Accidents or improper medical care can result in brain injury, which can have lasting consequences that impair your quality of life and ability to work, leading to financial losses. The impact of such injuries can be profound, affecting every aspect of your life. The Chicago injury lawyers at Smith LaCien LLP can help you receive compensation for your loss of function and lost income in a court of law or through a settlement, ensuring that your path to recovery is supported both financially and legally.
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There are many different ways a person can suffer a brain injury. Brain injuries are often classified by the cause of the injury. A brain injury sustained after a person is born is referred to as an acquired brain injury (ABI). There are two types of acquired brain injury, namely, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and non-traumatic brain injury.
TBI is a brain injury resulting from an external factor such as a blow to the head or the penetration of an external object into the brain, with the two most common causes of traumatic brain injuries being motor vehicle accidents and falls.
A non-traumatic brain injury is caused by internal factors such as a lack of oxygen or exposure to toxins. Causes of non-traumatic brain injury include strokes and situations that prevent oxygen from reaching the brain such as drowning.
Both types of brain injuries can give rise to a brain injury lawsuit if the injury was the result of the wrongful or negligent actions of another.
Traumatic brain injuries may be mild, moderate, or severe. While mild TBIs like concussions typically allow the victim to fully recover at home, more severe brain injuries require hospitalization, critical care treatment, and often extensive rehabilitation measures. Some victims overcome their brain injuries and regain independence but victims of severe brain injuries may never fully recover.
If your loved one died from a severe brain injury, close family members can recover compensation through a wrongful death claim against the party at fault for the injury.
Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries in the United States, followed by falls. Falls are a leading cause of brain injury particularly among the elderly population. Common causes of brain injuries in Chicago include the following:
Concussions are the most common type of brain injury. Even though a concussion is typically a mild injury, it’s important to note that suffering repeated concussions—such as through contact sports—increases the chances of long-term impacts, including a form of dementia later in life.
Severe brain injuries show immediate symptoms such as loss of consciousness, uneven pupils, or coma. Milder brain injuries may have more subtle symptoms or signs and symptoms that worsen in the hours or days after an injury as the bleeding and inflammation damage more tissue inside the brain. Signs of brain injuries include the following:
If you or a loved one experiences any of the above symptoms after a blow to the head, it’s critical to seek immediate medical attention. Early treatment of a brain injury helps to minimize resulting disabilities and secondary brain damage from inflammation and bleeding.
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury as a result of another person or entity’s negligence, consult with a brain injury attorney. The circumstances of your case will determine who you can pursue for compensation. The following persons or entities may be held financially liable for brain injuries:
Property owners – Under premises liability laws, property owners must maintain their property safely and avoid causing harm to lawful visitors to the property. If a lawful visitor to the property sustains a brain injury from a slip and fall accident because of a hazardous condition on the property, the owner or manager of the property may be held financially responsible for the victim’s injury. Just ask a premises liability attorney in Chicago!
Medical professionals – Healthcare facilities, hospitals, doctors, and other medical professionals must treat their patients with due care. When a medical professional fails to meet the standard of care required for treating a patient, which results in a brain injury, they may be liable for the victim’s damages. Speak to a Chicago medical malpractice lawyer to learn more.
Employers – Employers must provide a safe working environment and safe equipment for their workers. If an employee suffers a brain injury in the course of performing their duty to their employer, the employer may be responsible for losses.
Manufacturers – As noted by our Chicago defective product attorneys, manufacturers and sellers of products can be held responsible for defective products that cause harm to consumers. For example, a manufacturer may be held liable for damages suffered by a person who suffers brain injury because of their defective product.
Vehicle owners – Another way that a person can sustain a brain injury is from a motor vehicle accident. If the vehicle owner or driver’s negligence caused the accident that led to the victim’s brain injury, they may be financially responsible for the damages suffered. Our accident attorneys in Chicago can help you receive compensation.
After thoroughly assessing your case, our brain injury attorneys will help determine which party, whether it be an individual, business, or insurance company, is financially responsible for your brain injury and the resulting losses. Smith LaCien LLP has extensive experience handling brain injury cases and getting results for clients. We won an $18.5 million award against Paramount Pictures for a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury during the filming of a movie in the Chicago area. We also won $20 million for another client who suffered brain damage while undergoing heart surgery.
These cases must be handled with the utmost care, which is why having a brain injury attorney you can trust is imperative. We listen to each client with compassion. While we are here to address your concerns, we will also act as your strongest advocate. Our goal is to fight for the compensation you deserve. This may include payment for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related losses.
While monetary damages are important, we also understand the value of holding the negligent party accountable. We do this by examining all areas of your case and talking to any necessary experts. We’ll look over your medical records to determine where things went wrong. A brain injury lawyer will then build the strongest possible case in your favor, whether your case leads to a claim or a lawsuit. You don’t have to go through this alone. We can help.
Our experienced, dedicated attorneys promptly and thoroughly investigate our cases to preserve evidence, determine fault, and assess liability on behalf of injured individuals and the families of those killed in trucking crashes. Smith LaCien’s lengthy history of representing victims of personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death has resulted in more than $2.5 billion in verdicts and settlements and over 100 cases of results of at least $1 million. Contact our Chicago wrongful death lawyers today.
A brain injury can influence all areas of your life, and treatment can quickly become expensive. Smith LaCien offers free, no-obligation consultations to accident victims and their families. Our law firm also handles cases on a contingency basis, which means you don’t pay us anything unless we obtain results. We’ll also be happy to answer any questions you might have. To book a consultation or learn more about how we can help, call us at (312) 509-8900. You can also contact us using our online form.