain injury attorneys know these cases are no ordinary personal injury claims and can treat your case with the care it deserves. We are also skilled in cases where the brain injuries were caused by oxygen deprivation, infection, or other illnesses your medical providers should have caught.
Even a minor impact on the skull, like a concussion, can lead to serious brain injuries. Bleeding and swelling can easily lead to contusions and hemorrhages spreading to other parts of the brain. This damages the brain tissue, which typically leads to lifelong health problems. Brain cells cannot be regenerated, so recovering motor skills and neurological functioning can be incredibly difficult for TBI victims, if not impossible. This is why our team fights for the maximum compensation possible.
Our attorneys most often sue negligent drivers for causing brain injuries in car accidents. Other times, liability is more challenging, like when a brain injury occurs in a sporting activity. Our office also sees many other cases concerning slip and falls and workplace accidents. In any case, we can help gather evidence to show how the other party caused your injuries and what it will take to recover.
In more complex cases, we might need to file a claim against a doctor or hospital. For instance, if your newborn suffered brain injuries during birth or after, will likely file a claim against the OB/GYN and the facility or private practice they work for.
What to Do After Suffering a Brain Injury in Rockford, IL
Our attorneys recommend taking a few steps after your accident that can prove helpful in your future claim. Of course, this is if your injuries permit it. If you can, though, taking the following steps will help keep track of important information that can potentially be used as evidence later:
Call 911
One of the most important things you can do after suffering a possible brain injury is to call emergency services. They will respond by sending police and an ambulance to provide on-scene care. This is especially important after a brain injury, where immediate treatment can make all the difference in the seriousness of the injury. The sooner you get treatment for your brain injury, the better chance you will have of preventing the worst consequences.
The police will also be there to gather important information, such as the parties involved, witnesses, and the facts of the event. Do not worry if you do not get a copy of the report at the scene. Our team will help you obtain a copy, which will help us gather further details and evidence to support your case.
Take Photos and Videos
Pictures and videos can be powerful pieces of evidence to a jury. If you can, try to take as many photos with your phone as possible. This includes your head where the impact occurred. After medical care, your injuries will hopefully be better, but their severity when the accident occurred will be preserved for your case.
Get Medical Care
Getting medical treatment on the scene is good, but you should follow up at an emergency room immediately afterward. They will be able to run more substantial tests to determine the extent of your brain injuries and how to get further care. Our team will also need your medical records to prove your injuries and get compensation in your case.
Proving a Brain Injury Case in Rockford, IL
Winning a brain injury Case takes more than claiming someone else caused your injuries. Our team will get evidence that establishes the four primary elements needed to receive the compensation that accounts fully for your damages.
Duty
The first step is to prove that the at-fault party owed you a duty of care. This essentially means that they had a responsibility for your safety. As mentioned, this could be another driver, a business owner, or a medical professional.
Breach
Next, we will need to show exactly how the at-fault party caused your brain injuries. This is referred to as the “breach” of duty. Our lawyers will provide evidence that details how the accident occurred. For instance, we might prove an at-fault driver ran a stop sign. Our attorneys will typically do this with your and other witnesses’ testimony. We can also prove breach if the defendant failed to act when they were required to do so, like when a doctor misdiagnosis a brain injury.
Causation
Our next challenge is proving causation. This can be the most difficult element to prove since you must link the act that caused the accident with your brain injuries. You can only recover compensation for damages stemming from the accident. That means prior injuries will not be included in your damages. However, you can claim losses if any of your prior injuries have been made worse by your current brain injury.
Proving causation typically requires showing that your brain injury would not have happened but for the at-fault party’s breach. The tougher part is showing that your injuries were a foreseeable result of the negligence. Fortunately, this is a challenge our lawyers are well equipped for.
Damages
Finally, we will need to submit evidence that shows the court you suffered actual damages. In brain injury cases, this is usually not too difficult. The issue will be accounting for all the damages caused by your brain injury.
To do this, we will assess your current medical needs and losses, as well as projected future expenses for your rehabilitation. This might include compensation for physical therapy or other long-term care needs. In most cases, we will arrange for an expert to assess your damages so each expense is accounted for.
Our Rockford, IL Brain Injury Attorneys Can Help When You Call Us Today
Contact us at (312) 578-8502 to set up a free assessment of your case with our burn injury attorneys at the Rhatigan Law Offices.
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