Brain Injury Lawyers in St. Petersburg, FL

There are few medical phrases shrouded in more fear and uncertainty than the words traumatic brain injury or TBI. A traumatic brain injury can range from minor to severe and life-altering. Recovery time depends on the severity of the injury, and the brain heals differently in every individual. A minor TBI might resolve in a few weeks, but more serious cases can result in lifetime impairments or even death.

Traumatic brain injuries are frighteningly common in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1.5 million Americans suffer a TBI each year. That breaks down to a traumatic brain injury occurring every 21 seconds from causes that include:

The difficult thing about TBIs is that no matter the circumstances, all traumatic brain injuries, even those considered mild, still have the potential to cause serious symptoms.  TBIs affect the ability of the central nervous system to function. It is crucial that you seek immediate medical attention for any head injury. A delay in treatment can result in lasting cognitive impairments.

If you, or someone you know, have sustained a traumatic brain injury as the result of an accident where another party was at least partly at fault,  you need the assistance of a Florida personal injury attorney knowledgeable about TBIs and the potential long-lasting consequences. We at The Lopez Law Group have experience in helping those who have sustained brain injuries recover the damages they deserve.

The Common Types of Head Injuries Seen in Auto Accidents

Head injuries are far too common in auto accidents. The force of the crash can cause the head to slam side to side violently, or impact the seat rest, steering wheel, or be struck by flying debris in the accident. The most common types of head injuries include:

Brain injuries have many unknowns in the first hours, days, and sometimes even longer after the accident. People have made remarkable recoveries from catastrophic brain injuries, but others have succumbed to injuries that seemed far less severe. Neurosurgeons often speak of how little is known about the recovery process of brain injuries. Only time can determine how much function a person will recover after a severe brain injury.

Symptoms of a Brain Injury

Most traumatic brain injuries are mild or moderate. Mild to moderate injuries typically resolve entirely within a few weeks, and symptoms start to decrease in a few days. These injuries are usually not life-threatening, but they have a significant impact on the central nervous system. Symptoms of a mild to moderate TBI include:

• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Amnesia is an inability to remember things. Unlike the movies, amnesia is rarely complete, where the person wakes up with no recall of who they are or any part of their life before the accident. When it does happen, it is called transient global amnesia, and it is exceedingly rare.

Amnesia can mean not remembering the time immediately prior to the accident, the accident itself, or the immediate aftermath. A person can also have amnesia that makes it difficult to remember information learned after the accident.

The Symptoms of a Serious or Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

The symptoms will usually match the severity of the injury to the brain. Serious traumatic brain injuries can leave a person with significant lasting impairments. Symptoms of this type of TBI include:

The Impact a Serious Traumatic Brain Injury Can Have on  Your Life

A severe TBI will most likely leave life challenges that will require you and your loved ones, to adapt to a new reality. You, or someone you love, might be left with a permanent mental or physical disability, which puts an immense amount of pressure on both the person who suffered the injury and the family.

The need for ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, and perhaps even caretaking either at home or in a facility are all possibilities. Even patients who experience a remarkable recovery can have long-term symptoms that never fully resolve.

Physical and Emotional Impacts of a Serious TBI

Lifelong mental, emotional and physical disabilities are common after a traumatic brain injury. Motor deficits are the effect of the damage on fine and gross motor skills and movement. Examples of motor deficits caused by a TBI include:

Common Mental and Emotional Difficulties After a TBI

Traumatic brain injuries also have a profound impact on both the cognitive capabilities and the emotional state of those with a serious TBI. These can manifest in different ways, but some of the most common include:

Employment Issues and Lost Wages

Those who suffer a serious traumatic brain injury must often face the fact that they will never be able to return to the type of work they did prior to the accident if they are able to work at all. The lost income, and subsequent financial problems, is a substantial stressor on both the injured individual and the family.

The costs associated with rehabilitation and retraining for another line of work can make such care cost-prohibitive for some people. The inability to take care of oneself and one’s family can lead to severe depression.

The Impact on Loved Ones

A serious traumatic brain injury can result in a person acting in ways they would never have acted before the injury. Family relationships are forced to change and adapt, and many relationships do not survive. In extreme cases, the patient will find themselves entirely dependent on family members.

Family members feel robbed and cheated of the life they had planned with the person who experienced the TBI. Spouses feel the strain of going from a life partner to a caretaker. Children, especially, can find it hard to understand the changes in a parent who suffered a traumatic brain injury. They will struggle to understand the impairments experienced by the person who is supposed to take care of them.

The hardest part for families, friends, and loved ones is coming to terms with the fact that the changes the person has undergone are likely permanent. Though improvement is possible and the victim can relearn different coping skills, fundamentally, they may never be the person they were before the accident. It is hard to comprehend the impact that can have on a family.

What Should You Do if You or a Loved One Sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury In an Accident in Florida?

If you, or someone you know, was injured in an accident that resulted from someone else’s negligence, you need the help of a skilled personal injury attorney. If you sustained a brain injury with lasting consequences, you are entitled to compensation for the injury. The St Petersburg brain injury attorneys at The Lopez Law Group are prepared to help you win the compensation you deserve.

We know that no amount of money can make up for the pain, suffering, and life changes a brain injury can cause. However, a monetary award can make sure you receive the proper care for all your needs. It will also assure that the loss of income is not financially devastating for your family. For some people, the most important part of filing a lawsuit is to assure that the party responsible for the accident that changed your life is held responsible.

The Lopez Law Group will evaluate your claim, whether it resulted from a slip and fall, car accident, or an assault, and help you decide the best way to proceed with your case. Our attorneys will treat you with respect and dignity, and listen to your story and how the injury has changed your life. We will always give you an honest assessment of the strength of the case you have.

We are standing by and ready to talk to you. Fill out the contact us form on our website, or give us a call at (727)-933-0015 to schedule a consultation, and we will tell you then if we believe you have a potential case. If we take your case, you can rely on our legal professionals to handle everything regarding investigating and pursuing your claim. We know that your focus should be on caring for yourself, or your loved one, while we fight the legal battle to get the compensation you deserve.