Houston Brain Injury Lawyer
Injuries to the brain are mysterious and sometimes hard to detect. The permanent effects of an accident may not show up immediately as not all physical brain injuries are identifiable in a scan. Cases are complex and require the help of medical and life care experts to determine the future of the accident victim.
The hours and days following an accident are chaotic. However, the moment you discover something wrong with yourself or a loved one, you need to take immediate action. Our focus is on getting our clients on the road to recovery, both medically and financially.
If a loved one is suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), you need to take immediate action to protect his or her rights and put him or her on the road to recovery. Contact our brain injury attorneys at our Houston office at (713) 565-1899.
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when a violent blow or jolt to the head results in the destruction of brain cells. An object that pierces the skull can also cause a traumatic brain injury. A TBI can be mild or severe. If the injury is mild the effects may be temporary.
However, if the injury is severe, meaning that there is bruising, torn tissues, bleeding and other physical damage to the brain, the victim may experience long-term problems and even death.
A TBI can occur as a result of almost any type of accident, including workplace accidents. Despite OSHA regulations that require guardrails and other safeguards to protect workers, brain injuries often happen as a result of oil refinery accidents, on-the-job/workplace accidents, construction accidents, and scaffolding falls.
Traumatic brain injuries also happen in vehicle accidents such as car accidents, motorcycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, truck accidents, commercial truck accidents, bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents where the collision causes the victim to slam his or her head against the dashboard, steering wheel, windshield, or on the road.
Premises and slip and fall liability accidents also can result in brain injuries when someone falls while walking in a parking lot or in a store, hitting the head onto a hard floor or pavement.
If you or a loved one sustained a brain injury in an accident due to the negligence of another person, contact a Houston Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C., and we will review your case.
TBI Symptoms
Those who experience brain damage may exhibit a wide assortment of symptoms, some of which may occur immediately after the accident, while other symptoms may not develop for days or even weeks after the accident.
Symptoms may include loss of consciousness, confusion, headache, slurred speech, inability to balance, memory loss, inability to concentrate, vomiting, sleepiness, clear liquids draining from nose and ears, seizures, and sensitivity to light.
If you or someone you know has been involved in an auto accident, sporting accident, or another sudden impact, you should always be on the lookout for signs of potential traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Here are six signs to keep in mind.
- Loss of Consciousness
Someone who has had a traumatic brain injury may fall in and out of consciousness after their collision. Concussions often cause this specific symptom of brain injury.
- Persistent Headache
Headaches are unfortunately a common problem of everyday life. However, having persistent headaches after a traumatic accident or large fall can be a sign of something deeper going on. If persistent headaches continue or worsen over time, you should seek medical attention.
- Confusion
Confusion or disorientation following an injury or fall can point to a larger brain injury. People experiencing confusion may have trouble stinging together sentences or doing everyday tasks. If someone’s confusion does not get better with time, it could be a sign of brain damage.
- Memory Loss
If someone is experiencing memory loss that is associated with brain damage, it is likely to manifest as more than simply being a bit forgetful throughout a hectic day. It is more likely that their memory loss would be larger chunks of time or periods of “blackout” in their memories. Memory loss is a serious symptom of brain injury or damage.
- Slurring or Slow Speech
If someone who has just been in an accident or sports injury experiences slurred or slowing speech, it can be a symptom of brain damage from that incident. These speech anomalies can come in different forms, so it is important to pay attention to your friend’s speech to correctly ascertain what is happening.
- Mood Swings
Brain damage can change the way people interact with each other and the world, depending on the type and the severity of the injury. This is more than simply being emotional, this is drastic changes in a person’s behavior.
Living With A TBI
Head injuries not only affect your health but other aspects of your life as well. You may not be able to enjoy activities with your family and friends in the same manner as you did prior to the accident that caused your injury. You may not be able to work and earn an income.
Lack of income, coupled with mounting medical bills may cause you and your family financial distress. However, through a personal injury lawsuit you may be able to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering that you experienced as a result of your injury.
Traumatic Brain Injury Statistics
Each day, in the United States, 138 people die from injuries that include traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that TBIs are a major cause of death and disability in the U.S., contributing to about 30% of all injury deaths.
While TBI is the leading cause of death and disability in children and adults from ages 1 to 44, traumatic brain injuries can affect individuals of any age. According to the Brain Trauma Foundation, about 2% of the U.S. population or at least 5.3 million Americans, are currently living with a TBI.
Our Houston Brain Injury Law Firm Can Help
Traumatic brain injuries are life-changing and can be a challenge for everyone affected. Not only can TBIs be physically painful, but can also make life mentally and emotionally challenging.
While many individuals with closed head injuries are able to make some sort of recovery, the road to recovery is long and bumpy, rarely allowing individuals to return to a complete state of “normal”.
Instead, families and friends of individuals with brain injuries, as well as the individual, face the challenge of adaptation and creating a new normal when living with a brain injury.
At Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C., our brain injury lawyers in Houston understands the challenges that individuals face when suffering from a brain injury.
With over 100 years of combined experience, we have successfully represented clients and their families and help to work through the physical, emotional, mental, and financial struggles.
What Causes Traumatic Brain Injuries?
While a TBI can happen at any time, some causes are more prevalent than others. The Mayo Health Clinic and the CDC report that the most common causes of TBIs are as follows:
- Falls: Falls result in the highest percentage of traumatic brain injuries of about 40%. Falling out of bed, slipping in the bathtub, falling down steps, from ladders, or during a work-related task (i.e. construction sites) are common for anyone of any age. When you fall, your head is at great risk of suffering a bump, blow, or penetration to the skull.
- Vehicle-Related Collisions: Vehicle accidents result in about 15% of brain injuries. TBIs may occur during a car or motorcycle accident. Additionally, bicyclists and pedestrians are vulnerable to a head injury if struck by a vehicle. While a helmet or the use of a safety restraint may reduce the likelihood of suffering from a TBI during an accident, there is no guarantee that you will not suffer a brain injury.
- Violence/Assaults: Many people may not consider violence as a cause of traumatic brain injuries, but gunshot wounds, domestic violence, and child abuse make up about 20% of TBIs. When an assault takes place the brain can become traumatized when the head receives a blow or the skull becomes penetrated.
- Sports Injuries: TBIs related to sporting events or activities are becoming more prevalent in young and old alike. Decades ago, the only news of TBIs was linked to professional football players, but today, sports such as soccer, baseball, skateboarding, and other high-impact or extreme sports can cause a serious brain injury.
- Combat Injuries: Like sports injuries, combat injuries resulting in brain injury are becoming more prevalent. Explosive blasts are a common cause for TBIs in active-duty military personnel.
Our Houston Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer Will Represent You
At Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C., our brain injury lawyers in Houston have experience representing clients and their family members in cases involving accidents that have resulted in serious and life-changing brain injuries, including:
- Oil refinery accidents
- Premises liability accidents
- Negligent security accidents
- On-the-job/workplace accidents
- Construction accidents
- Scaffolding falls
- Slip-and-falls
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Truck accidents
- Commercial truck accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
Complex brain injury cases require an experienced Houston personal injury attorney teaming up with top-level psychiatrists, psychologists and life care planners.
From setting up cognitive deficit tests to developing ongoing care and financial plan for a challenging future, we attend to every detail with dedication and aggression.
Talk to our Houston brain injury attorney to help you file a brain injury lawsuit. We offer a no-obligation-free consultation.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with an experienced brain injury lawyer in Houston, Texas regarding an accident that resulted in a brain injury, please contact us first!
Our firm has offices in the following locations: Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi South Side, Brownsville, McAllen, San Antonio, Houston, and Ft. Worth , TX.
