TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY COMPENSATION CLAIM

A traumatic brain injury claim is one of the most challenging legal actions undertaken by lawyers. TBI occurs when sudden trauma causes damage which can affect one or more areas of the brain and can be either a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury. A closed injury occurs when the head sustains trauma that does not penetrate the skull and a penetrating head injury occurs when the skull and brain are pierced. Most TBI’s are as a result of road accidents with falls, both at home and at work, being the next most common cause. Estimated annual figures for this injury are as follows:

• 40,000 people experience TBI
• 10,000 people die from TBI
• 100,000 head-injured people are treated in hospital
• 10,000 new cases of epilepsy occur because of TBI
• 40,000 people are admitted to hospital for TBI
• 15,000 survivors live with significant disabilities

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TBI is initially assessed on the Glasgow Coma Scale which tests a combination of the victims responses including ability to open eyes, verbal responses and physical motor response thereafter imaging tests help in determining the diagnosis and prognosis of a TBI patient including computed tomography (CT) scans, X-ray images of the head and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI.

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A traumatic brain injury (TBI) usually occurs when the head is hit, knocked or shaken hard enough to cause the brain to move within the skull. In some cases, the skull fractures and can cause injury to the brain. The most common cause of a TBI is a road traffic accident. However, domestic and workplace accidents such as falls, being struck by falling objects, assault and sports injuries are all causes of traumatic brain injury.

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A TBI is classified either as an open head injury, where an object has penetrated the skull, left a visible wound and exposed the brain or as a closed head injury where there may be no marks or just bruising or a scalp laceration. Closed head injuries are usually caused by impact or rapid changes in acceleration. Typically undetectable to the eye, closed head injuries can often go undiagnosed despite their severity. In either case, the term traumatic brain injury refers to trauma caused by an outside force and does not include degenerative or congenital brain injury, nor does it include brain injuries sustained at birth.

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TBI symptoms can be evident immediately or may take days or weeks to become obvious and may vary from mild to severe depending on the extent of damage to the tissues. Typical symptoms include confusion, headache, dizziness, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, fatigue or lethargy, behavioural or mood changes, and difficulties with concentration, attention, memory, or thinking. Dependent on severity a traumatic brain injury claim can attract damages varying from a few thousand pounds to millions of pounds. A TBI can cause immediate and severe long-term effects. Though symptoms should lessen as the brain heals, some symptoms worsen if a patient is unable to physically or psychologically adapt to the brain injury. The effects of the injury may affect the patient's family to an equal or greater extent causing extreme stress in interpersonal relationships. Because of the brain’s complexity, the effects of a TBI can appear in a variety of ways. Symptoms may include :-

• headaches, numbness and tingling
• confusion or slowed thought processing speed
• changes in hearing or vision
• partial or complete paralysis
• problems with concentration, motivation, attention and/or memory
• emotional problems such as irritability, frustration, outbursts and depression
• sleep problems including insomnia, excessive sleepiness, tiredness and fatigue
• loss of muscular control, unstable balance or seizures
• difficulties talking or forming sentences
• problems with reading or writing
• changes in mood or personality

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Compensation claims for immediate and long-term effects of a TBI can be complex due to the number of factors to consider and the work involved in determining which symptoms are a direct result of the injury. Though the money recovered will never make up for the loss of faculties and independence of an individual affected by a TBI, it can ease the stress and financial burden, allowing the injured person and their family to concentrate on rehabilitation. The advice of a traumatic brain injury solicitor helps the victim and their loved ones obtain the much needed financial support to which they are entitled by law.

SOLICITORS HELPLINE 0870 174 0140

Our lawyers operate throughout the United Kingdom and they are all members of Solicitors Regulation Authority panel of personal injury experts. Our specialists have substantial experience of traumatic brain injury claim cases both before and after the issue of legal proceedings. Our experts are recognised by ‘Headway’ the national brain injury charity and by ‘The Spinal Injuries Association’. Compensation is paid in full with no deductions and you will not be expected to fund or finance your claim as it proceeds to settlement. Win or lose there is no charge and we guarantee without reservation that our claims are completely risk free.

SOLICITORS HELPLINE 0870 174 0140

Headway, the brain injury association, is a national charity whose aim is to promote understanding of all aspects of brain injury; and to provide information, support and services to people with a brain injury, their family and carers. Their office in Nottingham answers enquiries connected to head injury and its aftermath from brain injury survivors, their families, carers and friends, as well as from professionals and other interested parties. Information is available on the following subjects :-

• the brain
• traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• children's traumatic brain injury
• prevention and safety
• rehabilitation
• compensation
• family reaction to TBI