Brain Injury

A traumatic brain injury is defined as any external force that damages the brain. Some injuries are minor, but even a minor concussion can cause the victim to suffer headaches, impaired memory, and difficulty concentrating. Most make a full recovery from a minor brain injury, but it may take weeks or even months.

Some people are so severely injured that their lives and the lives of their families are never the same. Their normal brain function is permanently altered.

There are two types of TBIs:

• Closed – A closed TBI occurs when the brain is damaged after shaking around in the head. Examples of this type of brain injury are, following a car accident, getting hit in the head by a falling object, and falls.
• Penetrating – Examples of a penetrating TBI are a bullet or stab wound to the head.

Some of the most common causes of TBIs are:

• Falls. Falls are responsible for nearly 50 percent of all TBI hospitalizations. These falls can range from falling off scaffolding at construction sites to falls off ladders at home. This also includes falling while engaged in sports like football, soccer, rugby, skateboarding, or even skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, or roller skating.
• Blunt force trauma. This TBI can be from intentional acts of violence or accidental ones, many due to negligence. Every year, a lot of people are injured in a big box store, like Walmart, Costco, Home Depot, and more, when an object falls from a high shelf and hits a shopper.
• Motor vehicle accidents. The impact of a motor vehicle accident may cause the brain to shake around in the head and slam into the skull, resulting in a TBI.
• Assaults. This includes blunt force trauma, gunshots, and stab wounds.
• Abusive head trauma. This occurs most commonly with shaken baby syndrome or an injury sustained in a fight.

A TBI is classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Even a mild TBI requires prompt medical attention. Some symptoms to watch for if you believe you may have suffered a TBI include:

• Headache.
• Blurred vision.
• Confusion.
• Disorientation.
• Memory loss.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Trouble concentrating.
• Ringing in the ears.
• Difficulty sleeping.
• Balance problems.
• Personality changes.
• Loss of cognitive skills.
• Seizures.
• Unconsciousness.

The treatment for a TBI is often extensive, but the outlook for recovery is much greater the sooner medical treatment is implemented.

It is important for you to contact an experienced brain injury lawyer as soon as possible after sustaining a TBI. At Harbin & Burnett, we perform the necessary investigation and determine if the accident was the fault of the negligence of a person or business.

Expenses for a severe TBI can be astronomical. Some who are injured require lifelong medical care and daily nursing assistance. At Harbin & Burnett, an attorney will help preserve evidence, interview witnesses, and contact the medical experts you need to win your case.

South Carolina law requires you to bring your case within a designated time after the injury occurred. If you miss that deadline, you can never collect for your damages no matter how severely you were injured. Do not delay.