How Brain Injuries Happen
Indianapolis Brain Injury Lawyers at Doehrman Chamberlain Understand the Impact
A brain injury occurs every 21 seconds in the United States and approximately 5.3 million Americans live with disabilities from those injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, symptoms often are not apparent at the time of the initial injury. About 75 percent of the estimated 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries (TBI) people sustain each year are concussions, but less than 10 percent involve a loss of consciousness. For those suffering the consequences of a TBI, it is important to choose a brain injury attorney who has dedicated a significant portion of his career to representing people who have such a complex injury. Our Indianapolis brain injury attorneys have received an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, signifying the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.
Our firm is a proud sponsor of the Brain Association of Indiana, the first charter chapter of the Brain Injury Association of America. Our experienced lawyers do not attempt to settle your claim until they have obtained the necessary information to adequately evaluate your claim. Although we are able to successfully settle the majority of our cases out of court, we fight on your behalf for just compensation, even if that requires us to take your case to trial. Our Indianapolis brain injury attorneys have secured numerous verdicts and settlements of more than $1 million for clients who have suffered TBIs, including a $10 million jury verdict for a seven-year-old boy who suffered a brain injury because of a drunk driver.
At Doehrman Chamberlain, our Indianapolis brain injury lawyers have a thorough understanding of each aspect relating to the complexity of an ABI or TBI injury, including:
- Accidents That Cause Traumatic Brain Injury — Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries, but motor vehicle or other traffic-related accidents, construction accidents, sports or recreational activities and physical violence such as assault also contribute to the 1.7 million TBI injuries the Brain Injury Association of America estimates are sustained by children and adults in the U.S. each year.
- Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms — Initial signs of a TBI can be very subtle, with some not experiencing symptoms until days or even weeks after the head trauma depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. Symptoms may include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue, a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes and trouble with memory, concentration, attention or thinking. More severe symptoms may also include headaches that get worse or do not go away, repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures, an inability to awaken from sleep, dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, loss of coordination and increased confusion, restlessness or agitation.
- Traumatic Brain Injury Prognosis — The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke estimates that approximately half of severely head-injured patients require surgery to remove or repair hematomas (ruptured blood vessels) or contusions (bruised brain tissue). The severity of the injury, the location of the injury and the age and general health of the individual can also have an impact on disabilities resulting from a TBI, including cognitive problems, sensory failure, communication difficulty and behavior or mental health issues. More serious head injuries can also result in comas that can last for days, months or even years.
If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury, contact our Indianapolis brain injury lawyers today to set up a no obligation consultation. Our firm offers a contingency fee arrangement whereby you owe no legal fees until your case is resolved.
