Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina Brain Injury Attorney

We rely on a healthy brain to function and lead full, healthy lives, but what happens when this vital organ is damaged in some way? An injury to the brain can have debilitating, long-term effects. Severe brain injuries can even result in lifelong disabilities. If you or a loved one suffered a brain injury in South Carolina because of someone’s carelessness, you could be entitled to compensation for your losses.

Brain Injury Statistics

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of disability and death in the country. Around 2.87 million people sustain a brain injury each year. According to the Brain Injury Association of America a brain injury occurs every 9 seconds.

There was a 53 percent rise in the number of emergency room visits arising from TBIs between 2006 and 2014. Around 56,800 TBIs were fatal with around 80,000 cases resulting in lifelong disabilities. In fact, one out of 60 individuals live with a TBI-related disability.

According to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the state has more than 1,100 deaths and 11,500 emergency visits due to TBIs. The leading cause of deaths from TBIs in South Carolina is motor vehicle crashes, accounting for 33 percent. The majority of nonfatal TBIs happen because of falls, with 35 percent, followed by motor vehicle accidents with 22 percent, and struck by or against events with 11 percent.

Types of Brain Injuries

The brain is responsible for speech, movement, cognition, senses and other complex functions. When the head suffers a violent blow, the brain may slam against the skull. This can cause damage to the brain and impair its normal function. There are two main types of brain injuries:

• Traumatic brain injuries: These are caused by an external force such as a jolt or blow to the head. They can also occur due to violent shaking or sudden jerking of the brain within the skull. Some types of traumatic brain injuries include concussions, contusions, closed head injuries and penetrating injuries. In closed head injuries, the brain is affected without the skull being opened. A penetrating injury, on the other hand, is an open head injury caused by a gunshot, knife or other sharp object.

• Acquired brain injuries: Also known as nontraumatic injuries that are most often associated with pressure on the brain. They can occur due to a tumor or a neurological illness, such as a stroke. Brain infections like meningitis also fall into this category. Anoxic/hypoxic injuries are the result of brain cells receiving insufficient oxygen. Lack of oxygen can cause cognitive problems, psychological disorders and physical disabilities.

Severe brain injuries often require extensive treatment and rehabilitation, which can mean expensive medical bills. No matter the type of brain injury you or your loved one suffered, the Steinberg Law Firm is here to help you get the support and services you need. Our experienced Mt. Pleasant brain injury lawyers will pursue maximum compensation on your behalf.

Symptoms of TBI

There are many different types of brain injuries that range from mild to severe. While some TBIs may be mild cases, more severe TBIs can lead to serious conditions like coma, paralysis, heart attacks, seizures, personality disorders, dementia, Parkinson’s disease or fluid in the brain.

Symptoms vary depending on the cause, location and severity of the initial trauma. While symptoms of some traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can be misleadingly subtle, the internal harm can be extensive enough to cause serious complications.

Whether you suffered a blow to the head while playing sports or were wounded in a car crash, you should see a doctor immediately after the accident. Symptoms of a brain injury may not be readily apparent, with some taking weeks or even months to appear. TBI often goes undiagnosed and therefore untreated.

There are many different symptoms that can indicate possible brain damage. For example, you may feel disoriented or confused, or have difficulty speaking after an accident. Both you and your loved ones should monitor for common signs of TBI:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Loss of balance
• Impaired cognition
• Hearing or vision loss
• Memory loss
• Difficulty concentrating
• Behavioral changes

TBIs can have long-lasting, and even permanent, impact in terms of cognitive, behavioral, emotional and physical complications. Many of these symptoms could become ongoing medical problems that result in significant medical costs and affect your quality of life.

Common Causes of Brain Injuries

As experienced South Carolina personal injury attorneys, the Steinberg Law Firm has handled many different types of brain injury cases. There are a wide range of situations in which someone else’s negligent actions may cause a brain injury:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Birth injuries
• Medical malpractice
• Workplace accidents
• Slip and fall accidents

Sports accidents, elder abuse and other personal injuries can also cause brain injuries. If your brain injury occurred due to any of these incidents, you may have the option to bring a personal injury claim against the negligent party. For example, if your TBI occurred due to lack of oxygen during a medical procedure, you can sue health care providers for medical malpractice. If you suffered a brain injury in the workplace, you have the option of filing a workers’ compensation claim.

Damages You May Recover for a Brain Injury

Suffering a brain injury can change your life in dramatic ways. Not only are you likely to have expensive medical bills to pay, but you may also require ongoing rehabilitation, assistive devices and other treatments for a severe TBI. The costs can easily add up over time.

On top of this, you may not be able to work. The lost wages you experience could create financial difficulties for your family. Filing a personal injury claim for a brain injury allows you to recover compensation for all of these losses, as well as damages for mental anguish and other intangible losses you may face in the future.

A qualified Mt. Pleasant personal injury lawyer will help you pursue the compensation you deserve. The Steinberg Law Firm will fight to obtain a substantial settlement and hold the negligent party accountable.

Find Out if You Have a Case/Who Is at Fault for Your Injury?

When a brain injury has been caused by someone else’s carelessness or recklessness, such as in a car crash or a slip-and-fall accident, the person at fault may be legally responsible for compensating the victim for medical bills and other expenses.

Our brain injury lawyers understand the many ways in which a single accident can have a devastating impact on a person’s life, affecting their families as well. The Steinberg Law Firm is committed to aggressively pursuing compensation for your brain injury so that you can begin to recover, heal and pay for your injury-related expenses.

In some cases, there may be more than one party responsible for your brain injury. For example, a truck driver was driving a defective vehicle that ultimately caused the accident. At the same time, the driver could still take some measures to avoid the accident or was maybe distracted.

Unfortunately, insurance companies for the at-fault parties will often try to avoid paying their fair share for your injuries. In fact, they may try to turn the tables and make it look like you are to blame for the accident. The best course of action is not to talk to insurance adjusters on your own as they will try to urge you to settle quickly for an amount less than your claim’s worth. You should always let your attorney handle all communication with insurance companies.

The Steinberg Law Firm knows the ins and outs of common insurance tactics. Our brain injury lawyers know exactly how to deal with them. We can retain investigators, accident reconstruction specialists, health care professionals and other experts to build your case and establish the severity of your brain injury.

Contact the Steinberg Law Firm Today

If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury that was caused by someone else’s negligence, contact the Steinberg Law Firm right away. Our experienced Mt. Pleasant brain injury attorneys are here to provide experienced representation to injured clients. Schedule a free consultation today.