Mississauga Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

Brain injuries are any type of damage that occurs to a person’s brain. There are four categories of brain injuries — acquired brain injury, brain damage, stroke, and traumatic brain injury,

The fourth category, traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an external force causes trauma to a person’s brain.

TBIs are commonly associated with violent impacts, such as those caused by slip and fall accidents or car accidents. There are a number of debilitating symptoms that can present after an accident and indicate a traumatic brain injury. TBIs are serious, and they can impact an accident victim for the rest of his or her life.

Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries

There are two types of traumatic brain injuries — primary and secondary. Primary TBIs immediately follow trauma and result directly from the impact. In some cases, primary TBIs can lead to secondary TBIs, which is an indirect result of an accident.

Concussions, Head, and Brain Injuries

Concussions are categorized as mild traumatic brain injuries. Some of the symptoms of concussions include loss of consciousness, memory loss about the time period immediately surrounding the accident, changes in mental condition following the accident, and neurological deficits.

Brain and head injuries are not the same thing. Brain injuries can be caused by illnesses and infections such as meningitis and strokes. Head injuries, however, often result from blunt force trauma.

Strikes to a person’s head can result in injury to brain tissue, diffuse axonal injuries, which are caused by stretching or rupture of brain cells, edema ,which refers to excess fluid building up in a person’s brain, and hematoma, which is the accumulation of blood inside a person’s brain. No matter the nature of your injuries, know that an experienced personal injury lawyer in Mississauga can help you pursue the compensation you need from the party responsible.

Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

There are a number of ways in which TBIs can occur, but some of the most common causes include assault, motor vehicle collisions, slip and fall accidents, and sports-related accidents. In cases involving motor vehicle accidents, these are often high-impact collisions that result from drugs, alcohol, speeding, or reckless driving.

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries

The signs and symptoms of TBIs can manifest both mentally or physically. Some examples of physical symptoms include blurred vision, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, loss of consciousness, nausea, slurred speech, and vomiting. Mental symptoms include amnesia, anxiety, confusion, depression, difficulty with memory, and moodiness. Fortunately, medical technology has advanced substantially in the last few years in its ability to treat TBIs and their often severe symptoms. This has led to a reduction in the number of deaths due to TBIs.

Receiving Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injuries

People who suffer from traumatic brain injuries should receive medical treatment as soon as possible after cognitive and communication problems arise. A therapist will work with brain injury victims to help them improve their focus, spatial orientation, and communication skills.  Medical professionals assess a patient’s need for long-term rehab on a case by case basis.

In many cases, people with traumatic brain injuries need the assistance of many different medical professionals over a long period of time, such as neuropsychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech language pathologists. Rehabilitation can help a traumatic brain injury victim reaches the highest level of independent living possible.

Avoiding Accidents That can Result in TBIs

Some accident victims experience TBIs as a result of the negligence of reckless drivers. In situations like these, accident victims have little control or ability to prevent their injuries. Other times, a person can greatly reduce his or her risk of being in an accident by following some simple safety precautions, which include the following:

• Always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or motorcycle.
• Always wear a seatbelt. Make sure that any children in your vehicle are properly restrained in a safety seat.
• Never drive while impaired. Similarly, avoid riding in any vehicle with a driver who recently consumed drugs or alcohol.
• Properly maintain your vehicle by making sure that, among other things, the tires are kept in good condition.
• Stay focused on the road when driving. Diverting your attention for even a few seconds can lead to a serious accident.
• To avoid slip and fall accidents, keep pathways on your property clean, make sure that stairways have secure handrails, use adequate lighting in darkened areas, watch where you are going, and wear adequate footwear.
• Senior citizens should make sure to install grab bars next to their toilets and tubs or showers. Use non-slip mats in the bathroom to avoid falls.
• Pedestrians should avoid walking in unsafe areas as well as make eye contact with the drivers of stopped vehicles before crossing the road in front of them.
• Athletes should make sure to wear adequate protective equipment including helmets. This equipment should fit properly and be in a good condition. Also, if an athlete believes that he or she received a traumatic brain injury, then he or she should not return to play until seeing a medical professional.
• Young children should be supervised when playing in areas where slip and fall accidents are likely, such as icy sidewalks or muddy playgrounds.

Initiating a Claim for a TBI

It is possible to initiate a lawsuit to pursue compensation if your TBI was the result of the negligence or one or more people or entities. To be successful in pursuing compensation for your injuries, you must establish on a balance of probabilities that your acquired TBI was the result of someone else’s negligence.

Speak with an Experienced Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

Being injured in an accident and receiving a TBI can lead to a number of serious complications, not the least of which are lost wages and steep medical bills.

If you or a loved has incurred a TBI as a result of another party’s negligence, you should not hesitate to speak with an experienced lawyer. Contact Preszler Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free initial consultation.