Atlantic City Brain Injury Attorney
When you leave your home and head out to work or to run errands or to simply get out and enjoy the outdoors, you expect to return home safely. But, not every Atlantic City resident or visitor is so lucky; sometimes, accidents happen which have the potential to alter your life forever.
One injury that may result from an accident is a traumatic brain injury, often referred to as a TBI. These injuries are caused by many types of accidents and are not always easy to identify. This can make treating a TBI difficult, especially considering there are different types of TBIs you could suffer from and each has a different course of treatment.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident and suffered a TBI, you should speak with a trusted Atlantic City brain injury attorney today. Your lawyer could help guide you through the complex Atlantic City brain injury claims process and help you recover compensation from the at-fault party. One of the best ways for you to get back to your regular life is to ensure you do not have to pay out of pocket for all of your medical expenses.
You could do that by working with a skilled and experienced brain injury lawyer at the Levin Firm.
Causes of Brain Injuries
TBIs are caused by many different factors. The leading cause of a TBI is falling. This might not sound like a high impact crash that would cause such a severe injury. But, that is an important point to make you do not have to hit your head on something to receive a TBI.
Your brain sits inside your skull protected by a thin layer of fluid. This fluid helps to keep your brain healthy but also protects your brain from impacting the inside of your skull, which could cause injury. But, when your body suffers an impact with such force, it can move your brain inside the skull and it could make contact, causing an injury. Your head does not have to hit something to suffer this injury.
Think of whiplash in a car accident; your head and neck snap in the impact’s direction. While your head may hit nothing, you could still suffer a brain injury because your brain could move inside your skull with such force that it hits part of the skull.
Other causes of brain injuries include:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Workplace accidents
- Criminal activity
If a criminal act caused your brain injury like from a mugging or a gunshot the prosecutor might bring a criminal charge against the person who caused your injuries. This criminal charge is not the same as bringing an Atlantic City brain injury claim for damages. Even if convicted, the at-fault party will not be on the hook for your medical expenses and other financial losses. You could gain that compensation when you bring an Atlantic City brain injury claim.
The best way to ensure that your rights are protected is to work with an experienced Atlantic City brain injury lawyer. Your lawyer could help you get every dollar you deserve by showing that the at-fault party is responsible for your injuries and your suffering.
TBI Symptoms
Symptoms of a TBI vary depending on the type of TBI suffered and the severity of the accident which caused your injury.
Symptoms often include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Blurred or loss of vision
- Amnesia
- Disorientation
- Inability to concentrate
- Memory loss
- Sudden change in mood or personality
- Depression
- Irritability
- Changes in appetite
If you or a loved one has recently been in an accident where a brain injury could have occurred, it is important that you keep a close eye on the symptoms listed. This could be your first clue that something is wrong, especially if you suffered an injury without any impact to your head.
Living With a Brain Injury
Over 150 people die each day from a TBI. While not every TBI results in death, this shows the severity with which your life could change after suffering a brain injury. Concussions are the most common TBI, and the one people most often associate with a brain injury. While concussions are classified as a mild TBI, there is nothing mild about the symptoms or the injury. Any injury to the brain is serious. The designation of a mild TBI simply means that concussions are usually not life threatening.
No matter what type of TBI you suffer from, your life does not have to be miserable. Living with a TBI is entirely possible and many victims make a full and complete recovery, eventually returning to their pre-TBI life.
To do that, however, they need the help of a skilled doctor. Any injury to the brain must be evaluated and given treatment. With minor concussions, sometimes that treatment is nothing more than rest. But, even if your doctor only prescribes rest, it is important that you follow those orders. If you become active too soon, you could risk a second TBI which could result in permanent damage and alter your life forever.
Delaying treatment for your TBI only makes a bad situation worse by leading to more serious injuries that could potentially become permanent. Delaying your conversation with a seasoned brain injury lawyer in Atlantic City could also make your situation worse. Your ability to recover compensation for your injury could depend on the lawyer you choose and the facts they collect. The sooner you speak with us, the sooner we could get working on your Atlantic City brain injury claim and help you collect every dollar you deserve.
Calculating Compensation
When you suffer a TBI, you want to get back to normal as quickly as possible. No one enjoys being laid up in the hospital or at home on the couch. You may want nothing more than to put this behind you.
But, you also need money to pay your bills. Even with a mild concussion, you may have to miss some work. Besides your medical bills, you having to miss work can put you and your family in a tough financial position.
That is why lawyers often try to get their client compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of life enjoyment
- Present and future medical bills
- Rehabilitation costs
All of these create a financial burden for you and your family. But, the one suffering a financial burden should be the negligent party who caused you such pain and suffering. If the accident was not your fault, you should not have to carry the financial burden of the TBI that you suffer as a result of that accident.
You should make sure all of your needs are accounted for, otherwise you could end up having to pay these medical bills yourself. When you work with a knowledgeable Atlantic City TBI lawyer, they could use their experience in the field to help you create a more accurate estimate of your future financial needs. This is important to know so that you do not walk away from your Atlantic City brain injury claim with less than your accident costs.
No amount of money will take away your injury. But, it could help ensure that you do not have to worry about how to pay your bills.
File Your Claim Soon
In New Jersey, you only have two years from the date of your injury to file an Atlantic City brain injury claim against the negligent party. Two years might seem like a long time to bring a claim but memories fade quickly. You want your chosen legal team to speak with witnesses as soon as possible after your accident so you have the best chance of maximizing your compensation.
But, you will also face other hardships. These could include:
- Long hospital stays
- Multiple doctor visits
- Prescription medication
- Extended time off work
- Inability to return to work in the same capacity
- In-facility or in-home rehabilitation
All of these situations, and more, could occur and could lead to extra time you spend recovering from your TBI. This is why it is so important to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. While you spend time in recovery, your attorney could work hard to investigate your claim, speak with witnesses while their memory is still fresh, and work to maximize your financial recovery so you do not have to worry about how your bills get paid. Contact the Levin Firm’s trusted TBI lawyers in Atlantic City to get them on your case today.
A Word of Caution About Quick Settlements
Many Atlantic City brain injury victims want to put this traumatic experience behind them quickly. This is completely understandable, and we know you want nothing more than to return to regular life. But, that only happens when you can focus all of your effort and energy on your physical wellbeing. And, that only happens when you let go of the worry surrounding your financial situation.
You likely have a mountain of medical expenses, and it is only piling higher. You also know you may not return to work for some time, if at all. The insurance company representing the at-fault party knows this, too. They will use this information to prey on you and offer you a quick settlement. They hope you do not have a lawyer on your side to review the settlement offer and ensure the settlement funds cover the estimate of your future financial needs.
That is what the insurance company will not tell you the settlement offer could be a low ball offer which may not cover all the bills you currently have sitting on your kitchen table, let alone your future financial needs like your lost wages and additional medical expenses. Even worse, when you sign a settlement offer, you waive your right to bring any future claims against the insurance company for this accident and your TBI.
That means that months or years later, when you realize the settlement funds have run out, it will be too late and there is nothing you can do except bear the burden of paying your medical expenses out of your own pocket.
This is a tragic and avoidable situation. When you work with an Atlantic City TBI lawyer, they could aggressively work to protect your rights by negotiating on your behalf with the insurance company. Many people mistakenly believe they can get a larger settlement without having to pay a lawyer. That is simply inaccurate. You have a better chance of collecting a larger settlement with a lawyer than without. But, it is true that your choice of legal representation can impact your ability to maximize your financial recovery.
Speak With Our Atlantic City Brain Injury Lawyers Today
Your Atlantic City personal injury lawyer can make a difference in your brain injury claim and help you get the compensation you need to make a full and complete recovery. When you can let go of the burden of dealing with the insurance company and filing an Atlantic City brain injury claim, you can focus your effort and energy on your physical recovery while your chosen legal team works hard to collect every dollar you deserve.
While most Atlantic City brain injury claims settle out of court, sometimes insurance companies refuse to settle for a fair and reasonable amount. In that situation, your attorney could take your case to trial to try and get you the full value of your claim. We know you may not want the delay of a trial and your attorney could work hard to settle your case but, do not let an insurance company place you in financial hardship because of your TBI. That is exactly what could happen if you cannot collect the maximum compensation for your injuries.
If you or a loved one has suffered a TBI, contact us today to help you overcome the challenges ahead, maximize your compensation, and get you on a path to recovery. You can reach the Levin Firm’s Atlantic City brain injury lawyers at (215) 825-5183 or through our online contact form.
The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers | Atlantic City Office
2 Convention Blvd, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Local: 609.250.2800
Toll Free: 877.825.8542