Helping TBI Victims in North Dakota Get the Compensation they Deserve
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) can be caused by a lot of different types of accidents. But when a TBI is caused by the negligence of another person, a bad situation is made even worse as a plethora of legal problems enter the picture. Almost any type of TBI can cause serious issues for the victim and their family. At Sand Law PLLC, we see the devastating effects of traumatic brain injuries every day. We understand that although a TBI can not be easily seen, like a broken arm or even a herniated disc on a scan, they still deserve to be taken seriously. We understand that a TBI is more than a simple term; TBIs are extremely painful and debilitating and can cause devastating life changes. At Sand Law, we are passionate about helping North Dakotans recover from a TBI while getting the compensation they need.
If you’ve suffered a TBI after an accident caused by another’s negligence, contact the experienced TBI lawyer at Sand Law today by calling 701-609-1510 for a free consultation.
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury is an injury to the brain that occurs during a sudden impact or trauma to a victim’s head, either from a penetrating (open-head) injury or a non-penetrating (closed-head) injury.
During the initial head trauma that causes a TBI, the following types of injuries can occur to the brain:
- Skull fracture
- Bruising or bleeding on the brain
- Hematomas (blood clots)
- Concussions
- Lacerations (tears in brain tissue or blood vessels)
- Diffuse axonal injury (tearing of nerve fibers in the white matter)
What type of accidents cause TBIs?
TBIs typically occur during accidents that are sudden impact and leave little to no time for a person to protect their head. Some of the most common types of accidents that cause TBIs are:
Classifying a Traumatic Brain Injury
TBIs are often classified into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. These terms can be a bit misleading since the tern “mild” TBI makes it sound like it is not big deal, when in fact, a mild TBI can be extremely disruptive to one’s life. Nonetheless, these three classifications are commonly used in the medical field, and therefore are helpful in understanding TBI injuries caused by accidents.
According to Northeastern University, the classifications for TBIs are based on the following symptoms:
Mild TBI
- Brief loss of consciousness (few seconds or minutes)
- Post-traumatic amnesia for less than 1 hour
- Normal brain imaging results
Moderate TBI
- Loss of consciousness for 1 to 24 hours
- Post-traumatic amnesia for 1 to 24 hours
- Abnormal brain imaging results
Severe TBI
- Loss of consciousness or coma for more than a 24 hour period
- Post-traumatic amnesia for more than 24 hours after the TBI
- Abnormal brain imaging results
Symptoms of a TBI after an Injury or Accident
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, symptoms of a traumatic brain injury often include:
- Losing consciousness
- Frequent headaches
- Confusions and dizziness
- Problems with vision and hearing
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Sleeping too much or insomnia
- Behavioral or mood changes
- Problems with memory and thinking
- Inability to concentrate
These symptoms are just as common with a mild TBI as they are with a severe TBI, it’s just the severity of the symptoms that vary.
Ways that a TBI can Occur during an Accident
TBIs can be caused by different situations during accidents and other situations that result in varying types of brain injuries and damage. For example:
- Hitting your head on the dashboard of a car (can cause a coup contrecoup injury)
- Steel beam hitting you in the head on a construction site
- Whiplash injury during a car accident causing your brain to slam forward in your skull
- Sharp piece of metal pierces skull during a motorcycle accident
- Skull is crushed in severe car accident during collision with a semi-truck
What should I do if I got a TBI during an accident?
Seek medical attention right away. The brain is an important organ and any injury to the brain should be treated as serious. Even if you don’t think you have serious TBI, still seek medical attention. So often, clients say they though they were fine until they started experiencing blackouts and lost memory weeks later.
The hospital or urgent care center may insist that you see a specialist to assess your TBI. Be sure to follow through with this care.
Document your injuries. Proving a brain injury in court can be tricky, so be sure to keep all your medical records, bills, scans, witnesses’ names and numbers, and a journal of your symptoms. It is also important to have people in your life document any changes in your behavior, memory, or mood.
TBIs are often called the “invisible” injury because they are so serious but cannot easily be seen in a courtroom or a photograph. This does not mean they cannot be proven or that compensation is not possible. It just means you need to be more diligent about documenting your injury.
Contact an experienced TBI attorney. TBI cases can be complicated and will require a personal injury firm that has extensive resources and networks to ensure your TBI case is well researched so that you get the compensation you need.
Contacting an Experienced North Dakota TBI Attorney
Sand Law is serious about getting North Dakotan the compensation they need after another person’s negligence caused them to suffer a traumatic brain injury. Our team of experienced and dedicated TBI attorneys are skilled at helping traumatic brain injury victims get the compensation they deserve, even if the injury if invisible.
Our offices are conveniently located in Watford City, Minot, Williston, and Bismarck to serve all of North Dakota. Contact Sand Law today to schedule your free consultation by calling 701-609-1510 or by filling our our contact form. We look forward to speaking with you.