Seattle Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney
Representing the Rights of TBI Victims in the Seattle Area
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be devastating to you or your loved one. Almost every TBI will present unique effects from one victim to the next. TBI is also commonly referred to as an “invisible injury,” meaning it is not readily apparent that you’ve suffered an injury—which may increase your struggles. A TBI can substantially disrupt your life and may leave you facing long-term impairments and disabilities.
The physical and emotional recovery after a traumatic brain injury is difficult enough without having to worry about the significant financial losses you or your loved one may incur. TBI victims may have the legal right to seek compensation for the losses they suffered, though the process is not always simple. You can make it easier when you discuss your options for financial recovery with an attorney who understands the nature of this injury and the effects it can have on your life.
Traumatic Brain Injuries Can Occur from Many Different Situations
Any time you suffer a jolt or a blow to the head, damage to your brain tissue can result. The following are only some incidents which can lead to brain injury cases:
- Car accidents
- Bicycle and/or Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Trip and Fall on a sidewalk and/or icy walkway
- Slip and Fall in a Retail or Grocery Store
- Sports accidents
- Excessive Force incident involving a police officer
- Correctional Officer or Inmate Assault which has occurred in a Jail or Prison
No matter what type of incident has occurred, the extreme costs of dealing with a resulting traumatic brain injury can affect nearly every aspect of your life—physical, mental, emotional, social, and financial. I have witnessed the devastation this type of injury can cause to our clients and will do my level best to represent you, to offer advice on various legal issues which arise on such cases, and, most of all, to work hard to obtain just compensation for you.
Any Injury to the Brain is a Serious Injury
While there has been tremendous advances in the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury, there is some controversy over the use of the term “mild traumatic brain injury” (mTBI). In truth, there is no such thing as a mild injury to the brain. Any injury to the brain should be viewed as serious by the attorney handling the client’s case. Even highly trained medical professionals can mistakenly miss a diagnosis of a TBI. In an ER, the medical professionals are usually focused on treating acute medical issues, so they may miss the diagnosis of a TBI in the ER. When there has been no prior diagnosis of a TBI, the attorney should consider having the client fully evaluated for a TBI when there is any complaint of a head injury. Complaints of lack of sleep, headaches, problems with concentration, memory loss, hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and vision loss or difficulties should be investigated carefully with the help of a medical practitioner experienced in assessing and/or diagnosing a TBI.
Your Legal Rights
If you believe another party has caused your head injury and/or your TBI, a skilled brain injury lawyer can help: 1) evaluate the party’s liability for your injuries, 2) help you advocate for the full extent of the your damages, both past and future damages, including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and the loss of the relationship with a significant other and/or children, and 3) file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf and handle the entire litigation process. By managing your legal case, you or your loved one can focus on your own health, your medical treatment, as well as your healing and rehabilitation.
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While there are gradations used to describe various kinds of brain injuries, such as mild (mTBI), which are the most common, to moderate, to severe, any head injury that has impacted the brain should be viewed as a serious injury. Concussions are probably the most common kind of brain injury and should be properly evaluated. Traumatic incidents can and do cause brain injuries. We often think of boxers and football players as suffering concussions from blows to the head, any individual who suffers a blow to the face, eyes, or head, may have suffered a TBI.
In terms of diagnosis, a brain MRI, a scan of the brain, should be conducted as close to the incident as possible so that a clearer picture of the nature and extent of the injury can be properly assessed and evaluated. The sooner the diagnosis, the sooner treatment can begin. An experienced attorney can help expedite the evaluation and diagnosis of a person complaining of a head injury by helping the client find a reputable facility to conduct a brain MRI scan. The attorney can then further assist the client by having these brain scans properly evaluated by a trained, experienced neuroradiologist. The advances in brain imaging software in just the past ten years have been nothing short of amazing. A neuroradiologist who typically works with the latest brain imaging software could make all the difference in being able to demonstrate that the client has, in fact, suffered a TBI. This allows for treatment to start sooner, which can only help the client in their overall healing and rehabilitation.
In addition to stress of an extended hospital stay, or the stress of dealing with and paying for various kinds of medical treatment, and rehabilitative services, a TBI can significantly disrupt your life in other ways. The impairments that TBIs can cause depend on what part of the brain suffered damage. The possible effects of a brain injury include:
- Diminished communication skills
- Difficulty processing information or understanding instructions
- Slowed reading and writing abilities
- Lack of coordination or balance
- Hearing difficulties
- Behavioral changes
- Lack of emotional control
- Difficulty with speech or language
- Loss of memory and/or difficulty in remembering names and people
The above effects can cause you to have to take time away from work—and you may lose income as a result. Victims of severe brain injuries may suffer permanent impairments that prevent them from working in their previous position. Children with TBIs can suffer serious hardships in school and damage to their future career potential. As a result, you should consider hiring an attorney who is experienced and savvy to properly represent you and help you obtain just compensation for your injuries.
