The Cause and Effect of Blunt Force Head Trauma

The Cause and Effect of Blunt Force Head Trauma Blunt force head trauma can be caused by any blow to the head which does not penetrate the skull. The term blunt force head trauma often conjures up thoughts of violent crimes like assault, but serious head injuries are often sustained in accidents caused by negligence. Head injuries like blunt force head trauma can have permanent repercussions for your health, career, and finances. If a reckless driver, sloppy manufacturer, careless employer, or other negligent party is responsible for your blunt force head trauma, you may be eligible to recover your damages in a brain injury lawsuit. Don't risk your settlement by trying to handle your claim on your own. Dolman Law Group has over a decade of experience providing clients with brain injuries with the legal insight and support they need to negotiate a fair settlement against a negligent party. Read on for more information about the causes and effects of blunt force trauma head injuries.

What Is Blunt Force Trauma?

Blunt trauma is a physical injury caused by a non-penetrating impact via a blunt object or surface. The opposite of blunt force trauma would be penetrating trauma which is when the injury breaks the surface of whichever organ is injured. Blunt force trauma can range from the simple hammer smashing a finger while driving nails to a driver's head being injured by impacting something in a car accident. Serious head injuries can be expensive to treat, so you should not delay in speaking with a Florida brain injury lawyer to start the process of filing a claim.

Types of Blunt Force Trauma Injury

Blunt force head trauma can produce two different types of injury, which are concussion injuries and contusions. A concussion is caused by the shaking of the brain, while contusion results in a direct injury to the brain. In severe cases, the injury can also occur to the side of the brain opposite of the impact. This injury is known as contrecoup brain injury. If damage occurs to both sides of the brain, it is called a coup contrecoup brain injury. Contrecoup occurs when the head is in motion and suddenly strikes a stationary object. For example, in a head-to-head collision in football or a head-to-dashboard impact in a car crash can cause this type of damage. Loss of consciousness may occur from blunt force head trauma which may lead to additional brain damage. The effects of traumatic brain injuries may have a dramatic effect on normal brain function. These severe effects are often irreversible.

Causes of Blunt Force Head Injury

Blunt force head trauma is the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries, which are relatively common. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury each year, with thousands of those cases involving blunt force head trauma. Blunt force head injuries can be sustained during a variety of activities, although the most common is motor vehicle accidents.

Common causes of blunt force head trauma include:

• Car accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Sports accidents
• Physical assaults
• Slip and falls accidents
• Boating accidents

The likelihood of being severely injured may increase without protective headgear. Wearing a helmet while riding bikes or motorcycles, protective headgear in sports, and seat belts while driving can significantly reduce the cases of blunt force head injury.

Who is at Risk for Sustaining a brain Injury?

In addition to taking preventative measures, you should be aware of the risk factors commonly associated with brain injuries. The CDC reports that those over the age of 75  had the highest numbers and rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths accounting for over a third of all TBI hospitalizations. Elderly people often struggle with balance and mobility, which can make them more likely to slip and fall, hitting their head on the ground or another hard surface. Additionally, children, young people, and men are also at an elevated risk of sustaining a serious head injury. For men and young people, the assumption is that they are more likely to engage in risky behaviors like distracted or drunk driving. While these groups are at a higher risk of brain injury, anyone can sustain blunt force head trauma. Brain injuries can have devastating and lasting consequences for the victim and their family.

Effects of Blunt Force Head Trauma Injuries

When a person suffers blunt force head trauma, symptoms may develop immediately or manifest slowly within a few hours, days, or even weeks. In the case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the symptoms may take ten years or more to become apparent. Symptoms of traumatic brain injury include:

• Convulsion
• Partial paralysis involving one or more limbs
• Loss of consciousness
• Personality changes and irritability
• Confusion
• Drops in blood pressure
• Diminished coordination
• Slurred speech
• Blurred vision
• Severe headache
• Vomiting

The long-term effects caused by traumatic brain injury may include speech and language problems, chronic headaches, changes or loss of vision, taste or smell, and coma. The damage can be worsened by internal bleeding of the brain, which can lead to death.

The Importance of  Seeking Care for Victims of a Suspected Blunt Force Trauma Injury

If you find a person who you suspect is suffering from a blunt force head trauma, do not move them unless they are directly in harm's way. Do not shake them to regain their consciousness or revive them from a daze. Get medical help immediately. Even if the victim insists they are fine, they may not be acting rationally due to shock. The timing in these cases is critical and a delay of minutes, in receiving proper medical treatment, can greatly affect the outcome. Prompt medical treatment is also critical to preserving the integrity of your future claim. Insurance companies will have a difficult time accusing you of failing to mitigate your damages or deliberately exaggerating your injuries if there is evidence that you sought treatment immediately.

What Damages Can I Recover in a Blunt Force Head Trauma Injury Lawsuit?

If someone sustains a blunt force trauma injury to the head, they may receive compensation for various damages caused by the injury. It goes much farther than the price of a medical bill. A head injury has serious ramifications and since the damages are considered especially severe then the settlements are much larger as well to compensate for this.

Brain Injury Medical Expenses

The most obvious thing that someone liable for a blunt force trauma head injury provides compensation for is medical bills. This doesn't mean just the bills for initial treatment but for ongoing care and treatment that usually accompanies such a serious injury for a lifetime. This includes medication, physical therapy, checkups, tests, etc.

Lost Wages and Lost Earning Capacity Caused by Blunt-Force Trauma

Also, there are lost wages. A blunt force trauma head injury can knock someone out of work; sometimes permanently. If someone is out of work for only a short time then the lost wages are calculated based on the hourly wage and the hours the victim usually works. If someone is made unable to work then the situation is a bit more complicated. Suffering a blunt force injury to the head has the potential to cause long-term issues that can result in an inability or reduced ability to perform in one's career. Many people lose career prospects due to traumatic brain injury symptoms which can lead to significantly reduced earning capacity since one may have to change positions at their job or abandon their career altogether. This as well can be considered a damage that may be claimed in a traumatic brain injury lawsuit.

Pain and Suffering Due to Traumatic Brain Injuries

Intense pain and suffering accompany a blunt force head trauma injury. There is a great degree of physical pain that can come with a blow to the head both in the immediate inflicting of the injury and with chronic pain long after. Mental anguish also accompanies many brain injuries since the symptoms can be extremely debilitating both physically and emotionally.  Luckily, victims can receive monetary compensation for this based on the nature of the injury, its intensity, time knocked out of commission, etc.

Understanding Types of Damages in a Head Injury Lawsuit

Suffering a blunt force injury to the head has the potential to cause long-term issues that can result in an inability or reduced ability to perform in one's career, continue their hobbies and lifestyle, or care for themselves independently. The injured party may be entitled to compensation if it can be demonstrated that the negligent party owed them a duty of care and is liable for their injuries and damages caused by the breach of that duty. In most cases, injury victims receive two types of damages in a brain injury settlement. Economic damages refer to losses with a set monetary value. For example, if someone is out of work for a short time, they may receive the value of their lost wages based on their hourly wage and the hours they usually work. Non-economic damages are a bit more complicated, as they put a price tag on intangible or emotional losses, like physical pain or loss of quality of life. The process of calculating pain and suffering damages is not exact since there are no bills or receipts for pain. Therefore they can vary widely depending on the case. You need a relentless advocate to negotiate a settlement that reflects your needs.

Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit Over Traumatic Brain Injuries

Many of those that suffer blunt force head trauma could have avoided an injury altogether had certain parties not acted negligently. For example, a driver could sustain a severe head injury after being rear-ended by a distracted driver who ignored the right of way in favor of checking their texts. The driver that caused the accident acted negligently because they knew that texting while driving put other drivers in danger yet did so anyway. Since traumatic brain injuries are so severe, someone harmed this way could seek compensation for the damages they suffered as a result by filing a claim with the at-fault party's insurance. In the best-case scenario, a settlement can be reached that provides fair compensation that can cover all the damages suffered. Unfortunately, insurance companies are highly motivated to limit the money they payout. This means your personal injury attorney will need to gather evidence of the at-fault party's fault, the injuries suffered, and the damages caused to use as leverage when negotiating a settlement. Sometimes a settlement cannot be reached which means that a brain injury lawsuit is likely the only way to proceed. This process is much longer and demanding and will consist of a trial where the outcome is not as controllable as with a settlement. This is why it is imperative that those seeking compensation for traumatic brain injuries seek the assistance of an experienced Florida brain injury attorney.

Why Should I Hire Dolman Law Group to Represent Me in a Brain Injury Lawsuit?

The brain injury attorneys at Dolman Law Group have the resources available to front the cost of your case for as long as it takes to recover the damages you deserve. The cost of a traumatic head injury over a lifetime can be astronomical. We know how important it is to secure a settlement that acknowledges past, present, and future, costs like medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering, which is why we won't pressure you into an inadequate settlement just to settle a claim. The experienced brain injury attorneys of Dolman Law Group will determine the true value of your case and will not settle for less. Our track record demonstrates our ability to reliably recover maximum compensation. In fact, our team has recently settled multiple brain injury claims for over 3 million dollars in damages for our injured clients. As a client of Dolman Law Group, you can expect to be treated with respect. You will be kept informed of the progress we make and included in the decision-making process. Our former clients' glowing references have made us one of the most highly sought-after brain injury law firms in the state of Florida.

Contact Dolman Law Group For Help With Your Brain Injury Lawsuit Today

A blunt force head injury victim should seek the advice of an experienced brain injury attorney as soon as possible. Whether the injury is the result of negligence or malice, you need a representative you can trust to champion your claim. As brain injury attorneys, we know that the prospect of taking legal action during recovery can seem intimidating. That's why our brain injury lawyers will tirelessly negotiate on your behalf while you focus on healing. Dolman Law Group's skilled brain injury lawyers will leverage our years of experience and hard-earned expertise to achieve our goal of maximum compensation. If negotiations come to an impasse, we won't hesitate to take your brain injury lawsuit to trial to obtain the damages you deserve. Reach out to Dolman Law today for a free consultation with one of our capable brain injury attorneys. There is no cost to you until we successfully settle your claim. Call (727) 451-6900 or fill out the contact form on our website today to learn more about the benefits of our services. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA 800 North Belcher Road Clearwater, FL 33765 727-451-6900