Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a result of a violent blow or jolt to the head or body and is a common cause of death and disability around the world. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports brain injuries are behind about 30 % of all injury deaths nationwide. While medical science has made significant advances in how brain injuries are treated, the level of recovery varies widely from person to person. At J. Cogburn Law, an experienced Las Vegas brain injury lawyer will help you file a claim and receive the compensation you deserve.
Nevada Brain Injury Resources:
- What are the most common causes of brain injuries?
- When should I visit a doctor for a brain injury?
- What are the long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury?
- What type of compensation can I recover for a brain injury?
- Nevada Brain Injury Laws
- When should I contact a Nevada brain injury lawyer?
What are the Most Common Causes of Brain Injuries?
A brain injury comes about through a blow or jolt to the head, causing the brain to shift within the skull. This often results in tearing blood vessels, bleeding, pressure, and an increased risk of death or permanent impairment. Some of the most common types of incidents that can lead to brain injury include:
- Car accidents: Collisions involving cars, trucks, motorcycles or bicycles have a high risk of head injury due to high speeds and high impact between cars and their passengers.
- Slip and fall accidents: Falls from a ladder, downstairs, in the bath, and more, are the most common cause of brain injury in adults and young children.
- Violence and assaults: Any hit to the head from a violent act, including punches, gunshot wounds, aggressive shaking, and more, can cause a brain injury.
- Sporting injuries: We most often associate concussions with football, making traumatic brain injuries fairly common injuries in sports.
- Combat injuries: Includes explosive blasts are a common cause of brain injuries in military personnel, as it’s believed that the pressure wave and loud sounds from blasts passing through the brain disrupt normal brain function. Shrapnel or debris connecting with the head is another common military-related injury.
When Should I Visit a Doctor for a Brain Injury?
A brain injury is a very serious injury, even when the signs are hard to see. Major health risks can emerge hours, days, and even years later if a brain injury goes unchecked. It is imperative you seek out medical care and monitoring at the first sign of a brain injury and throughout your recovery.
Brain injuries can be physical and psychological and can prove to be both permanent and fatal. In the United States, there are an estimated 2.8 million cases of traumatic brain injuries occur each year and even more go undiagnosed.
What are the Long Term Effects of a Traumatic Brain Injury?
The brain is a complex organ, and every individual responds differently to trauma, and the level of recovery is possible. While some recover fully, others face a future with permanent impairments, including:
- Memory problems
- Cognitive and sensory difficulties
- Language and communication deficits
- Psychological changes (anger, depression, confusion)
- Behavioral problems
- Permanent physical impairment
- Coma or vegetative state
- Brain death
What Compensation Can I Recover for a Brain Injury?
In cases of brain injury, the damages pursued are typically very high in value. For many victims of brain injury, the person’s life is forever changed. At J. Cogburn Law, our team of Las Vegas accident attorneys is dedicated to protecting the rights and interests of injured people. Our Las Vegas brain injury lawyers can file a lawsuit against the negligent party when a fair settlement is not possible outside court. We have received many honors and awards for our legal services, and for achieving many high-value jury awards and settlements in cases of serious injury.
The damages paid in brain injury cases are assessed on an individual basis but must reflect the extent of the changes in a victim’s life. They typically include compensation for:
- Medical care and treatment, current and future
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- The impact on the quality of life
- Pain and suffering
- Skilled nursing costs
- Rehab costs
- Pain and suffering
Nevada Brain Injury Laws
Under Chapter 427A.850 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, the State of Nevada is required to set up a program to provide care for traumatic brain injury victims. This program includes access to health and assisted living facilities, in-home care, job placement, instruction on independent living, drug and alcohol abuse counseling, and support for victims’ families. Every brain injury victim deserves access to these services as well as compensation for their suffering.
If your loved one has suffered a brain injury, your focus is naturally on his or her recovery. While these are the most important issues affecting your family, the legal matters related to the injury should be addressed as early as possible after the accident. Under the Nevada law NRS 41A, there is a two-year window in which to file a claim after a personal injury. While this may seem to be adequate time in which to file a claim, in fact, the evidence of what occurred must be identified and preserved so that a claim can be filed.
When Should I Contact a Las Vegas Brain Injury Attorney?
If your loved one has suffered a brain injury as a result of an act of negligence, you have the right to seek compensatory damages. The value of the compensation recovered is in large part, a direct result of the skills and experience of the legal counsel you retain. Our team of top-rated brain injury attorneys is driven to perform for the people we serve – we understand the devastation, grief, fear, and suffering surrounding such a terrible situation. We are compassionate, caring, and dedicated to our clients, and do everything possible to help them achieve the compensation that allows for the best medical care, now and in the future, as well as providing for every need for your loved one.
Contact a Las Vegas brain injury lawyer at J. Cogburn Law for a free case consultation.