DC & Maryland Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Lawyer
When you or a loved one has been injured in an accident because of someone else’s negligence, you must contact a DC Personal Injury Lawyer. However, you can’t hire just any firm bearing that title. You need to be sure the individual you trust with your case has years (that add up to decades) of securing settlements for brain injury clients. Your best bet is to obtain the services of a DC Brain Injury Lawyer.
What is a TBI?
A TBI or a concussion can happen in a variety of ways. It may occur in a slip-and-fall accident or in a sporting accident. TBIs can happen in amusement parks, or most often, they occur in car accidents. How the TBI occurred, however, is not the most critical factor. What determines if you may need a DC Brain Injury is if the TBI was caused directly (or even indirectly) because of someone else’s negligence.
A TBI can happen from a jolt, a hit, a blow or a bump to the head or the body. There are numerous kinds of Traumatic Brain Injuries, some of which include concussions, hematomas, contusions, and skull fractures.
Symptoms of a TBI / Concussion
The signs and symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury will vary depending on the severity of the injury. However, some signs of a TBI most often include symptoms such as:
- Dizziness
- Sensitivity to light
- Sleepiness
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Confusion
A skilled DC Brain Injury Lawyer will explain that these symptoms are only the beginning of what could be a more serious underlying problem. If not treated immediately and properly, traumatic brain injuries can lead to lifelong complications, so getting treatment is paramount to ensure the best possible chance of a full recovery. Read on to learn more about how traumatic brain injuries can unfold.
Behavioral and Communication Difficulties
Communication and language problems often follow traumatic brain injuries, and these difficulties can cause conflicts and misunderstandings between the person with a TBI and family members, friends, and healthcare professionals.
Difficulty performing and understanding speech and writing are frequent sequelae of traumatic brain injuries. A person who has experienced a TBI may have difficulty following and participating in conversations and may be unable to organize thoughts and ideas in a coherent fashion.
A person who has experienced a traumatic brain injury may have difficulty in the turn-taking of conversations, as well as difficulty understanding social cues and other nonverbal signals. There may be changes in the tone and pitch of a TBI patient’s speech, and there may be difficulty expressing emotions and attitudes.
Emotional and Behavioral Changes After a Traumatic Brain Injury
Those who have sustained a traumatic brain injury may experience depression, anxiety, mood swings that include irritability and anger, insomnia, and a lack of empathy for others’ experiences, any or all of which can lead to difficulty in social situations with verbal or physical outbursts, difficulty with cognitive inhibition and self-control, as well as risk-taking behavior.
Long Term Implications of TBIs
According to research, repeated and/or severe traumatic brain injuries may increase the risk of degenerative brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s syndrome (formerly Parkinson’s disease), and dementia pugilistica – a health problem most often associated with repetitive blows to the head among boxers, and featuring symptoms of Alzheimer’s-like dementia as well as difficulty moving.
TBI Statistics
According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability in the United States. TBIs contribute to about 30% of all injury deaths. Every day, 153 people in the United States die from injuries that include TBI. Those who survive a TBI can face effects that last a few days or the rest of their lives.”
Your skilled DC Brain Injury Lawyer knows it doesn’t matter if your TBI symptoms last just a few days or if the injury impacts you for the rest of your life. When you get a TBI because of someone else’s negligence, you need to be fairly compensated for that injury, so you can get the medical treatment you need and also not be forced to manage the financial impact and stress of lost wages, pain and suffering, and much more.
How to Reduce the Incidence of TBI
- Buckle Up: Wear seat belts every ride and have airbags in your vehicle.
- Don’t drive if you’re under the influence of a substance that impairs your thinking and your ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. In addition to alcohol and other drugs, certain prescription medications can also impair the ability to drive safely.
- Wear a helmet or protective headgear. When riding a bicycle, motorcycle, skateboard, scooter, hoverboard, snowmobile, or all-terrain vehicle, wear a helmet. Wear protective headgear when playing baseball or other contact sports, and while skating, skiing, snowboarding, or when riding a horse.
- Prevention tips for older adults:
- Reduce fall risks by removing area rugs
- Keep stairs and floors free of clutter
- Improve lighting inside and outside the home
- Install handrails on both sides of stairs
- Get regular exercise to improve strength and coordination
- Get regular eye check-ups
- Place a non-slip bathmat in tub or shower
- Create safe living areas and safe play areas for children:
- Don’t allow children to play on balconies or fire escapes
- Install window guards to prevent young children from falling out of open windows
- Use safety gates at the top and bottom stairs when little ones are around
- Keep stairs and floors free of clutter
- Use a non-slip mat in the tub or shower
- Use nonslip backing on area rugs
- Choose playgrounds with shock-absorbing materials on the ground
Finding Your TBI & Brain Injury Lawyer in the DC & MD Region
When you are in need of a DC Brain Injury Lawyer, make the phone call to award-winning attorney Larry Lapidus. If you are looking for a lawyer with four decades of securing settlements for his clients in the nation’s capital region, you’ll take comfort in knowing you chose the best DC Brain Injury Lawyer for your case. Call today to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation at (202) 785-5111. Once you obtain the services of The Lapidus Law Firm, you can focus on your treatment and healing and let the law firm deal with the insurance company and all of the legal aspects of your claim.
Written by Award-Winning Lawyer Lawrence S. Lapidus