Brain Injury Lawyer Indianapolis, IN

Our compassionate Indianapolis, IN brain injury lawyer knows that brain injuries are some of the most devastating types of injuries that a person can experience, and they often change a person’s life forever. A person can develop a disability for the rest of their life due to a brain injury. There are two main types of brain injuries. Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) and Non-Traumatic Acquired Brain Injuries (ABIs). Brain injuries such as TBIs are often caused by accidents that may fall under a brain injury lawyer in Indianapolis, IN’s jurisdiction, especially in negligence, can be found. With Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers combined years of expertise, we’re prepared to help you with your case. We answer our clients 24/7.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) involve a strong force to the head, while internal damage to the brain like bleeding and lack of oxygen can result in the death of brain cells. No matter what type of brain injury you or a loved one has sustained, a skilled brain injury lawyer will be able to help you file a claim. Examples of accident scenarios that can result in a brain injury include the following:

• Car accident. A distracted or drunk driver strikes another vehicle, causing the victim inside to hit their head against the steering wheel or headrest. 
• Pedestrian accident. A driver who is driving negligently or not paying attention may strike a pedestrian who has the right of way and is unable to avoid them in time. 
• Sports injury. Athletes who play high-contact sports like football and soccer are susceptible to suffering a brain injury. 
• Slip and fall. A spilled drink in a hotel lobby is not cleaned up, and an unsuspecting guest slips on it, falls, and hits their head on the hard floor. 
• Medical malpractice. A doctor prescribes the wrong dosage of anesthetic, resulting in brain damage.
• Accidental drowning. If a swimmer drowns and an attendant at a public swimming pool fails to pay attention in time, they can be held liable.

What Causes Traumatic Brain Injuries?

Traumatic brain injuries are caused when the brain is hit by an external force that affects the function of the organ, after all the brain has a gelatinous consistency. They are considered a special type of brain injury. You are most likely to see traumatic brain injuries with vehicular accidents, physical assaults, falls, and sports-related accidents.

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons stated that there are an estimated 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries every year, and 5.3 million Americans are estimated to have a disability of some kind that was caused by a traumatic brain injury.

Some examples of traumatic brain injuries are:

• Concussions. Concussions are a common type of traumatic brain injury, often occurring if the brain changes functionally after the brain hits the internal walls of the skull.
• Edema. Edema is swelling to the brain and it can occur as a side effect of any type of traumatic brain injury. The skull is not able to expand to accommodate the swelling, which creates pressure on the brain.
• Diffuse axonal injuries. Diffuse axonal injuries are caused when the axons in the brain’s cells are damaged. This makes them unable to function, there’s no bleeding however, but there can be swelling. This injury can cause a disability where you lose certain functions or abilities.
• Hematomas. Hematomas are characterized by blood that’s pooling in the brain or empty spaces around the brain. This is most often caused by a ruptured blood vessel, but there are many types of hematomas that depend upon the location in the brain.
• Fractures. Skull fractures are rare, but they can be dangerous and cause brain function to change. These injuries might also cause infection when they occur.

So now that we know about traumatic brain injuries, which are always caused by an accident of some kind, let’s touch base on non-traumatic brain injuries.

Some Examples Of Traumatic Brain Injuries Are Infographic

Indianapolis Brain Injury Statistics

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that each year, more than 2 million people in the United States suffer some type of brain injury. More than 200,000 people are hospitalized each year because of the injury. Another one million victims are treated and released from hospital emergency departments. Approximately 70,000 of those victims do not survive their injuries.

For those that do survive, the injury can have a significant impact their life, both physically and emotionally. Some of the long-term effects of TBIs can include:

• Memory loss
• Difficulty concentrating
• Problems with balance and coordination
• Mood swings
• Personality changes

If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, contact our office right away to find out what legal options you may have.

Do’s and Don’ts After a Concussion

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that is caused by trauma to the head. There can be an onset of many symptoms. They can include light sensitivity, headaches, insomnia, personality changes, and memory loss. These symptoms can occur immediately after an accident or several weeks later. 

A concussion can happen to anyone. You could have collided in a sports game. Maybe you slipped, fell, and hit your head. You could’ve suffered blunt force trauma at work. The Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers understand how frustrating this situation can be. Being aware of what you should or shouldn’t do can help set you up for recovery success.

Do See a Doctor

Call your medical professional after you’ve hit your head. As mentioned earlier, symptoms may not start showing until weeks after your concussion. Your doctor can diagnose you and advise you on proper treatment.

Once you’ve been diagnosed, follow all of your doctor’s orders. By doing this, you may recover sooner.

Do Save Your Medical Documentation

Your doctor’s office should provide you with a summary after your visit. These records should include diagnosis and treatment. If you are looking to file a claim, these documents can be important.

The claim can be anything from worker’s compensation to medical malpractice. A brain injury lawyer in Indianapolis can review these documents and advise you on what legal actions you could take.

Don’t Overexert Yourself

Take it easy after your concussion. This can mean no heavy lifting or extreme gym activities. This also means sitting out of the game if you are an athlete. Give your brain and body a chance to rest.

Instead, do gentle exercises. This can mean a short walk or gentle stretching. Temporarily quitting the gym may be difficult to do. However, know that taking it easy now can mean more mobility later.

Non-Traumatic Brain Injuries

Internal factors can cause non-traumatic brain injuries. Losing oxygen, toxicity exposure, or even a tumor can cause pressure can damage the brain. Strokes, tumors, aneurysms, drowning or near drowning, infection diseases, and other internal causes may produce non-internal brain injuries.

Examples of Non-Traumatic Injuries

Hemorrhages or uncontrollable bleeding occur when the brain tissue or the spaces around the brain flood with blood. This can happen because of a traumatic brain injury, but it often occurs as a non-traumatic brain injury by aneurysm.

Hypoxic/anoxic brain injuries occur when there’s no oxygen arriving to the brain—or when there’s too much oxygen arriving to the brain.

Strokes occur when blood flow is cut off to the brain and the cells start to die.

Do’s and Don’ts When Filing a Lawsuit for a Brain Injury

Brain injuries are always devastating and have the potential to alter your lifestyle forever. but when another person’s negligence causes the injury, they can be even more concerning when they were caused by the negligence of another person. You may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses and the pain and suffering you’ve endured as a result of your injury. Contacting a reputable brain injury lawyer is a good way to navigate a lawsuit. Here are the things you should and shouldn’t do while recovering and pursuing a lawsuit.

Do Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions

It is vital to follow your doctor’s instructions after sustaining a brain injury. These instructions will help you get better as quickly as possible. But just as important to your legal claim, the defense needs to know that you are working hard to mitigate the damages from the injury.

Do Hire a Lawyer

The legal system is complex, and you’ll need help to navigate it. A reputable attorney such as the ones at Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers can handle all of the details of your case so that you can focus on getting better.

Should You Receive Compensation for a Brain Injury?

When another person causes you harm, you deserve compensation. Not only should you receive compensation for medical expenses, but you also deserve money for lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Don’t Overdo It

Rest is essential for people who are recovering from brain injuries. You need to take it easy for a while and let our firm handle the details of your case while you focus on getting better. If you spend too much time focusing on your lawsuit, you may not get enough rest and accidentally set back your recovery.

Don’t Stress

Worrying about your case will not aid your recovery. Your attorney can keep you informed of all major developments and details of the lawsuit, but your primary concern should be recovery. It takes a lot of time to recover from a brain injury, so be gracious with yourself about recovering at a pace that is right for you.

Recovering from a brain injury is difficult enough without adding the stress of a lawsuit. However, when another person causes you injury, a brain injury lawyer Indianapolis trusts can help your legal case while you focus on your recovery.

Five Questions Answered About Brain Injuries

What Are Some Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Every brain is different, so everybody’s symptoms are different. However, some of the more common symptoms of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) include:

• Headaches
• Loss of consciousness
• Memory loss
• Confusion
• Nausea or vomiting
• Trouble moving
• Sleep disturbances
• Tinnitus
• Tingling or numbness in arms or legs
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Difficulty hearing or seeing

Can Blunt Force to the Forehead Result in a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Yes, blunt force trauma to the forehead can result in a TBI. This can be the result of a car accident or a sports injury. Your doctor will want to monitor you for several hours to make sure you don’t have a severe TBI. Your brain injury lawyer will want to get copies of your medical records to help in your personal injury claim.

What Is the Least Damaging Result of Traumatic Brain Injury?

The least damaging result of a TBI is a mild concussion. Symptoms of a mild concussion can include:

• Loss of consciousness
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Poor coordination
• Sleepiness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Tinnitus

What Brain Injuries Can Cause Memory Loss?

Any brain injury is capable of causing memory loss. But typically, brain injuries affect short-term memory loss and learning. Often people suffering from a TBI can’t remember the events that led to their injury. They’ll have to learn to work around their memory loss and return to a relatively normal life.

Where Is the Brain Most Vulnerable to Injury?

The brain’s frontal lobe, especially the prefrontal cortex is most susceptible to injury. Injuries to your frontal lobe typically come from car accidents, sports injuries, or violence such as assault. Whatever the cause of the injury, your brain injury lawyer  will want all the information you can remember. 

There may be no noticeable damage to the brain outside of bruising on the face. People involved in car accidents may appear to be fine for up to 48 hours after the crash. The impact can cause tearing, twisting, and bleeding in the brain, which can cause the brain to swell inside the skull. With nowhere to go, brain tissue will start to die from the pressure against the skull.

How Does A Brain Injury Present Itself?

Common symptoms that present themselves shortly after the accident include nausea, vomiting, relentless headaches, confusion, disorientation, passing out, off-balance, and not remembering the moments before the accident. Symptoms that may arise in the days after include mood swings, changes in sleep (insomnia or excessive sleep), and difficulty remembering.

How Should I Respond If There Is No External Wound?

People must understand that there does not have to be an external wound to the head itself for a brain injury to have occurred. In fact, some types of brain injuries do not have external wounds at all and can lead to serious issues that can quickly turn into life-or-death situations, such as internal brain bleeding and swelling. No matter if there is a visible wound or not, anyone who was in an accident must respond with a sense of urgency by going to the doctor.

What Happens If Treatment Is Delayed?

Treatment for a brain injury that is delayed can make the difference between someone surviving or having to live with the side effects of a traumatic brain injury for the rest of their lives. Anyone who suspects that they may have a head-related injury must not hesitate in getting medical attention. As an Indianapolis brain injury lawyer would advise, do not wait until the situation has turned dire to get medical care. By getting yourself to the emergency room for an examination, a doctor can intervene to treat the condition promptly, preventing it from turning into a chronic or lifelong issue.

Who Can Help Me Investigate The Accident?

Your Indianapolis brain injury lawyer is going to be pivotal in your brain injury case. A lawyer has connections in the judicial and law enforcement system and knows how to investigate the situation further to uncover evidence and influencing factors that you may not have been able to by yourself. The everyday person doesn’t have the legal knowledge that lawyers have, which is why it is always advised that victims of personal injury accidents consult with a legal team immediately if someone else is at fault for what happened.

When Should I Begin Gathering Evidence?

You must start gathering evidence for your case as soon as you know you’d like to file one. Hopefully, you were able to document the scene of the accident before leaving or being cleaned up. But when it comes to brain injuries, people are not usually able to take photographs of the scene and exchange information with the other person or parties involved. Perhaps a loved one or responding officer had gathered these details for you, but if not, then you can use other types of evidence to support your injury claims, such as medical documentation, police reports, expert testimony,  and more.

Get Assistance From a Top Lawyer

Few lawyers can take on a brain injury case and be successful. For this reason, many personal injury lawyers are selective about the types of brain injury cases they choose to take. Hospitals prepare to respond in case of a lawsuit, so they have their own legal professionals ready to counter with their own argument. 

Finding out what damages you may be eligible for can be tough to do alone. An experienced lawyer has the knowledge, skills, and resources to gather the evidence to support your case. They can call on outside professionals to provide testimony and present their own findings. 

Contact a Qualified Brain Injury Lawyer Now

Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers are here to serve as your brain injury lawyer in Indianapolis, IN. A brain injury can change your life forever. Living day to day with a brain injury is not easy, especially when you have medical bills to take care of. Filing a claim against the responsible party can reduce the burden you face. We can help you deduce whether your brain injury is due to negligence or not. If you have a case, we’ll be with you every step of the way. Schedule a risk-free consultation now for legal assistance with a brain injury claim.

Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers, Indianapolis Brain Injury Lawyer

728 S Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46225