After a brain injury, the victim’s life and those of their loved ones can drastically change. Things people once took for granted – like mobility, speech, and the ability to think clearly – are suddenly in jeopardy. The daily lives of victims and their families may now center around rehabilitation efforts and trying to relearn skills.
If you are facing life-altering events due to a traumatic brain injury caused by someone else’s negligence, you may have legal options for pursuing compensation for the losses you’ve experienced.
Contact the legal team at Dulin McQuinn Young for a free and confidential consultation.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) occur when a blow, penetration, or other force to the head affects normal brain function. TBIs can range from mild to severe, with more severe TBIs resulting in brain death and consciousness disorders. TBIs are a leading cause of permanent disabilities every year.
Who Is Responsible for a TBI?
Determining who is responsible for a traumatic brain injury requires identifying the cause of the accident that injured you and all contributing parties. This could include:
- Car accidents: Negligent motorists may cause traumatic brain injuries when they cause traffic collisions due to impaired or distracted driving, speeding, or violating traffic laws.
- Bicycle accidents: Even when riding a helmet, a bicyclist who is hit by a vehicle can be ejected and suffer devastating brain trauma. The operator of the vehicle may be responsible for the resulting damages.
- Pedestrian accidents: Pedestrians have no protection against a vehicle weighing 4,000 pounds or more. Filing a personal injury claim against a negligent driver may help provide compensation for the damages you suffer.
- Motorcycle accidents: Motorcyclists who are ejected from their bikes can suffer traumatic head injuries. They may have a legal claim against the negligent motorist or other party who caused their injuries.
- Truck accidents: Various parties can contribute to truck accidents, including truck drivers, trucking companies, owners, brokers, cargo loading companies, manufacturers, and maintenance companies. One or more of these parties may be legally responsible for your damages.
- ATV and snowmobile accidents: Without a roof and the same protective equipment as regular vehicles, ATVs and snowmobiles do not provide enough protection if someone is in an accident in one of these vehicles. Various parties could be legally responsible for these accidents, including the driver, the vehicle owner, the manufacturer, the rental company, or the property owner where the vehicle was used.
- Mass transit accidents: Bus accidents, train accidents, and other mass transit accidents may be caused by
- Construction accidents: If materials from a construction site injured you or you fell on the job, you may have a claim against the building owner or site manager.
- Drowning and swimming pool accidents: Loss of oxygen can result in brain injuries. You could have a legal claim against a boat owner, property owner, or public entity, depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident.
- Slips and falls: Property owners are responsible for maintaining their premises to avoid foreseeable injuries to others.
- Assaults: Violent acts are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries. If you or a loved one was injured due to someone else’s violence, you could have a claim against the perpetrator, as well as the property owner whose negligent security allowed the attack to happen in the first place.
- Product liability: Defective products can fail, causing traumatic brain injuries.
The legal team at Dulin McQuinn Young can identify the cause of your injury and the parties responsible for your injuries.
What Can I Expect After a TBI?
Every TBI is different, so the effects will be particularly personalized to your situation. As the name suggests, traumatic brain injuries can have a traumatic effect on victims and their families. Some victims lose the ability to speak or work. They may require expensive medical treatment, including rehabilitation, therapy, and skilled nursing care. Many TBI victims experienced impaired cognitive function. Some experience personality changes.
Many TBI victims experience various complications, including:
- Difficulty communicating
- Memory and concentration issues
- Depression, anxiety, and irritability
- Problems related to the senses
These difficulties can drastically affect their quality of life. TBI victims may have to rely on family members for assistance in completing activities of daily living. Many require mental health treatment to try to cope with the unexpected changes associated with brain injuries.
Pursuing Financial Compensation After a Traumatic Brain Injury
Because traumatic brain injuries can cause significant harm, it’s essential that your personal injury claim account for the full extent of your damages. Medical expenses can make up the majority of your personal injury damages. You may be able to recover compensation for the following:
- Emergency medical treatment and transportation
- Surgeries and hospitalizations
- Ongoing rehabilitation and medical treatment
- Skilled nursing care and in-home nursing care
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- Visits with neurologists and other specialists
- Mental health treatment
- Future medical expenses
You can also claim compensation for other economic and non-economic damages you suffered from the accident, such as:
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Permanent disabilities and impairments
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
Our legal team can demand the financial compensation you deserve.
What Is the Deadline to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Colorado?
Most personal injury lawsuits in Colorado must be filed within two years of the accident date. However, if a car accident caused your traumatic brain injury, you have three years from the accident date to file your personal injury lawsuit. Protect your rights by reaching out to an experienced personal injury lawyer today.
Contact Our Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers for Help
If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury, the personal injury lawyers at Dulin McQuinn Young want to help. We can answer any questions you have and provide dedicated legal assistance throughout every step of your case. We will work tirelessly to fight for the compensation you deserve after someone’s negligence has derailed your life.
Call us today for a free consultation to learn more about your legal rights and options.