Colorado Springs Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

A blow to the head in an accident can cause a life-altering brain injury. If a serious brain injury is caused by another individual’s carelessness or a commercial business’s disregard for safety, the accident victim may be due compensation. But for the financial recovery, you deserve after a brain injury accident, you’ll need strong lawyers fighting for you.

Our personal injury law firm of more than 20 lawyers and 80 staff members was founded on 12 core values, which have shaped our success on behalf of our clients. Many of our attorneys, including our founder, have been listed among Colorado Super Lawyers®.

If you or your loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident that was someone else’s fault, your future well-being may depend on obtaining proper legal guidance today. Call The Wilhite Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a catastrophic injury attorney about the legal options available to you. We will not charge any fees unless we recover compensation for you. Call now to work with a Colorado Springs traumatic brain injury lawyer.

What Are The Different Types Of Brain Injuries?

A significant blow to the head, violent shaking or an injury that penetrates the skull can cause lasting brain damage. A brain injury suffered in an accident may be described as an “acquired brain injury” or “traumatic brain injury” (TBI). A TBI is further described according to the extent or seriousness of the injury.

A mild TBI is known as a concussion. A person with a concussion may experience the sensation of “seeing stars” and momentary confusion. They might momentarily lose consciousness. In most cases, a concussion victim recovers fully after a few weeks of limited activity. However, someone who has suffered a concussion is more susceptible to injury from additional head trauma.

A moderate to severe brain injury involves bleeding on the brain (contusion) and torn or bruised brain tissue (intracranial hematoma). Unconsciousness may last for an extended period, and the victim may suffer some memory loss (amnesia).

The lasting consequences of a brain injury depend on how widespread the damage is and what part of the brain is injured. For example, an injury to the frontal lobes may affect an individual’s ability to control emotions, impulses and behavior or cause difficulty recalling events or speaking. An injury to the cerebellum (lower rear of the brain) may affect balance, mobility and coordination.

A TBI may be described as a:

• Focal Brain Injury, a smaller wound affecting a single area within the brain.
• Diffuse Axonal Injury, which causes extensive brain damage and often coma.

A direct blow or penetrating wound is more likely to result in a focal brain injury. Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is usually caused by rotational forces or violent stopping, which cause connections between the cells of the brain to be twisted and torn.

• Anoxic / Hypoxic Brain Injury. Loss of oxygen to the brain for five minutes or more will cause brain cells to die, which leads to anoxic brain injury. A reduced oxygen level can cause hypoxic brain injury, which is less serious.

Anoxic and hypoxic brain injuries are often seen in near-drownings or other cases of suffocation, such as carbon monoxide poisoning or a child becoming trapped in a car trunk or abandoned refrigerator. Oxygen loss either during or soon after birth can cause cerebral palsy, an incurable birth injury.

A Colorado Springs TBI attorney can review the severity of your injury to help you determine what your claim could be worth.

How Do Brain Injuries Most Commonly Occur?

According to the Colorado Brain Injury Association, the leading causes of TBI are:

• Falls. Falls are particularly dangerous for the elderly and for anyone after winter snow and ice accumulation.
• Motor vehicle accidents, including car, truck and motorcycle accidents, as well as pedestrian and bicycle accidents.
• Struck by/against accidents. These are common workplace accidents, such as an individual being hit or pushed by dropped or falling tools or materials.
• Sports injuries. Concussions are common in contact sports such as football, ice hockey and soccer.
• Assaults. Brain injuries can be suffered in physical attacks including domestic violence and child abuse. “Shaken baby syndrome” is a brain injury commonly caused by child abuse.
• Explosions. The impact of the blast from an explosion is a leading cause of TBI, particularly among military personnel in war zones but also in industrial, mining and other accidents.

A Colorado Springs traumatic brain injury attorney can review the circumstances of an accident to determine its cause and who should be held legally liable.

What Should I Expect After Suffering A Brain Injury?

Even a mild TBI requires emergency medical care and possibly a hospital stay. A serious TBI may require brain surgery to relieve pressure on the brain and/or repair damaged tissue. In some cases, the patient must be transferred to a clinic that specializes in brain injuries.

After recovering from surgery, most TBI patients start a course of rehabilitative therapy. Initially, rehab consists of exercises to recover walking and talking skills, memory and strength. Later, physical, speech and occupational therapy concentrates on strengthening cognitive and motor skills.

Eventually, the patient may transition to outpatient therapy, but recovery from severe TBI can require years of work. A person with a severe TBI may also seek psychological counseling to learn to cope with their loss.

A severe TBI will alter the victim’s life, as well as the life of everyone connected to them. In the worst nonfatal cases, a TBI patient is permanently disabled and requires lifelong medical care, as well as assistance for eating, bathing and other basic activities.

A severe brain injury is likely to cost the victim and his or her family millions of dollars in medical expenses and lost income, especially if the individual was young when injured. The stress of dealing with the consequences of a severe brain injury can also damage marital relationships and leave the accident victim isolated from other family and friends.

Pursuing a Brain Injury Claim for Compensation

Our Colorado Springs brain injury attorneys can help you pursue compensation for losses you or a loved one has suffered due to a brain injury accident someone else caused. We would thoroughly investigate the accident that led to the injury and identify all parties potentially liable for what has happened. We will then identify any insurance coverage that may provide compensation for your losses.

At the same time, we will obtain medical records to be reviewed by medical experts and life-care planners who can advise us and testify about the full extent of your TBI and its impact on your life. Life-care planners can provide a detailed projection of the lifetime costs required of a disabling brain injury.

Compensation available may include payment for current and future:

Once we have convincing evidence of liability and an accounting of your costs and losses, we will present a demand letter to the responsible insurance company(s). Most claims are settled by negotiating with insurers, and we negotiate aggressively on behalf of our clients. Any settlement offer that meets your compensation needs will be presented to you, but the decision is always the client’s. We will be ready to take your TBI lawsuit to court if necessary.

If we handle your brain injury claim, we will work on a contingency fee basis. You will not be charged a fee unless we obtain compensation for you through an insurance settlement or a jury award.

Contact Our Colorado Springs Brain Injury Lawyers

Contact The Wilhite Law Firm in Colorado Springs, CO, about your potential traumatic brain injury claim. Our Colorado Springs traumatic brain injury lawyers are experienced courtroom lawyers with a successful track record of compassionate representation and aggressive advocacy on behalf of our clients.

Recovering from a serious brain injury is a lengthy process. You and your family will need all the financial resources available to you. A brain injury lawsuit may offer an opportunity to seek significant compensation if the injury was caused by the negligence of others. Contact us online to set up a free, no obligation discussion of your case.