Personal Injury Lawyer
Suffering from a brain injury can result in tragedy, as the victim may have to deal with mental, physical and emotional challenges. A person may simply not be who they were prior to the brain injury accident. While sometimes we get hurt due to bad luck, other times the accident could have been prevented. There are cases where a person sustained the brain injury because someone else was careless or negligent. It may be time to seek legal counsel after a brain injury accident, if the victim believes another party may have been at least partially responsible. The victim may be entitled to receiving monetary compensation for medical expenses, damages, losses, pain and suffering, and more.
Q: In what situations may a brain injury happen?
A: A brain injury can arise due to a person being involved in a vehicle collision, workplace accident, assault, trip and fall, sports activity, or any other situation where the person suffered blunt force trauma to the head. In any of these scenarios, someone could have played a part in the injury happening. For example, a driver who was speeding through a light and hit another vehicle, was being reckless behind the wheel. The victim driver who sustained a brain injury, may want to seek justice and financial restitution through filing a civil lawsuit. After a terrible accident, many brain injury victims are motivated to see that the person at-fault is held accountable for his or her thoughtless actions.
Q: Why is getting medical attention so important?
A: A person who believes they may have a brain injury, should go to the nearest hospital or call for help without hesitation. Even if there is no visible wound, medical attention may be required for that is going on inside the skull due to impact. Brain swelling and bleeding without anywhere for the pressure to go, can quickly turn into a life or death situation. Additionally, if you want to file a lawsuit against the person at-fault, documentation that describes the extent of your injuries can be impactful to the outcome and how much is awarded. Here are just a few signs that may mean a brain injury was sustained:
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Headaches that won’t go away
- Changes in sleeping patterns (too much or too little)
- Clear fluid draining from ears and/or nose
- Disorientation
- Profound confusion
- Mood swings, irritability, anxiety, depression
Q: What type of documentation may I need for a legal consult?
A: When meeting with a brain injury lawyer St. Paul, MN trusts about your brain injury accident, take with you any documents that are related to what happened. This can be things like hospitalization records, medication prescriptions, diagnostics, x-rays, bloodwork, doctor’s treatment plan, out of pocket expenses, ambulance ride, and witness statements. If anyone was present when the injury occurred, their statement can be used as evidence in the lawsuit. If the brain injury was due to a car accident, you can obtain a copy of the police report from your local law enforcement office.
Thank you to our friends and contributors at Johnston | Martineau, PLLP for their insight into personal injury claims and brain injury accidents.