Category: Traumatic Brain Injuries

Yes, it is possible. People with memory, balance, behavioral, and learning issues may be experiencing symptoms that result from an unidentified or mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). A hidden TBI is a ticking time bomb, especially if diagnosis and treatments are delayed. Waukegan traumatic brain injury lawyers can help you get the compensation you deserve if your workers’ compensation for medical benefits is denied.

Top Causes and Symptoms of Mild TBI

TBIs are usually the result of bumps, blows, jolts, or explosive blasts to the head. However, not all of these hits result in severe injuries. The injury can range from mild to severe, depending on the accident’s severity. About 75% of TBIs that occur yearly are mild, and most result in concussions.

What Are Concussions?

Mild TBIs are also known as concussions, which, while unapparent at first, may showcase the same symptoms as severe brain injuries. However, these injuries are often overlooked even by experienced medical practitioners.

Most people who suffer mild concussions report memory loss and confusion. These may or may not be accompanied by fainting spells. The symptoms either manifest immediately after an accident or several minutes later.

Memory loss can also include the inability to recall events before and post-accident. It’s why victims have trouble recalling the incident later on. If you faint, are confused or have difficulty remembering things post-accident, inform your doctor or first responders immediately. Waukegan traumatic brain injury lawyers can use their accounts and your medical records to strengthen your case.

A mild TBI can worsen if it is not treated on time. Minutes to hours post-injury, you can suffer from:

• Headaches.
• Dizziness.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Disorientation.
• Slurred speech.
• Befuddled facial expression.
• If you wait hours or several days to get a checkup and treat the concussion, you can experience worse symptoms such as:
• Difficulty sleeping.
• Memory gaps.
• Mood swings.

Consequences of Repeat Mild TBIs

If you have a history of mild TBIs or concussions, you can experience severe symptoms and take longer to recover from them. These include:

• Ongoing issues with headaches and memory.
• Physical ailments such as difficulty keeping your balance.
• With time, the issues can also prove to be fatal. Since symptoms of mild TBI are often misdiagnosed because they are similar to other ailments, more people die from these injuries than you realize. But in most cases, people who have this injury:
• Refuse to admit they have it.
• Are unable to understand how the symptoms affect their daily life.

Even if they know they have a concussion or TBI, negligent healthcare providers and family members may make them overlook it. You need medical specialists to evaluate and determine the long-term consequences of the injury. A general physician may overlook your injuries, downplay them or worse, diagnose you with a different ailment.

Contact Robert T. Edens For a Consultation Today!

Mild and severe TBIs are common workplace injuries, especially on construction sites. If your employer or the insurance agency refuses to compensate you, you can and should sue.

Experienced and professional Waukegan traumatic brain injury lawyers at The Law Offices of Robert T. Edens can ensure your case is given due attention in and out of court.

With over two decades of experience representing injury victims like yourself, Robert T. Edens, aka Bob, is more than qualified to help you with your predicament. Contact us for a consultation today!

Various traumatic brain injuries can result in permanent brain damage that can bring an end to the careers of those affected. Even if the injury was not serious and an individual was able to recover to rejoin their workplace, many obstacles remain. A traumatic brain injury can lead to confusion while thinking and make it impossible to respond to complex situations. Issues with mobility, environment and social pressure may make it difficult for individuals to return to work.

However, because a brain injury is a form of disability, the rights of an affected individual are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires employers to provide individuals with the opportunity and environment to rejoin the workforce in a respectable manner.

If you looking to rejoin the workplace, or seek compensation for personal injuries and job loss due to a traumatic brain injury that occurred while performing your professional duties, consulting a competent worker compensation and personal injury attorney can help expedite the process of recovering compensation for medication treatment, or help rejoin the workforce by seeking equitable opportunities with employers.

Tips to Rejoin Workplace

Rejoining, or applying at a new employer can be a daunting task for those suffering from traumatic brain injuries. It is important to not only ensure individuals are taking their medications but have also gone through a rehabilitation process that helps increase their confidence and adaptability to a new environment. It is increasingly important for those who wish to rejoin the workforce after a brain injury caused long-term disability or paralysis. As outlined by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), the following tips are important for patients:

• Engage in routine medical checkups and counseling sessions,
• Talk to your supervisors and managers about available opportunities before rejoining the workforce and seek appropriate working conditions when hired,
• Resume work gradually, work for shorter hours and take a different role from the previous one where the injury occurred – it will reduce the risk of trauma and feelings of anxiety while performing your job.
• If you are rejoining the employment sector after a considerable break, seek Vocational Rehabilitation Services – it helps find appropriate work and gives approval from neuropsychologists and physicians to return to work.
• Seek employment support from work coaches and local disability employment advisors as they assess employability and suggest relevant jobs based on previous work experience, skills and interests.

If you wish to find out more about traumatic brain injuries and worker compensation in Illinois, schedule a free consultation, contact the offices of Robert Edens at (847) 395-2200 to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Traumatic brain injuries that include concussions are one of the largest causes of death in the United States. According to reports filed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle accidents are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injuries leading to both hospitalization and death.

What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBT) or concussion can lead to possible brain damage, which eventually leads to permanent disability, internal bleeding, change in human behavior – and even death. It usually happens during an auto accident when the brain moves back and forth in rapid succession. It can have both short- and long-term effects on the functioning of the brain, leading to loss of confidence and self-esteem and skull fractures. In some cases, concussions due to car accidents can lead to a coma, which can last from a few hours, days or even months. Because insurance companies might refuse to process claims against concussions, a competent personal injury and auto accident attorney can help you with financial recovery – not just for the medical bills, but for possible auto repairs as well.

Possible Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury

Although there may be immediate symptoms visible when a concussion occurs, many patients might feel signs of possible trauma in the future. You might be suffering from a traumatic brain injury if you develop the following symptoms:

• Consistent confusion in identifying individuals and objects,
• Loss of sight or blurred vision,
• Constant headache and short term memory loss,
• Fatigue and dizziness,
• Inability to sleep,
• Change in personality or possible aggressive behavior,
• Recall of accident memory and anxiety.

Future Implications of Traumatic Brain Injury

In the short term, it is possible injuries due to an auto accident may lead to the inability to track objects with the eyes, with severe or endless headache and migraine. In case of severe brain injury or internal bleeding, individuals might get permanent disability or paralysis. Individuals recovering from a concussion may find it difficult to concentrate on a single task or perform high-intensity tasks that require the use of brain or strength. If an individual is suffering from Post-Concussion Syndrome, they might feel cervical pain and might find it difficult to drive again.

If you wish to find out more about personal injuries due to car accidents in Illinois, schedule a free consultation, contact the offices of Robert Edens at (847) 395-2200 to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer.

We witness thousands of motor vehicle accidents every year, which mainly happen due to negligence and carelessness of the drivers. Most people get away with minor scratches, but not everyone is that lucky. An accident can result in severe injuries or even death of a person. For instance, an impact on the head can lead to a traumatic brain injury, which can be detrimental for the victim.

What should you do?

If you were at the receiving end of such an injury, you have a right to file a lawsuit against the offender. However, in most cases, it is not as simple as it may appear. Therefore, it is imperative that you contact a brain injury lawyer, who will allow you to focus on the injuries while they deal with the legal processes on your behalf.

How can a lawyer help you get compensated?

There are many reasons that you should hire a professional personal injury lawyer to get compensation for your traumatic brain injury. If you suffered a brain injury, you may experience side effects such as poor concentration and memory lapses, among other symptoms, which can affect your mental capacity. Moreover, unlike physical damages, the healing time and damage of brain injuries are extremely difficult to predict. A trusted lawyer will work in your best interests during this difficult time.

Furthermore, you must seek medical and financial professionals in order to prove traumatic brain injury and establish liability, which can be quite expensive. In addition to that, you may find it difficult to pay upfront costs pertaining to the case. Being represented by a professional lawyer will help you to delay and lessen these costs, allowing you to focus on getting better.

Most professional personal injury lawyers have connections with people who can help in gathering and sorting out evidence pertaining to the accident. From eyewitnesses to affidavits, your lawyer will make sure that all evidence is properly documented and presented in court to increase your chances of getting compensation for your injury.

Finally, a reputable lawyer may be able to get your case settled before it makes it to the trial room. This can be particularly beneficial if you do want to avoid legal troubles and are willing to get a reasonable settlement.

If you were a victim of a traumatic brain injury and wish to schedule a free consultation contact the offices of Robert Edens at (847) 395-2200 to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer.

When people speak of traumatic brain injuries (TBI), they are often referring to generalizations of temporary brain trauma following an accident; something that is treated in a hospital until it is cured, rather than the possible lifelong effects that are common with these types of injuries.  Unlike other injuries, a TBI is often invisible, long-term, and can occur from a variety of accidents.  Causes of a TBI can range from sports injuries to car accidents and are commonly misdiagnosed or even completely missed if the injury is not severe.  Even the most minor of head injuries, however, can have latent effects on a person’s brain in the form of a TBI.

What is a TBI?

A TBI is a complex injury that affects a person’s ability to think or act in the same way as they could before an accident.  This is because, unlike an injury to a limb which limits the use of that limb until the injury heals, injuries to a person’s brain can affect their ability to solve problems, speak, control their moods, and many other functions.  The brain also heals differently than other parts of the body and cannot be fixed merely by surgery or medicine.  What complicates the healing process for doctors and healthcare providers is that no two brain injuries are alike.  Each individual’s brain injury requires specialized treatment, which often slows the healing process until an appropriate care regimen is discovered.

Cause and Effects

A TBI can be caused by any blow to a person’s head, including falls, car accidents, violence, sports injuries or explosive blasts such as those that are experienced by soldiers in combat situations.  The level of damage to a person’s brain depends on many factors or combination of factors.  According to the Mayo Clinic, brain injuries can occur from direct brain cell damage at the point of impact on the skull, damage to cells as the brain moves inside the skull, tearing of cells from a rotational impact, or widespread damage from a blast.

From athletes to car accident victims, traumatic brain injuries can be costly, both physically and mentally.  One study of 3,000 head trauma cases showed that over half showed signs of moderate to severe disability as long as one year after the injury.  The study also showed that after four years post-injury most of the injured individuals still lived with family members and relied on them for care.  Many families do not have the resources or expertise to care for individuals with a TBI, but have no other choice as lifelong care options can be very expensive.  Depending on when a person was injured, which can be early for many young, aspiring athletes, care for a TBI can reach millions of dollars.

 

If you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury, it is important to know that you are not alone.  Holding liable the person(s) responsible for the injury is the first step in being able to afford the care that you and your family deserve.  The professionals at the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens, P.C. can help you learn more about your options for recovery to ensure that you can receive the care you need to heal.