Brain Injury

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when some sort of trauma damages the brain. This can be a blow to head which jolts or bumps the brain or it could be something as simple as an acceleration or deceleration event which causes the brain to strike the inside of the skull. To find the leading cause of a TBI, one needs to look no further than their own driveway or garage. That’s correct, motor vehicle and traffic accidents are the number one cause of TBI in the United States. Your Idaho brain injury attorney can help you navigate these complicated cases.

A TBI can occur from any number of types of accidents including car accidents. For instance, in one Idaho case a man was injured in snowmobile accident with an outfitter company from whom he was renting the machine. Hanks v. Sawtelle Rentals, Inc., 133 Idaho 199, 984 P.2d 122 (1999). In the accident, the injured party sustained a mild to moderate brain injury. The trial court determined that there was sufficient evidence to prove this injury and in the end awarded $450,000. Id. One of the important things this case teaches is that once a court awards a verdict, it will stand so long as there is “substantial and competent” evidence supporting it. Id. Obviously this makes it important for you to choose an Idaho attorney or firm that understands this principle and martials the evidence regardless of what kind of vehicle accident gives rise the injury.

The brain has various protections against injury. These include the skeleton, or skull, and its casing inside the skull called the cerebrospinal fluid. However, a blow to the head or a sudden acceleration/deceleration event which can occur in any type of automobile accident can cause the brain to move inside the cerebrospinal fluid casing and strike the inside wall of the skull. This causes trauma to the brain such as intracranial bleeding, bruising of the brain tissue, or nerve damage.

There is a broad spectrum of symptoms that a person may suffer if they have been the victim of a TBI. These could include dizziness, vomiting, memory loss, depression, confusion, speech impairment, loss of various senses such as smell or taste, impulse behavior control problems, emotional difficulties, behavioral issues, and cognitive impairment. Physicians are able to use MRIs and CT scans to identify TBIs. However, even with this state of the art equipment it is sometimes difficult to know the extent of the symptoms someone will suffer after blunt head trauma. Another challenge with this particular type of injury is that people may suffer a TBI, but not have any of the symptoms until days or weeks later.

It is hard to imagine an organ more essential to our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing than our brain. This makes the affects of TBI all the more debilitating. For instance, consider a person suffering from memory loss. The victim of such an injury may not be able to remember important things like dates, interaction with friends and family, and important events within their lives. TBIs may slow a person’s work performance and their interactions with co-workers. Consider the victim’s ability to work if his or her ability to remember, respond, and multi-task, has suddenly been dulled. Often times such a person would be demoted, fired, or swept aside by their employer. Racine Olson has attorneys that specialize in this unique practice area and can help with nearly any circumstance.

Many people who have suffered an extensive brain injury require medical care and rehabilitation. The difficulty is how does one afford it? A mild brain injury can cost up to a $100,000.00 for therapy, initial identification of the problem, and other expenses. A severe TBI not only changes the life of the victim, but may tap out all resources since the expenses oftentimes end up in the millions of dollars. The familial effects can be terrible as well, with the patient often times losing a spouse and members of their family. In other words the patient has nowhere else to turn.

At Racine Olson, we understand these problems. Furthermore, we try to identify all potential claims against all liable parties from any accident in order to negotiate or litigate on your behalf. We’ll be there for you. If you would like, we will meet you at the hospital, your home, or some other environment to make you feel comfortable. In short, we are there to help. Together, we can help to solve your TBI problem. Give us a call.