As medical science progresses, it is becoming clear that there is no such thing as a “mild” brain injury. The current categories of traumatic brain injuries (“TBI”) describe the neurological severity of the injury, but there is little correlation between these categories and the short or long-term impairment of the person who suffered the brain injury.
It is unacceptable for another person’s negligent or reckless behavior to cause these injuries, and those who cause them must be held accountable. At Diaco Law, our Tampa brain injury attorneys understand the grave impact that these injuries have on our clients, and we fight for the compensation our clients deserve because they need it to adapt to the new normal caused by these injuries. If you or a loved one have suffered a brain injury then call us today at (813) 221-7978 to discuss your case and the compensation that may be available to you.
How Diaco Law Can Help You
Our Tampa brain injury attorneys have extensive experience in handling TBI injury litigation. That experience helps us do this for you:
- Our Tampa brain injury lawyers are excellent at proving causation in your case. Causation is one of the of the primary issues in TBI injury litigation, and your attorney will have to prove both that you have a particular symptom of a TBI and that the TBI is the cause of that symptom.
- Diaco Law is one of the rare firms with both a wealth of experience litigating and a lawyer who is also a board certified surgeon who has actively practiced medicine in Tampa for more than 20 years. This combination of courtroom experience and medical training helps us develop creative, thoughtful theories about your injury that we can distill into a simple, digestible form for opposing counsel and, if necessary, for the jury.
Common Causes of Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injuries have many potential causes, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has highlighted some of the most likely ways that people develop TBIs. These include:
- Falls, which are the cause of almost half of all hospital admissions that result from traumatic brain injuries
- Motor vehicle accidents which the CDC describes as another common cause of TBIs.
- Assaults, which can occur as a direct result of inadequate security by property owners
- Sports injuries, which frequently result from a lack of proper supervision or lack of adequate precautions when children are involved in youth sports
In many situations, negligence is the underlying root cause of the brain injury. If a property owner fails to take reasonable steps to keep visitors safe, for example, that could result in a fall injury or an assault that causes lasting brain damage.
Likewise, if a school or other sports facility doesn’t put the right policies in place or offer inadequate training to coaches and support staff, the risk of a sports injury increases, while a driver who is careless behind the wheel could cause a crash that results in lasting harm.
It’s important to determine the cause of any brain injury because if another person or entity was to blame, victims can take legal action against them to get compensation for all costs associated with their injury and recovery.
The Long-Term Cognitive & Mental Effects of TBI
A TBI will cause deficits and symptoms that affect a victim’s cognitive, physical, and emotional well-being. For example, here are just a few examples of the cognitive impact of a TBI:
- long-term memory loss;
- a slowed ability to process information;
- difficulty concentrating for periods of time;
- trouble keeping up with a conversation;
- spatial disorientation;
- problems staying organized; and
- impaired judgment.
Sadly, someone who suffers a TBI might also struggle mentally and emotionally for the rest of their lives. The mental and emotional symptoms of a TBI include:
- difficulty completing tasks;
- anxiety, depression, and mood swings;
- an inability to acknowledge their cognitive deficits;
- impulsive behavior;
- egocentrism; and
- tendencies toward agitation.
The Financial Impact of a TBI
All too often, people misunderstand the financial impact of a TBI on the person living with it and his or her family. People who suffer TBI face the following financial challenges:
- lost income due to a reduced or total inability to work;
- difficulty maintaining a job due to the cognitive, mental, and emotional symptoms of a TBI;
- increased medical expenses necessitated by hospitalizations, surgeries, and necessary ongoing treatments; and
- money that has to be spent on a home health aide or other long-term care facility.
You should be fully compensated for all of the economic and non-financial losses that occur due to your brain injury. This can include payment for the above-mentioned issues, including for lost wages, as well as medical and long-term care costs.
Beyond these actual financial losses, many victims also experience pain and suffering, emotional distress, and a significant decrease in quality of life. The family members of brain injury victims can also suffer harm of their own, including loss of companionship and, when the injury is fatal, wrongful death damages. Victims and their families should be compensated for these non-economic losses as well.
Brain injury sufferers who want to recover the correct amount of compensation, or to be “made whole” following their injury, need to get the proper legal help.
Retaining a qualified, compassionate Tampa brain injury lawyer is one of the most important things you can do to ensure you and your family’s needs are taken care of after these injuries. Make sure that the Tampa TBI attorney you select had a full understanding of the injury’s impact on your life because a full understanding of the injury’s impact is necessary to get you your full recovery. Failing to do this can result in receiving less than money than you are entitled to and will need.
Call Our Tampa Brain Injury Attorneys Today for Your Free Consultation
Living with a TBI is an enormous challenge. At Diaco Law, we serve those whose lives have been irreparably damaged by another person’s negligence, and through years of service, we have developed a great understanding of the law and how brain injury cases develop and resolve. Our firm can:
- Negotiate an out-of-court settlement or represent you in court when the defendant is unwilling to provide appropriate and fair compensation to allow you to rebuild after your TBI.
- Assist you in gathering evidence, including photos or witness statements from those who observed your injury, as well as photos from the accident scene
- Help you to determine the best legal arguments to make, as there are different standards for suing a property owner versus a careless driver versus a school that didn’t live up to its obligations to keep kids safe during sports
To take the first step in initiating your case, call us today at (813) 221-7978 to schedule your free consultation. At that consultation, we will discuss your legal rights, the options you have, and what our brain injury lawyers can do for your case. You can also reach out to us by filling out our contact form, which you can find linked here.