Brain injuries, such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI), can be severe injuries that leave victims with lifelong disabilities and severe cognitive and physical impairment. Even for other brain injuries from hypoxia or a concussion, victims can need time off work, and medical care costs can be quite expensive.
For help recovering the damages you need, you might need to work with an experienced attorney. Brain injury cases often take additional knowledge and experience to help a jury understand just how severe the effects of the injury are and how you could be entitled to additional pain and suffering and other damages for your injuries.
For a free review of your brain injury case, reach out to Legal Care New Jersey’s brain injury attorneys today at (732) 838-9769.
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in Elizabeth, NJ
Traumatic brain injury refers to any injury where there is a forceful impact injury to the brain, as opposed to injuries caused by something like lack of oxygen (hypoxia/anoxia) or a disease. A simple concussion is a mild form of TBI and can lead to some impairment and other issues, but severe TBIs can lead to lifelong disabilities. Although you can hit your head and suffer serious injuries in many types of accidents, the following are some of the more common causes of serious TBI that our brain injury lawyers can help with:
Car Accidents
Car accident victims often have layers of protection from front and side curtain airbags to headrests to help protect their heads from injury. Nonetheless, car accident victims can hit their head on the side window, windshield, steering wheel, or dashboard and suffer serious brain injuries. Injuries can be even worse if you are hit with a piece of debris, if the car crumples in on your head, or if you are ejected from the vehicle during a crash.
Work Injuries
Many jobs require head protection such as hard hats. Even so, victims could face serious head injuries from falls or falling debris. On jobs without hard protection, a slip and fall injury, an auto accident, a heavy machinery malfunction, or assault and battery can cause traumatic brain injuries. Even something as simple as falling down the stairs or hitting your head on a low-hanging hazard could lead to a concussion or more serious TBI.
Slip and Falls
Injuries from falling down can happen at work, but they can also happen in everyday life. Slipping on an icy walkway or parking lot, falling in a puddle at the store, or otherwise tripping or falling because of some danger on someone’s property can lead to severe injuries. While most people do not get seriously injured in falls and might just be sore for a day or two, many people hit their heads and suffer very serious TBIs in these kinds of accidents.
Sports Injuries
Although injuries are sometimes “just part of the game,” there has been more and more research into keeping players safe, especially when it comes to brain injuries. School sports and professional sports should provide proper headgear, when relevant, to prevent injury. When coaches, leagues, and schools do not properly equip players and referees, leagues, and governing bodies do not properly control the violence of a game, they could be liable for TBI injuries.
Other Types of Brain Injuries
TBIs are not the only types of brain injury cases our lawyers can help with. People can get different kinds of brain injuries from things other than blunt force trauma.
Penetrating and Open Injuries
When something penetrates the skull and enters the brain or causes an open skull fracture, the brain is vulnerable to much more damage than in a blunt force injury that remains closed. These injuries are common in car accidents and industrial accidents as well.
Anoxic and Hypoxic Brain Injuries
When oxygen is cut off and a victim begins to suffocate, the oxygen flow to their brain is reduced or cut off entirely. The body cannot survive without oxygen to the brain, and a severe loss of oxygen can lead to substantial brain injury. These injuries are common in industrial, construction, and mining/excavation work where respirators and oxygen supplies are not provided or properly used. They are also common in drowning accidents as well as birth injury cases. With birth injuries, newborns might suffer complications resulting in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and potential cerebral palsy as a result of the reduced oxygen.
Infection
Encephalitis and other brain infections and complications can occur as a result of another injury. They can also occur from complications and medical malpractice associated with brain surgery or treatment for other conditions. If your infection was the result of another injury, the additional damages from the infection could be attributed to that original accident as a foreseeable injury. If your brain infection resulted from negligent medical care, you could be entitled to a medical malpractice claim.
Electrical Injuries
Electrical shock injuries can result in potential brain damage and neurocognitive impairment such as memory loss and motor function issues. Talk to a lawyer if you suffered electrocution injuries and now face brain or cognition issues.
Brain Hemorrhage/Bleeding
Brain injuries that result in bleeding are often very serious and need immediate treatment to prevent further injury. These injuries are often caused by the same sorts of accidents that result in traumatic brain injuries.
Getting Compensation for Brain Injuries in Elizabeth, NJ
If you suffered any of the above types of brain injury – or any other brain injuries we did not discuss – you could be entitled to compensation. Brain injuries can occur in many different ways, but if they are attributed to an avoidable accident or an intentional injury that someone else caused you, you could be entitled to a lawsuit to cover your injuries.
Our attorneys can help file lawsuits against property owners, stores, businesses, workplaces, drivers, trucking/bus companies, and other potentially liable parties in your case. Often, brain injuries entitle victims to substantial compensation because of the expensive medical care required and the long-term effects on your life that a brain injury can cause.
Contact Our Elizabeth, NJ Brain Injury Lawyers Today
For help with a potential brain injury claim, call Legal Care New Jersey’s brain injury attorneys at (732) 838-9769.
