When a person suffers a brain injury in Richmond, they can experience memory loss, cognitive problems, speech impairment, and motor function problems. In some cases, they may lose their lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over two million people are estimated to suffer a brain injury yearly. Car accidents are one of the most common causes of falls. Most traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in a traffic collision occur due to negligence by either a motorist or another party. A Richmond brain injury lawyer at AutoAccident.com could help you recover compensation if you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident caused by negligence.

Mild, moderate, and severe brain injuries are the categories of head trauma recognized by the CDC. Symptoms and treatment of a TBI depend on many factors, including the severity of the trauma. The following section will look at these symptoms and severity levels.

The mildest of these types of TBI, the concussion, can occur during a traffic accident, either from shaking or being struck in the head. As a result of being violently thrown forward and backward, the people inside a vehicle can suffer a concussion, even in a low-speed rear-end crash. After a car wreck, concussion symptoms may be delayed and not manifest for several hours or days. Here are some possible symptoms:

• Headaches
• Confusion or foggy thinking
• Vomiting or nausea
• Cognitive issues such as problems with understanding
• Slurred speech
• Ringing ears and dizziness

One thing that separates the severity of a TBI is the length of time the patient loses consciousness. In a moderate TBI, a patient may lose consciousness for half an hour up to 24 hours. In a mild injury, brain injury symptoms remain or worsen with time. In addition, a subject with a moderate TBI may experience symptoms of amnesia.

Some people may not show signs for weeks after an auto accident, while others exhibit them within hours following the crash. Some symptoms include migraines, headaches, sleep disorders, emotional problems, sensitivity to light and sound, and seizures. When facing high medical bills and extensive hospitalization, a Richmond brain injury attorney can help you avoid the financial stress you and your family may face.

When living through a severe or moderate TBI, survivors are likely to suffer long-term health problems that result in permanent disabilities or death. The patient has suffered an acute traumatic brain injury if they remain unconscious for over a week or have amnesia for more than seven days. In two out of three cases of severe traumatic brain injury, the patient may experience serious physical symptoms that are similar to those of a moderate brain injury, as well as cognitive disabilities such as:

• Changes in personality and intelligence
• Lapses in memory
• Lack of impulse control
• Diminished attention span
• Poor judgment
• Difficulty in making decisions and concentrating
• Reduced self-awareness
• Lack of motivation

According to the Mayo Clinic, brain injury treatment depends on the damage’s extent and severity. Other factors may also come into play, such as infection, which can increase the severity of the trauma.

Some types of brain injuries that can require extended periods of hospitalization and rehabilitation are listed below:

• Consecutive concussions: Concussions, which involve a blow to the head, have been associated with permanent brain damage, mainly if they occur repeatedly.
• Cerebral edema: Edema in a TBI involves brain swelling, which is dangerous and increases the risk of cerebral damage and death. In the enclosed space of the skull, edema can cause pressure to build up, interrupting blood flow.
• Brain hemorrhage: TBIs can occur on the brain’s surface or intracerebrally. A hemorrhage involves uncontrolled bleeding, and the fatality rate from a brain hemorrhage is high.
• Hematoma: A hematoma occurs when blood clots or pools, usually resulting from a ruptured blood vessel due to trauma. Left untreated, it can lead to permanent brain damage due to the build-up of pressure in the skull.
• Skull fracture: Patients suffering from skull fractures may experience facial bruising, tenderness and swelling, and bleeding from the nostrils or ears. Occasionally, the skull can heal itself over time, but sometimes it requires surgery to repair.
• Diffuse axonal injury: TBI occurs when the brain suddenly shifts inside the skull and severs nerve cell connections. This destroys communication between nerve cells. Symptoms include swelling, which increases the injury, dizziness, fatigue, and vomiting. In severe cases, the patient is unconscious and remains vegetative. This type of traumatic brain injury can result in permanent damage and death.

High medical costs can quickly bankrupt those who want the best care for a loved one. Keeping the injured person in a long-term facility may also be necessary if this is the best way to ensure they receive the appropriate treatment. Both are expensive. An accident lawyer can assist the injured party and their families.

It is possible to obtain fair compensation for a brain injury from a driver’s or other entity’s negligence, which may cover all of the injured person’s medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have suffered a traumatic injury, compensation is significant, and this is because injuries often result in severe disabilities and extremely high medical costs for years to come.

Our team of skilled brain injury lawyers works hard to gather the evidence to support our client’s claims. We collect evidence in several areas, including:

• Investigate the accident scene as quickly as possible to begin gathering evidence.
• The event may require reconstruction in an accident caused by a vehicle or another incident. Insurance companies and civil courts typically use accident reconstruction to determine fault.
• The investigator reviews the police report to see if there are any errors and obtains a copy for evidence.
• To determine what happened in the accident, investigators interview any witnesses. Depending on the make and model of the vehicle, some witnesses may be able to identify it quickly, and others may recall at least a portion of the license plate number. The accident might have been filmed in some cases by a witness.
• We examined the traffic surveillance system to see if the accident was recorded on tape, which would provide compelling evidence.

Our injury lawyers are given the information once it is all collected. With the data, they can build a strong case on behalf of the client. If the insurer refuses to pay the amount necessary for the injured person to receive care now and into the future, this can either be used on behalf of the client during negotiations or presented in court.

In the video below, Ed Smith provides tips to consider when choosing a personal injury lawyer:

At AutoAccident.com, our experienced Richmond brain injury attorneys have the determination, drive, and resources to resolve your case if you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury in an accident caused by negligence. If you would like free and friendly advice about progressing your case, please contact us at (510) 631-0200 or (800) 404-5400. See our verdicts and settlements page.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 10.16.23] Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels cd [1298]}