If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury as the result of an accident that wasn’t your fault, our Douglas County traumatic brain injury attorneys can fight on your behalf.
Every year a reported 1.5 million Americans sustain traumatic brain injuries. If the accident wasn’t their fault, the victims deserve compensation for their financial damages and future suffering.
Why Hire a Douglas County Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney?
Traumatic brain injuries can be life-changing. Whether you’re suffering severe headaches and depression or have paid the cost of expensive medical bills and missed wages, you deserve to be compensated.
In almost all accidents, the at-fault party’s insurance company will try to undervalue your claim or manipulate you.
That’s where our experienced Douglas County traumatic brain injury attorneys help. Our team can allow you to focus on your crucial initial recovery time by aggressively fighting on your behalf.
We’ll determine who was responsible for your accident, prove it caused your injuries and win you the maximum payment possible.
With an impressive mix of specialist resources and experience, we won’t bend to the tricks of notorious insurance companies.
Please contact Douglas County Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.
Colorado Traumatic Brain Injury Statistics
- Colorado has the 9th highest number of TBI fatalities in the U.S.
- Colorado has the 13th highest number of TBI hospitalizations in the U.S.
- Around 5,000 people are hospitalized due to a TBI in Colorado every year.
- Nearly 1,000 people die due to a TBI in Colorado each year.
- 23,500 emergency room visits are made for TBI in Colorado every year.
- Males are x2 as likely to suffer a TBI than females.
- Every year, 2,200 people experience disabilities one year after hospitalization for a TBI.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is an injury that disrupts the regular function of the brain. According to the CDC, TBIs are a leading cause of death and injury in the U.S. and are usually caused by:
- Bumps, blows or jolts to the head
- Penetrating injuries to the head
Everyone is at risk of traumatic brain injuries caused by accidents, but people aged 15-24 and 65+ are more likely to suffer a TBI than others.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
The CDC defines traumatic brain injuries by three levels of severity:
- Mild TBI and Concussion
- Moderate TBI
- Severe TBI
Mild TBI and Concussion
The majority of traumatic brain injuries are mild or concussions. Triggered by blows to the head or sudden head movements, they can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, cause chemical changes in the brain or damage brain cells.
These changes can impact how a person thinks, learns, feels, sleeps, acts and experiences life. Victims may require medical attention, especially if the symptoms are ongoing.
Moderate and Severe TBIs
Moderate or severe traumatic brain injuries are life-threatening. They may lead to long-term health problems that impact every aspect of the victim’s life.
The need for ongoing care makes these types of brain injuries extremely expensive. The cost of fatal TBIs and hospitalization TBIs accounts for 90% of total TBI medical costs.
Diagnosing a Traumatic Brain Injury
Diagnosing traumatic brain injuries can be difficult because the symptoms are not visible. In many cases, the symptoms may arise over time. At first, a victim may feel fine for the initial weeks after the accident but then start to struggle with concentration or suffer from persistent headaches.
Neuropsychological testing may be required to determine the damage to the brain and to prove someone has suffered a TBI.
Our Douglas County traumatic brain injury attorneys will utilize brain injury specialists to prove the direct link between your accident and your symptoms.
Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries:
If you’ve been in an accident and have noticed any of the following symptoms (even weeks after the event), you may have suffered a TBI.
- Anxiety
- Changes in sex drive or sexual function
- Chronic headaches
- Concentration and problem-solving difficulties
- Difficulty recognizing faces or locations
- Difficulty speaking
- Hallucinations
- Hand-eye coordination problems
- Irritability
- Memory issues
- Migraines
- Mood changes
- Out of character aggression
- Poor control of regular movements
- Ringing ears
- Struggling with reading or writing
- Tremors, dizziness and nausea
- Vision changes
The Importance of Medical Care
Every patient’s recovery is unique, but it’s critical that TBI victims receive the proper medical and rehabilitative care.
From physical therapy to mental health counseling, finances should not get in the way of a victim receiving that.
The CDC estimates that 6 million people in the U.S. have a long-term need for help to perform activities of daily living after a TBI. These long-term consequences include:
- Memory and problem-solving difficulties
- Stress and emotional upsets
- Temper management issues
- Difficulty to improve one’s job skills
- Thinking, language and learning difficulties
- A loss or change in sensations.
What Damages Could a Douglas County Traumatic Brain Attorney Help Me Win?
Our Douglas County traumatic brain injury attorneys help may be able to help you receive financial compensation for the following damages:
Economic Damages
- Medical Expenses (past and future, since the date of the accident)
- Rehabilitation Costs
- Treatment Costs
- Lost Wages
- Loss of Future Earnings
- In-Home Care Expenses
- Childcare Costs
- Medical Equipment Costs
- Transportation Expenses
Non-Economic Damages
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life
- Loss of Consortium
- Pain and Suffering
- Depression
- PTSD
- Mental Anguish
- Scarring / Disfigurement
- Long-Term Disability
- Potential Punitive Damages
- Property Damage
- Wrongful Death
Punitive Damages
In some cases, a brain injury may have been caused by someone else’s intentions or gross negligence. This can call for punitive damages, which punish the defendant while compensating the victim further. Punitive damages are determined by the judge.
Liability in Traumatic Brain Injury Claims
Proving Negligence
Our Douglas County traumatic brain injury attorneys will need to prove the other party’s negligence directly resulted in your injuries to prove liability.
We will determine who was at fault and prove the link between your injuries and their wrongdoing by carrying out a thorough investigation.
Comparative Fault Laws
In Colorado, we have comparative fault laws which require each party involved to be investigated for their share of responsibility in the accident.
The court will determine the percentage of responsibility. That value will then be applied to reduce the compensation you’re entitled to. On the flip side, this can allow you to receive compensation even if you were partly to blame. In other states, this might not be possible.
Our Douglas County traumatic brain injury attorneys will ensure the correct share of responsibility is applied and that you are not blamed for an accident that wasn’t your fault.
Common Negligent Parties in TBI Claims:
- Business Owners
- Criminals
- Doctors
- Employers
- Motorists
- Product manufacturers
- Property Owners
- Schools
- Sports Coaches
- The city or state
- Train or bus companies
Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Douglas County:
The following statistics are provided by The Brain Injury Alliance Colorado:
Falls – 47%
Falls are the leading cause of TBIs and are common in the construction industry. Victims of falls may blame themselves first, but in many cases, a property owner or business owner will have failed to make them safe.
Motor Vehicle-Traffic Crashes – 14%
Car accidents, motorcycle accidents and other motor vehicle crashes involve high impact, high-speed collisions that can cause the head to be violently jolted back and forth.
Struck By or Against – 15%
The CDC reports that one in five TBI-related injuries or deaths among children under 15 are caused by being struck by or against an object.
Assaults – 11%
Assaults and fights often involve strong punches to the head, resulting in the brain being moved violently. In assault claims, punitive damages may be applied.
Contact a Douglas County Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney in Douglas County, CO
Free Consultations
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, contact our Douglas County traumatic brain injury attorneys as soon as possible. Even if you were partly responsible for your accident, you might still be able to receive financial compensation.
With a combination of a proven track record, impressive financial resources, esteemed legal reputation and a compassionate approach, we believe there is no better team than Denver Personal Injury Lawyers.
