NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA BRAIN & HEAD INJURY ATTORNEYS
Head and brain injuries are serious events that can lead to lifelong physical and mental limitations. These may require ongoing and extensive medical treatment. Brain injury patients often face years of occupational, speech, cognitive, and vocational therapy, as well as psychological counseling. Coping with a catastrophic injury brings both emotional stress and financial hardship to injured individuals and their families. Money cannot erase the damage caused by a brain injury, but compensation can reduce or even eliminate the financial burden associated with the injury and allow people to focus on recovery and rehabilitation.
When a traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs because of another party’s negligence, Pennsylvania law entitles people to seek compensation for damages in civil court. These personal injury cases require an experienced traumatic brain injury attorney who understands the complexities of claims that involve head and brain injuries. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, call the brain injury lawyers at OHDP Law at (570) 348-3711 for a free case evaluation.
OHDP LAW’S HISTORY IN BRAIN INJURY CASES
The skilled attorneys at OHDP Law have represented many clients who have suffered head and brain injuries. We have successfully secured the right financial compensation for these clients. While we cannot guarantee a favorable outcome in your specific case, we can promise to aggressively pursue compensation for the full cost of your injuries. We will also be as supportive and respectful as possible – because we understand how difficult it is to deal with everything that comes with a traumatic head or brain injury.
CAUSES OF BRAIN INJURIES
There are a variety of scenarios can that lead to brain injuries. It’s hard to believe – but brain injuries claim the lives of over 150 people every day in the United States. Causes differ among age groups, but those over the age of 75 face the most risk. Some of the most common causes of brain injuries include:
- Unintentional falls (especially among young children and older adults who struggle with mobility)
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Defective products that cause accidents or explosions that lead to a brain injury
- Playing sports (especially full-contact sports like football, rugby, boxing, and martial arts)
- Physical abuse and assault
RECOGNIZING THE SYMPTOMS OF A BRAIN INJURY
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is “a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury,”according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). Many people are familiar with the mildest form of a TBI, which is a concussion.
A concussion or other type of brain injury may not show symptoms for days, weeks, or even months, providing an extra challenge for injured individuals and their doctors. After an accident that involves head trauma, survivors should seek immediate medical attention. In the days and weeks following a brain injury, accident survivors and those who care for them need to watch for any symptoms of a brain injury.
Those who have sustained a concussion will likely display some of the following symptoms:
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Neck pain
- Ringing in the ears
- Fatigue
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
More severe brain injuries involve the following symptoms:
- A continuous and worsening headache
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Unresponsive to waking from sleep
- Slurring words during speech
- Numbness in the limbs
- Dilated pupils
If you have suffered head trauma or are caring for a loved one who did, and you notice any of the above-listed symptoms, you should immediately head to the closest emergency department for a medical evaluation.
LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF A BRAIN INJURY
Even if they receive immediate medical treatment following an accident, brain injury survivors, especially babies and children, still face potential long-term effects. It’s sometimes difficult to see symptoms of a brain injury in babies and young children, so parents may not realize that their child has been injured until they notice one or more long-term effects, which include:
- Challenges with cognitive functions, such as thinking, remembering, and logical reasoning
- Difficulties with senses, which may include loss of vision, hearing, touch, taste, or smell
- Difficulty speaking
- Anxiety and/or depression
- Personality changes, especially a tendency toward aggression
Any adult or child who suffers a severe brain injury can potentially remain in a coma for an extended period of time or in a permanent vegetative state (PVS).
RECEIVE COMPENSATION FOR THE FULL COST OF YOUR INJURIES
After a major head injury, you might be shocked by the amount of medical expenses associated with treatment. The likelihood of a permanent disability remains high after a severe brain injury, making it necessary that all aspects of recovery, disability, physical therapy, and quality of life are included in your claim. Any failure to take into account everything that you must go through might leave you struggling to cope with the financial burden of long-term costs. When you work with OHDP Law, an experienced brain injury law firm located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, our legal team will make sure that your claim accounts for every aspect of your injury, including long-term future costs.
OHDP Law’s brain injury lawyers consider every aspect of a personal injury claim to maximize potential compensation for our clients. Whether we settle your case or take it to trial and secure a jury verdict, your compensation could potentially include:
- Past and future medical costs, including ambulance and emergency services, hospitalization, surgery, diagnostic scans, prescription medication, rehabilitative services, physical and mental therapy and extended care
- Assistive device costs for wheelchairs, walkers, canes, or specialized technology to aid with communication and other cognitive functions
- Lost wages for time away from work as a result of injury and/or hospitalization
- Lost earning capacity when a brain injury results in permanent disability
- Non-economic damages, including for pain and suffering, quality of life considerations, mental anguish, and any impact on relationships
If you have lost a loved from a brain injury, a court may award you compensation as a surviving family member through a wrongful death claim. Contact one of our Scranton, Pennsylvania lawyers to discuss the viability of a wrongful death claim given your specific circumstances. You could potentially recover some of the aforementioned damages, in addition to burial expenses, funeral costs, and special non-economic costs that apply to surviving family members. An experienced wrongful death attorney can tell you more about your eligibility for such a claim.
CONTACT A PENNSYLVANIA BRAIN INJURY ATTORNEY TODAY
The skilled attorneys at OHDP Law, a personal injury law firm located in Scranton, PA, make serving our clients a top priority. We understand the challenges that come with recovering from severe brain injuries, and we are here to help in any way that we can. With years of combined experience working on personal injury claims, we have a proven track record of helping our clients move on with their lives. We handle our cases on a contingent fee basis; this means that you don’t have to worry about paying attorney fees upfront. We only collect fees from any compensation that we secure for you, most often a settlement, jury verdict or arbitration award in your favor.
If you are looking for a quality, compassionate, experienced and aggressive attorney, give OHDP Law a call. Please call us at (570) 348-3711, or use contact form to request free case evaluation today.