Toledo Brain Injury Lawyers

Toledo Brain Injuries

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that well over a million people in the United States suffer a traumatic brain injury every year. Toledo area hospitals such as ProMedica or Mercy Health Children’s Hospital annually see thousands of head and brain injury cases.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult for people to recover if it takes them too long to get medical care. Those with mild or traumatic brain injuries also sometimes do not get proper medical attention. For these reasons, state agencies and law enforcement like the Ohio State Highway Patrol have a difficult time getting accurate brain injury statistics.

We know that getting a complete understanding of what caused our client’s harm will help us make sure that they get all of the help they deserve. Many victims of a serious accident seek help for broken bones or painful cuts, but they do not realize that they have suffered harm to their brains. You can sustain brain damage in almost any sudden accident. Our statewide team of Ohio brain injury lawyers has handled every kind.

Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Doctors group brain injuries by how the damage happened and how deep it runs. The label matters for your claim, because it shapes the treatment you will need and the evidence that proves it.

Concussion (mild TBI)

The most common brain injury and the most underestimated. A concussion is a jolt that disrupts how the brain works without necessarily showing on a scan. Symptoms can linger for months, and a second concussion before the first heals is dangerous.

Contusion

A bruise on the brain itself, usually where the skull struck something. Larger contusions swell and bleed, and some require surgery to relieve pressure.

Diffuse axonal injury

When the head whips violently, as in a high-speed crash, the brain’s nerve fibers tear across wide areas. Diffuse axonal injury often causes prolonged unconsciousness and permanent deficits, and it is frequently invisible on a standard CT scan.

Penetrating injury

An object breaks through the skull and enters brain tissue. These injuries are immediately life-threatening and typically leave lasting damage in the affected region.

Second-impact syndrome

A second blow to a brain that has not recovered from a first concussion can cause rapid, catastrophic swelling. It is rare, but it is why doctors insist on full rest after any head injury.

Common Causes of Brain Injuries in Toledo

Most of the brain injury cases we handle in Lucas County start with a crash. High-speed collisions on I-75 and I-475 throw the head against a window, a steering wheel, or a headrest hard enough to injure the brain even without a visible wound, and brain injuries from car accidents are the ones we see most. Motorcycle crashes follow close behind, since a rider has nothing between skull and pavement but a helmet. Slip and falls on ice or wet floors, workplace falls from ladders and scaffolding, and assaults on properties with negligent security round out the list.

Some of the most common incidents that result in brain injuries are:

• Traffic accidents involving cars, motorcycles, or trucks – Our Toledo car accident lawyers see the head injuries that follow rear-end and intersection crashes every week.
• Workplace accidents
• Defective or poorly maintained product accidents
• Slip and falls
• Sports or recreational accidents – Collisions and falls in contact sports, cycling, and boating on the Maumee River.
• Being struck by falling objects – Loose loads, unsecured shelving, and construction debris.
• Assaults – Including attacks on properties where the owner failed to provide reasonable security.

Signs and Symptoms of a Brain Injury

It may be very clear to you and your loved ones that you have suffered a brain injury in the immediate aftermath of your accident. However, this is not always the case. Some who are injured on the water on the Maumee River, or in a car accident on I-75 or I-475, fail to notice that their brain has been hurt.

Brain injuries do not only occur following blows to the head. You can suffer from a brain injury by an impact to your back or neck that pushes your spinal column up toward your head. A majority of traumatic brain injuries are considered mild. These incidents usually leave the victims with many different symptoms such as stiff neck, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and a severe headache. Knowing how to recognize a concussion in the first hours can change the course of a recovery.

Serious and severe traumatic brain injuries will often have many different effects on different victims. Your symptoms and effects might not show up immediately after an accident. Headaches, memory gaps, confusion, irritability or mood swings, and changes in sleep can surface days after a crash, which is one reason people miss the connection. Some long-term effects of a moderate or severe brain injury include:

• Changes to a victim’s personality or emotions
• Difficulty processing sight or hearing
• Inability to focus or pay attention to someone or something
• Difficulty with their memory – Persistent memory loss and depression after a crash are among the most common complaints we hear from clients.
• Problems with motor functions such as balance or hand-eye coordination

Steps to Take If You Believe You May Have a Brain Injury

Do not hesitate to seek medical attention after you or a loved one has been in an accident. Many victims do not know that they have suffered a brain injury from a car accident or a slip and fall. Severe harm to your head must be addressed as soon as possible. This will give your doctors the best likelihood to reduce any long-lasting injuries. Our Toledo brain injury lawyers have helped many clients after a terrible accident has caused damage to their brain.

While every situation is different, you should take the following steps after a brain injury:

• Get emergency help – Call 911 or go immediately to the hospital if you or a loved one have a head injury. Even a mild concussion from a car accident can get much worse if not treated.
• Call a brain injury lawyer – You need a lawyer who is experienced with accident investigations and recovering damages for serious physical harm.
• Document your injury – In addition to writing down details of your accident and taking photos of your injury, make notes about your recovery. Documenting the effects on your brain’s abilities will help you during your recovery and can help make a stronger case for damages.
• Work closely with your doctors – Do not ignore your doctors’ orders or fail to proceed with treatment. Make sure to inquire about how your brain injury can impact your daily life in the future.

KNR’s Toledo Brain Injury Attorneys Will

• Answer your questions and concerns – You will have a direct line to your legal team, not a call center.
• Keep you updated during all stages of the process – No wondering where your case stands.
• Obtain medical records about the extent of your brain injury – Including the imaging, testing, and specialist notes that prove it.
• Identify the responsible party – Sometimes more than one, as when a crash involves a commercial vehicle or a property owner.
• Determine the fair and full value of your damages – Today’s bills and the lifetime costs a brain injury creates.
• Negotiate for maximum compensation – Insurers know which firms will go to trial, and that changes what they offer.
• Fight for everything you deserve in court if necessary – We prepare every case as if it will be tried.

Toledo Brain Injury FAQs

Have another question? Call 1-800-HURT-NOW or contact our Toledo office for a free consultation.