A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, can be a life-altering occurrence. Serious brain injuries can leave victims facing extensive physical and neurological consequences.
When a TBI is the result of an accident or other preventable incident, the party whose negligence caused the injury is responsible for compensating the injured person. The catastrophic injury attorneys at Berkowitz Hanna are skilled at holding negligent parties accountable. Our Bridgeport traumatic brain injury lawyers can help you navigate the claims system and secure the compensation you deserve.
Traumatic brain injuries happen when something makes forceful contact with the head, which causes the brain to slam against the skull. Objects penetrating the skull can also cause a traumatic brain injury. The effects of TBI depend on the amount of force and the location of the impact.
A concussion is a mild TBI. Most concussion symptoms resolve within a few days or weeks, but sometimes can linger for months. The effects of concussions are cumulative, and someone who suffers multiple concussions might find that symptoms are more severe each time or never fully resolve.
According to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) fact sheet, a moderate TBI can produce significant impairment. People with moderate TBIs might experience problems with balance, mobility, hearing, and vision. They may have trouble reading and be sensitive to light. A moderate TBI can result in difficulties processing information, mood disorders, and personality changes.
A severe TBI is a devastating injury that is often fatal. Survivors often lose the capacity to manage activities of daily living and might require 24-hour care. Many people with severe TBI do not fully regain consciousness and may be in a coma or persistent vegetative state.
Many TBIs result from preventable accidents. People involved in car, truck, bus, ATV, boat, motorcycle, and bicycle accidents in Bridgeport often suffer TBIs. Falls, sports injuries, blast injuries, and explosions also can result in TBIs.
When someone does not take appropriate care to prevent injury to others, they are negligent. In accidents involving a motor vehicle, the at-fault driver is negligent. In that case, the at-fault driver’s insurance must pay the injured person’s damages, and the driver is personally responsible for any amount the insurance does not cover.
The Bridgeport attorneys at Berkowitz Hanna will investigate an incident to identify every potentially responsible party. There are often multiple acts of negligence that result in a serious accident. Even when the injured person’s own negligence contributed to the incident. Connecticut General Statute §52-572(h) allows a negligent plaintiff to collect reduced damages if they were not primarily responsible for their injuries.
When someone suffers a severe injury in a preventable accident, insurance companies for potentially liable parties might be proactive. They might approach an injured person or their family member soon after the accident, perhaps even before the injured person is discharged home. The insurance company might offer a quick cash settlement in return for a promise not to sue.
TBIs affect everyone differently—some people recover well and make good progress, and some people will be permanently disabled. No one should negotiate with an insurance company until they have a sense of the injured person’s long-term prognosis.
By involving a seasoned TBI attorney right away after an incident, insurers and others must communicate through the attorney and not directly with the family. This allows injured victims a degree of separation from the insurance company and gives them the space to recover.
Many people make a good recovery from TBIs, but others suffer severe and irreversible harm. Regardless of the severity of the injury, the parties whose negligence caused it should be held accountable and pay compensation.
The Bridgeport traumatic brain injury lawyers at Berkowitz Hanna have the knowledge, skills, and experience to obtain appropriate compensation for the harm you suffered. Reach out today to discuss your legal options with a compassionate attorney.
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