Chicago Brain Injury Attorneys
A traumatic brain injury is defined as a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury, which disrupts the way the human brain functions. It is important to remember that not all blows or jolts to the head result in a traumatic brain injury. The severity of such a brain injury may range from mild to severe. In mild cases, the individual may experience a brief change in mental state or consciousness. In severe cases, the person may be in a coma for an extending period of time or experience amnesia, loss of short-term memory and lack of independent function.
According to the Brain Injury Association of America, auto accidents and falls account for nearly half of all brain injuries in the United States. Each year, about 1.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury in the United States of which 50,000 die; 235,000 are hospitalized; and about 1.1 million are treated and released from the emergency department.
Most traumatic brain injuries are catastrophic injuries. This means that the brain injury may have a lifelong impact on the individual. Traumatic brain injuries can cause a wide range of functional changes affecting a person's thinking, language, learning, emotions, behavior and sensation. Brain injuries can also cause epilepsy and increase the risk for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other brain-related disorders.
The cost of treating brain injuries is usually exorbitant. It is estimated that direct medical costs and indirect costs associated with the treatments, such as lost productivity, totaled $60 billion in 1995. Those costs have no doubt risen over the last 15 years. Brain injury victims and their families also undergo significant expenses for rehabilitation, with physical therapy, vocational training and in many cases, 24/7 care.
If you have sustained a traumatic brain injury in an auto accident caused by someone else's negligence or because of a defective product, you can seek compensation to cover your expenses. You may also seek compensation to cover lost future earnings, loss of consortium, loss of life's enjoyment, and loss of the ability to make a living. Please contact a skilled Chicago brain injury attorney at the Bradley Law Firm to find out how we can help you.
