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How We Help If You Suffer A Brain Injury:
The insurance company of the person who is liable for your injury may only see you as a chance to save money; they only care about their bottom line, not you. Restoring a brain injury survivor’s quality of life to a decent existence can require hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars to pay for long-term care, treatment and other therapies, a sum that insurers are hesitant to pay even when they have a clear responsibility to do so. The Sargent Firm has the knowledge and expertise to have them forced into compensating the victim for the liable party’s negligence or carelessness.
Any injury has the possibility of having significant long-term implications, but few are as serious as traumatic brain injuries. For most victims, their lives will be profoundly altered. Depending on the severity of your injury, you might be unable to work or care for loved ones as you once did. Traumatic brain injuries are unfortunate, but The Sargent Firm is ready and willing to help.
The Sargent Firm in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Represents Victims Of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
A traumatic brain injury is defined as any injury that results in damage to the brain. Most brain injuries are classified as closed head injuries, which are caused by blunt force trauma to the head. For example, an individual might hit his or her head on a windshield or car door during a car accident, or may be hit in the head while playing a rough sport such as football or rugby. Some accidents lead to what is known as penetrating head injuries, which are cases in which a foreign object physically penetrates the skull and damages the brain directly.
There are three general types of damage involved in traumatic brain injuries:
- Bruising: When the brain is hurt, blood vessels can tear apart, which causes blood to pool within the brain and put pressure on important sensitive tissue, resulting in tissue death and the stopping of critical parts of the brain’s functioning.
- Tearing: Microscopic tearing is also common. These tears can be hard to identify on a standard CT scan or an MRI because they are so tiny.
- Swelling: This is part of the body’s natural inflammatory response; however, there is little room in the brain, which results in additional pressure.
It is important to realize that not all traumatic brain injuries necessarily involve a loss of consciousness. It is common for many survivors to initially suffer only relatively minor symptoms, such as a headache, before being affected by more severe symptoms.
Warning Signs of Traumatic Brain Injury
Brain injuries can be insidious, and they may go overlooked for some period of time. It is critical to understand the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury and seek medical attention immediately if you have any reason to suspect you might have been injured.
- Persistent mild headache or neck pain.
- Memory loss, lack of concentration, decreased organizational ability or decision making ability.
- Slow or slurred speech.
- Difficulty focusing or reading.
- General confusion.
- Lack of energy or sex drive.
- Change in normal sleep patterns.
- Loss of coordination or balance.
- Sensitivity to light and other sensations.
- Blurred vision or loss of senses.
- Constant ringing in the ears.
- Abnormal mood swings or changes.
When a young child suffers a traumatic brain injury, witnessing these warning signs can be even more difficult. Children may experience some symptoms that they are unable to verbalize to you, or they may not understand that a change in their body or mind is a sign that something is fundamentally wrong. Some visible warning signs of a traumatic brain injury you should look out for include:
- Fatigue.
- A marked increase in temper-tantrums or general crankiness.
- Serious changes in play or eating habits.
- Lower performance in school.
- Loss of previously learned skills, such as toilet training or reading.
- Loss of interest in favorite toys, games, or activities.
- Difficulty with walking, balance and general coordination.
If you have any reason to suspect that you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, seek medical attention immediately; in some cases, minutes make the difference. After you have sought professional medical help, contact The Sargent Firm to speak with one of our highly qualified traumatic brain injury lawyers at our Coeur d’Alene, Idaho office. We’d be glad to meet with you for a free consultation. We work on a contingency basis, meaning that if you don’t get compensation, neither do we. We will fight for you and won’t let the insurance company bully you into taking less than what you are entitled to.
Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury
Any accident that involves violent movement or an impact to the head can result in a traumatic brain injury. The majority of these types injuries are suffered in automobile accidents, but a traumatic brain injury could happen numerous causes. Some of the more common causes of traumatic brain injuries include:
- Falls: Older people, especially, are vulnerable to traumatic brain injury when they fall down. Falls from extended heights can also lead to brain damage. An examples of this is when construction workers fall from scaffolding.
- Sports Injuries: Concussions when sustained while playing contact sports have gotten lots of media attention recently. While sports injuries still account for a fairly small amount of traumatic brain injuries, the majority of these victims are quite young, meaning the long-term consequences can be severe and especially devastating. Most serious brain injuries from sports involve “second impact syndrome,” which is when an athlete who has already suffered a concussion is again hit in the head within a few days.
- Assaults: All violence that involves trauma to the head can result in a brain injury.
Remember, brain injuries often remain concealed for some time after the initial trauma. That is why it is so important to seek medical help as soon as possible if there is even a remote chance that you could have sustained a brain injury. Afterwards, it is important that you reach out to our office in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. One of our highly qualified attorneys who has experience handling complex injury cases will provide you with a complimentary case evaluation. The Sargent Firm with our expert legal team is here to help you get justice. Call us today.