Traumatic Brain Injury Lawsuits

Traumatic brain injury can seriously and permanently alter life for a victim and his or her family. Traumatic brain injury can be fatal, though many brain injury survivors are left with disabilities that require long-term and expensive medical care. When traumatic brain injury is caused by an accident, the negligence of another person, or unsafe products or places, traumatic brain injury victims and their families may be entitled to compensation for the injury.

Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury

Falls cause more than half of all traumatic brain injuries. Elderly people are especially susceptible to brain injury from falls. Elderly people who live in negligent nursing homes are vulnerable to sustaining traumatic brain injury. However, people of all ages can fall and sustain traumatic brain injury. A person can fall, slip, or trip in the workplace or other public places. Walkway obstructions, uneven ground, and other unsafe conditions put people at risk for traumatic brain injury.

Car accidents also cause a significant number of traumatic brain injuries. Defective safety features (airbags, seatbelts, child-seats, etc.) fail to protect a person from injury. Drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol often cause tragic traffic accidents, injuring other drivers, passengers, or pedestrians.

A number of other negligent events and unsafe conditions can cause traumatic brain injury, including:

Cost of Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury victims may require expensive care and rehabilitation. Medical care expenses can create tremendous stress for a traumatic brain injury victim's family.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC has estimated that in the United States, traumatic brain injury care and treatment cost about $56.3 billion annually* . The CDC also estimates that individuals with severe traumatic brain injury require about $600,000 to $1.9 million in long-term care, rehabilitation, and treatment.

Moreover, people with traumatic brain injury may not be able to return to work to support themselves or their families financially. This compounds the financial burden.

Traumatic Brain Injury Lawsuits

Traumatic brain injury victims and their families may be entitled to compensation. After consulting with an attorney, many people choose to file a traumatic brain injury lawsuit.

A traumatic brain injury attorney helps the victim and/or the victim's family determine the cause of the injury (defective products, negligence, accidents), how the head injury affects a person's life, and the financial burden of the injury. If an attorney advises the family and loved ones to file a lawsuit, the lawsuit will be heard by a judge and/or jury. Any compensation awarded may include reimbursement for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and punitive damages.

Traumatic brain injury victims and their families should consult with an attorney who specializes in traumatic brain injury. Litigation and compensation may not only relieve them of the financial burden, but may also help them cope with the devastating effects of the injury.

*CDC Injury Fact Book, 2001-2002

[Last revision: March 2007]

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