Summerville, SC Brain Injury Attorneys

Summerville, SC Brain Injury Attorneys

Lawyers in South Carolina for Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)

Few injuries are as frightening as a brain injury. The brain is one of the most important organs in the body and is crucial to daily activities. Those who suffer from a brain injury may never fully recover from the injury, leaving them unable to work and limiting their ability to do the things they enjoy. Moreover, the treatment needed for a brain injury is costly and often results in families experiencing financial hardship after an accident.  

At the Steinberg Law Firm, our Summerville brain injury lawyers work closely with those who recently suffered a brain injury, helping them obtain compensation for their injuries so they can begin to move on with their lives. Over the past 95 years, our attorneys have dedicated their practice to advocating for accident victims, including those who suffered a serious brain injury as a result of a Summerville car accident, slip and fall, work incident, nursing home abuse or medical malpractice. We understand that you may not have made up your mind about pursuing a lawsuit. If you have questions about the legal process or wonder how an attorney can help you pursue compensation from the negligent parties responsible for your brain injury and losses, we are here for you. To get started, we offer free, no-obligation consultations to all accident victims.

Brain Injury Statistics

Nationwide statistics:

• Across the United States, someone suffers a traumatic brain injury, also known as a TBI, every nine seconds.
• Brain injury-related disabilities are the second most common type of disability, affecting over 13.5 million Americans.
• Hospitals across the country treat more than 3 million people with TBIs each year.
• Traumatic brain injuries cause or contribute to one-third of all accident-related deaths in the United States.
• More than 155 people die from brain-related injuries each day across the United States.
• Men are 1.5 times more likely to be admitted to the hospital with a serious head injury.
• Almost half of all children who suffer from a TBI were injured in a fall.
• Falls are responsible for more than 80 percent of brain injuries in those over the age of 70.
• Fewer than five percent of people who suffer from a TBI receive the proper medical treatment.
• One out of every 60 people in the United States lives with a brain injury-related disability.

South Carolina statistics:

• Each year, more than 1,300 people in South Carolina suffer lifelong disability due to a TBI, and more than 1,000 people die from TBI-related injuries.
• Traumatic brain injuries rank as the leading cause of death in South Carolina among those between the ages of 1 and 44.
• Each year in South Carolina, more than 3,000 people are treated for a brain injury.
• South Carolina hospitals treat more than 13,000 trauma-caused brain injury cases each year.
• The annual cost of South Carolina brain injuries exceeds $3 billion per year.
• 61,000 people in South Carolina live with a permanent brain disability.
• The leading causes of South Carolina TBIs include:
◦ Falls – 28 percent of all traumatic brain injuries
◦ Motor vehicle accidents – 23 percent of all traumatic brain injuries
◦ Intentional assaults – 10 percent of all traumatic brain injuries
◦ Struck by or against an object – 8 percent of all traumatic brain injuries

Types of Brain Injuries: Traumatic and Non-Traumatic

Medical experts classify brain injuries into two broad categories; those present at birth and those that developed after birth. An acquired brain injury is the term used to describe any brain injury that occurred after birth. Any brain injury resulting from an accident is an acquired brain injury. The two types of acquired brain injuries are traumatic brain injuries (also known as TBIs) and non-traumatic brain injuries.

A traumatic brain injury occurs after the brain suffers damage due to an external force. In contrast, non-acquired brain injuries result from internal factors, such as oxygen deprivation or exposure to harmful chemicals. Both traumatic and non-traumatic brain injuries can affect the brain’s physical make-up, changing how it works and severely limiting the daily function of those who suffer from them.

Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Any accident that involves a blow to the head can cause a brain injury. Most traumatic brain injuries result from the following types of accidents:

Slip-and-Fall Accidents

Falls are a leading cause of Summerville brain injuries. For example, in South Carolina, 28 percent of all traumatic brain injuries are caused by falls. Falls can occur at any time and place, from going to work, walking your dog and going grocery shopping.

Individuals, businesses and government entities owe a duty to those they allow onto their property to ensure the property is reasonably safe. When a landowner fails to take the necessary precautions to protect their guests, they can be held financially responsible through legal claims.

Workplace Accidents

While some workplaces present a higher risk of injury than others, the reality is that a serious brain injury can happen to workers in almost any occupation. Most often, work-related brain injuries are the result of a slip-and-fall or a motor vehicle accident.

Work-related brain injury cases are unique in that an employee cannot bring a personal injury claim against their employer, provided the employer is covered by the South Carolina workers’ compensation system. Personal injury cases based on a work-related brain injury are typically filed against a non-employer third party who caused or contributed to the accident in addition to a workers’ compensation claim against the employer.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

The forces involved in a car, truck or motorcycle accident are immense. Given where drivers and passengers sit in a vehicle, head injuries are a common injury from car wrecks. While airbags and helmets help prevent some of the most severe brain injuries, they are no guarantee that a brain injury will not occur. Negligent drivers who cause an accident resulting in another’s brain injury can be held accountable for their actions.

Sports Injuries

Medical research shows that the effect of repeated minor head injuries can build up over time, resulting in physical changes in the brain. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the most dangerous sports when it comes to brain injuries are:

• Cycling
• Football
• Basketball
• Softball
• Soccer
• Rugby/Lacrosse
• Hockey
• Horseback riding

If you suffered a brain injury in an accident in the Summerville area, the dedicated brain injury lawyers at the Steinberg Law Firm can help. We offer a free consultation to all accident victims, during which we will answer your questions and help you understand your options better.

Causes of Non-Traumatic Brain Injuries

Non-traumatic brain injuries involve damage to the brain caused by internal factors rather than external ones. Despite their name, non-traumatic brain injuries are just as serious as traumatic brain injuries. In less severe cases, these injuries can cause mild cognitive impairment. Severe non-traumatic brain injuries can permanently result in someone being in a vegetative state, and some are even fatal.

Many non-traumatic brain injuries are the result of medical malpractice. More specifically, non-traumatic brain injuries are often caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. The following types of medical malpractice may result in a brain injury:

• Anesthesia errors
• Birth injuries
• Medication errors
• Untreated infections in the brain
• Stroke misdiagnosis

Of course, many other medical errors can give rise to a brain injury. In general, these claims are exceptionally complex and require the assistance of an attorney who is knowledgeable not only in the laws that govern these claims but also in the area of medicine in which the defendant medical provider practices.

Symptoms of Brain Injuries

Injuries to the brain are some of the most challenging to identify and treat due to the complexity of the human brain. While most people who suffer from mild brain injuries will recover after a few days or weeks, more serious injuries can cause long-lasting or permanent effects.

The severity of a brain injury will depend on whether the injury is characterized as mild, moderate or severe. Mild brain injuries, also called concussions, are those injuries causing either no loss of consciousness or a loss of consciousness of fewer than 30 minutes. Symptoms of a concussion include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Ringing in the ears
• Confusion
• Memory loss
• Changes in sleep patterns

Moderate brain injuries are characterized by a loss of consciousness of more than 30 minutes but less than 24 hours. Symptoms of a moderate brain injury are generally the same as mild brain injuries but more serious, long-lasting or even permanent.

Severe brain injuries are those resulting in a loss of consciousness of more than 24 hours. In addition to the symptoms above, severe brain injuries can result in:

• Slurred speech
• Unconsciousness
• Repeated nausea or vomiting
• Seizures
• Loss of coordination
• Agitation or combativeness
• Coma

One aspect of brain injuries that make them considerably more difficult to treat is that the symptoms of even a serious brain injury may not appear immediately after an accident. Often, injury victims feel “fine” after an accident and only later start developing TBI symptoms. Obtaining prompt medical treatment is crucial for those experiencing a brain injury. Anyone who suffered a head injury—regardless of whether they lost consciousness—needs an immediate examination by a doctor to determine if they suffered any long-term damage. Doing so will create a written record of the injuries.

Compensation Available Through a Summerville Brain Injury Lawsuit

If you were injured in an accident and suffered a brain injury, you may be entitled to monetary compensation through a personal injury, workers’ compensation or medical malpractice lawsuit. While every case is unique, accident victims who bring a successful claim are generally able to recover for the economic and non-economic damages they suffered as a result of the accident.

Economic damages are those that have a monetary value that can readily be determined. For example, common types of economic damages include:

• Medical bills
• Future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Decrease in earning capacity

Brain injuries significantly alter the course of someone’s life, limiting their ability to do the things they enjoy. Non-economic damages address these injuries by compensating accident victims for:

• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium (loss of a spouse’s companionship and assistance)
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of society and companionship (for a relationship with someone other than a spouse)
• Mental anguish
• Physical impairment
• Physical pain and suffering
• Disfigurement

Non-economic damages, in particular, range significantly based on the seriousness of your injuries and the extent they impacted your life. At the Steinberg Law Firm, our dedicated team of Summerville brain injury lawyers is intimately familiar with how brain injuries affect our clients’ lives. We can help you identify the full extent of your injuries, prepare the evidence and present the case in a way to maximize compensation, so you can start to move on with your life after suffering through a terrible accident.

Reach Out to a Dedicated Summerville Brain Injury Lawyer for Immediate Assistance

If you or a loved one suffered a recent brain injury, give the compassionate brain injury lawyers at the Steinberg Law Firm a call to discuss your case. We can help you pursue a claim for compensation against those responsible for your injuries. With nearly 100 years of experience handling all types of Summerville injury and accident claims, our attorneys have the knowledge, skill and dedication necessary to put your mind at ease through an understandably stressful situation and maximize the compensation you may receive through a legal claim.

To learn more about how we can help you pursue a claim for compensation based on the injuries you or your loved one sustained, call 843-720-2800, or contact us through our online form. We represent clients in Summerville and throughout South Carolina. Calling is free, and you do not pay us anything unless we win. We look forward to speaking with you, taking the weight of your difficult situation off your shoulders, and helping you and your family through the recovery process.

Practice Areas

Results

WE HAVE RECOVERED OVER $500 MILLION FOR CLIENTS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, INCLUDING:

$3.15 Million

Car Accident Settlement

$3.85 Million

Workers' Comp Case

Leaders in the Legal Industry

Steinberg attorneys have been awarded numerous distinctions, such as Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America by U.S. News & World Report, Gedney M. Howe, Jr. Award for Outstanding Public Service, the SC Leadership in Law award, and has been voted Best Workers’ Comp Firm in SC, among other distinctions.

What Our Clients Say

They have amazing lawyers!

They have worked on an impossible situation and exceeded all expectations in the resulting settlements. I would recommend the Steinberg Law Firm to anyone and everyone!

My experience was excellent

From the first consultation to the end of my case I was kept updated step by step. My attorney worked hard for me and got me more than what I expected.

I never felt like I was alone

My lawyer and his Paralegal were right with me the entire case. I never felt like I was alone. At every turn they were in my corner. Someone recommended me to Steinberg law firm and I gladly would do the same for someone else.

I couldn't have asked for better

The people from the Steinberg group are top-notch. They handled my case extremely well, I couldn’t have asked for a better performance. Thank you all so much for all you did for me.

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At my worst, they honestly and carefully protected and defended my family on multiple levels. I’m a client for life and the integrity of this law firm is unmatched. Thank You Steinberg Law Family!!!

The people are thoughtful and professional

Questions and concerns always get answered and concerns are taken care of. Thank you all at Steinburg for a good experience and for showing me that you care about your clients.

The best law firm

This the best law firm anyone could ever deal with. Mr. Pearlman will work hard to get everything that is owed to you. It was a pleasure to have been represented by this firm.

A wonderful experience

Had a wonderful experience with Mr. Pearlman and his team. Thank you very much for your diligence and expertise.

I highly recommend them

They work as a team providing the best referrals and assistance to accomplish what my family and I needed. I highly recommend them because you won’t be disappointed.