Laredo Brain Injury Attorney You Can Trust To Fight For You
Dealing with a concussion or another head injury claim? Our law firm can help.
A brain injury sustained in an accident can change your life. In an instant, you or a loved one might not be able to do many of the things you normally do, due to brain damage caused by a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or another type of head injury. Even knowing what your rights are might not be clear.
That’s why it’s critical that you talk to an experienced lawyer who knows the law and who can work with you every step of the way. That’s why you need attorney John R. Solis. He can help your family demand the compensation you deserve for all injury-related expenses, whether it’s through a negotiated settlement or a jury verdict. You can count on John R. Solis, Attorney at Law when it matters the most.
What is a traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
A traumatic brain injury can be any injury that affects the brain’s ability to function. Sometimes, these injuries only temporarily affect a person’s brain. These injuries are sometimes referred to as mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs). Many TBIs can be more severe and can cause permanent brain damage, however.
In either case, it’s critical that injury victims seek immediate medical care. Even in cases of minor TBIs, if these head injuries are not treated in a timely manner, serious medical issues can develop if you don’t get the proper medical care. That’s why it’s important for injury victims and their family members to take any type of head injury seriously.
What type of head injury are you dealing with?
Some of the most common head injuries include:
- Concussions – One of the most common and misunderstood head injuries, a concussion occurs when a person’s brain sustains a direct blow to the head. A blow to the head can cause your brain to slam against the inner walls of your skull. Often, concussions occur due to a person’s head being violently shaken.
- Brain contusion – Also known as a cerebral contusion, this type of head injury involves a bruise to the brain itself. Brain contusions also often cause swelling and internal bleedings, which can cause serious medical problems if not treated immediately.
- Skull fractures – This injury involves the skull being broken. Depending on the severity of the skull fracture, broken pieces of bone can cause direct damage to the brain, especially if bone fragments cut or pierce the brain, resulting in internal bleeding.
- Cerebral edema – Edema is a medical term used to describe swelling caused by excess fluid trapped inside the body. In the case of a cerebral edema, excess fluid collects around the brain, resulting in additional pressure being applied to the brain. As a result, inflammation or swelling can occur due to intracranial pressure.
- Intracranial hematomas – A hematoma is a type of blood clot. Intracranial hematomas are blood clots that form in or near the brain. Ruptured blood vessels often cause intracranial hematomas, resulting in the walls of blood vessels breaking and internal bleeding. There are several different types of intracranial hematomas:
- Epidural hematoma – Blood clot outside the brain.
- Intracerebral hematoma – Internal bleeding inside the brain.
- Intraventricular hemorrhage – Internal bleeding in the brain’s ventricles.
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage – Bleeding under the brain’s arachnoid layer, a protective membrane around the brain.
- Subdural hematoma – Internal bleeding between the brain and the dura, a thick membrane surrounding the brain.
- Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) – A type of brain injury in which the connective nerve fibers (axons) are torn due to the brain being rotated or shifted rapidly, often due to someone’s head being violently jolted.
This is a small sampling of some of the most common – and most severe – head injuries. There are many other types of brain injuries, all of which often require immediate and extensive medical treatment.
What are common causes of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)?
Brain injuries occur for many different reasons. One of the most common causes involves a direct blow to the head. Sometimes, this occurs due to someone falling and hitting their head. Other times, this may be due to an injury sustained while playing a sport. Many head injuries occur due to a motor vehicle accident.
Whatever the cause, it’s critical that head injury victims have a medical professional examine them right away and diagnose exactly what’s wrong. Proper diagnosis of brain injuries often involves X-Rays, MRIs, CT scans and other diagnostic tests.
What are common symptoms of a brain injury?
Each injury is different. However, certain symptoms are often associated with many types of brain injuries. These warning signs include:
- Severe headaches
- Nausea
- Severe drowsiness
- Difficulty speaking
- Being disoriented
- Loss of consciousness, especially immediately after sustaining a head injury
- Light sensitivity
- Easily agitated
Take these symptoms seriously right from the start. If not treated immediately or properly diagnosed, many brain injuries can result in permanent brain damage or other serious medical conditions.
How do I know if I have a concussion?
Like other head injuries, the best way to know if you have a concussion is to have a doctor examine you and diagnose what’s wrong. Many people who have concussions experience frequent headaches, dizziness and nausea. Don’t try to diagnose yourself -- leave that to medical professionals.
Many concussions result in minor or temporary brain damage. In many cases, the best form of treatment simply involves several days of rest, particularly during the first two days after sustaining a concussion.
It is critical that concussion victims are carefully monitored, especially during the first day after the injury. Some concussions may get worse during this time and could evolve into a more severe traumatic brain injury. That’s why it’s important for caregivers to carefully monitor concussion victims, including waking someone up in certain circumstances to make sure they can wake up normally and do not have more severe symptoms.
Can I file a brain injury lawsuit?
In order to file a lawsuit in response to a brain injury, the person who sustained the injury often needs to demonstrate that someone else’s actions – or inaction – resulted in their injury. In these cases, the injury victim can often file a lawsuit against the at-fault party. This may include another driver who caused an accident or the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Other times, the at-fault party may include a business owner, especially if the head injury occurred due to negligence or neglect. An example can include a business owner who did not take the necessary precautions to prevent an accident. Such preventative measures may include installing proper lighting in a stairwell or parking lot or simply cleaning the property on a regular basis so there are no hazardous objects on the ground.
Another important point to note is that injury victims and their families often have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit or take other legal action. In Texas, the deadline for filing a lawsuit is often two years from the date of the injury. This deadline is known as the statute of limitations. If you miss this deadline, you could miss your opportunity to obtain the financial compensation you need and deserve for your injury-related expenses.
How can a lawyer help me?
There are many reasons why you should consider hiring a brain injury attorney, especially if your injury was caused by someone else’s reckless or negligent behavior. Your lawyer can:
- Conduct an independent investigation on your behalf
- Help fill out any necessary forms related to your injury
- Deal directly with the at-fault party’s insurance company
- Negotiate a settlement offer on your behalf
- File a lawsuit, if necessary, to recover maximum financial compensation
- Represent you in court if your case goes to trial
Don’t underestimate the seriousness or the complexity of your traumatic brain injury. Get the medical care you need and the legal representation you deserve. Contact our law firm and schedule your free case evaluation with Attorney John R. Solis.