Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious health condition caused by a blow or jolt to the head that disrupts normal brain function. TBIs range in severity from mild concussions to severe, life-threatening brain damage.
If you or a loved one has suffered a TBI due to another party’s negligence in Indianapolis, you may have grounds for a personal injury claim. Working with an experienced traumatic brain injury lawyer can help maximize your chances of securing compensation.
This guide will cover critical considerations when pursuing a TBI claim in Indianapolis, including:
- Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Effects and Symptoms of TBIs
- Building Your TBI Claim
- Identifying Liable Parties
- Estimating Your Compensation
- Hiring the Right Brain Injury Attorney
- Why Choose a Local Indianapolis Lawyer?
- Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers in Indianapolis, IN
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
TBIs can occur in a variety of ways, though some of the most common causes include:
- Vehicle accidents: Collisions involving cars, motorcycles, bicycles, or pedestrians can easily cause head trauma leading to a TBI.
- Slip and fall accidents: Slipping on wet floors, icy sidewalks, or uneven surfaces may result in hard hits to the head.
- Workplace accidents: Construction sites, industrial facilities, and other high-risk work environments expose employees to head injuries.
- Violent crimes: Physical assaults, gun violence, domestic abuse, and child abuse can all lead to TBIs.
- Sports injuries: High-impact sports like football, boxing, hockey, and soccer have high rates of head trauma and concussions.
Understanding the cause of your loved one’s TBI will be important when identifying liable parties for an injury claim.
Effects and Symptoms of TBIs
The effects of a TBI vary greatly depending on factors like the severity of the injury, the area of the brain affected, and the injured person’s age. Possible effects include:
- Headaches, dizziness, nausea
- Blurred vision, light sensitivity
- Ringing in ears, bad taste in the mouth
- Fatigue, lethargy, sleep problems
- Memory loss, concentration problems
- Mood changes, anxiety, depression
- Seizures
- Slurred speech, communication difficulties
Some symptoms appear immediately, while others may take time to manifest. Mild TBIs, like concussions, often resolve within weeks, but more severe injuries can result in lifelong impairments.
Documenting how an injury has affected your daily functioning and quality of life will be critical when seeking compensation from liable parties. Keep detailed records of all accident-related symptoms and expenses.
Building Your TBI Claim
To have a solid traumatic brain injury claim in Indianapolis, you must be able to prove the following:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care
- They breached this duty through negligence
- This breach directly caused your injury
- You suffered quantifiable damages
An experienced lawyer can help gather evidence to establish these factors, including:
- Medical records: Document your diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and expenses.
- Accident reports: Police reports, incident reports from employers, and sports injury records.
- Investigations: Your lawyer may hire accident reconstruction experts, private investigators, or other specialists.
- Financial records: Document income loss, property damage, and other costs tied to the accident.
- Eyewitness statements: Accounts from others at the accident can help establish what happened.
- Video footage: Security camera videos, cell phone recordings, and other videos may have captured the incident.
- Internal company documents: For workplace accidents or defective products, internal safety reports, maintenance records, and other documents may evidence negligence.
Thoroughly documenting the full scope of your losses and identifying liable parties is critical to securing total compensation.
Identifying Liable Parties
Some examples of potentially liable parties in TBI cases include:
- Drivers: In auto accident cases, the negligent driver who caused the collision.
- Property owners: If dangerous conditions on the property led to your fall or injury.
- Employers: For workplace injuries where proper safety precautions were not in place.
- Manufacturers: If a defective product directly causes your brain trauma.
- Assailants: The perpetrator may be held liable in cases of violence or abuse.
- Insurance companies: Most claims are ultimately paid out by the responsible party’s insurance provider.
An experienced attorney can help identify all potentially negligent parties contributing to your injury. This increases the chances of securing total compensation.
Estimating Your Traumatic Brain Injury Compensation
TBI cases can lead to compensation for a wide range of damages, including:
- Past and future medical bills
- Lost past and future income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent disability
- In-home care and assistance
- Cost of rehabilitation
- Adaptations to home, vehicle, etc.
- Family counseling
- And more
Your claim’s total value depends on your case’s unique circumstances. More severe TBIs leading to permanent disability warrant higher payouts. Your lawyer can consult with medical and financial experts to produce a life care plan estimating the full scope of current and future accident-related expenses.
Hiring the Right Brain Injury Attorney
Due to the complexities of TBI cases, it is essential to hire an attorney experienced in handling traumatic brain injury claims. Seek out a lawyer who:
- Primarily handles personal injury and disability cases
- Has taken multiple brain injury cases to trial
- Understands traumatic brain injury symptoms and effects
- Works with medical experts like neurologists
- Has successfully negotiated high-value settlements
A lawyer with expertise in proving long-term economic damages and non-economic losses in TBI cases can significantly affect compensation.
Why Choose a Local Indianapolis Lawyer?
Hiring a traumatic brain injury lawyer based in Indianapolis offers essential benefits:
- Extensive knowledge of Indiana negligence laws and local court procedures
- Relationships with medical experts and providers who frequently treat TBI patients
- Ability to start investigating your accident scene right away
- Understanding of compensation ranges for Indianapolis injury cases
- Familiarity with large local employers and insurance companies
- Ability to visit you in person when needed
A local attorney will also have greater availability for meetings, status updates, and court dates.
Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers in Indianapolis, IN
If you or someone you love suffered a traumatic brain injury in the Indianapolis area that was caused by another party’s negligence, the TBI attorneys at CKF LAW can help.
With over 50 years of combined experience fighting for injury victims in Indiana, their legal team has a proven track record of success in brain trauma cases. They handle cases on a contingency fee basis and provide free initial consultations.
To discuss your potential traumatic brain injury claim in Indianapolis with an experienced lawyer, contact the team at CKF LAW or call today. With compassionate yet aggressive representation from a trusted Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer in Indianapolis, IN, they can help you recover the maximum compensation available in your case.