
These consequences can include severe headaches, balance problems, cognitive difficulties, seizures, sleep disorders, and an increased risk of developing brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and related forms of dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). As a result, if you have suffered a head injury as a result of another party’s negligence, you may be entitled to substantial compensation.
Incidence and Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a government agency charged with studying and making recommendations about serious health issues such as TBI. The CDC is still working on the development and implementation of a system to accurately measure the incidence of TBIs in the U.S., so the data available is currently rather limited.
During the years 2001 to 2010, the rate of emergency department (ED) visits for TBIs jumped substantially from 421 ED visits per 100,000 people in 2001 to 716 visits per 100,000 people in 2010. ED visits rose most dramatically after 2007, presumably due to
An estimated 1.7 million people suffer a TBI in the U.S. each year, while 5.3 million Americans currently live with a disability caused by a TBI. The leading causes of TBI are motor vehicle crashes, falls, and blows to the head involving an object or another person. Many falls and blows to the head result from sporting activities, and some are due to criminal assaults. Falls are
Compensation for Traumatic Brain Injury Caused by Negligence
In order to obtain compensation for a TBI, you must be able to show that you suffered serious injury as the result of an accident or event that can be directly attributed to someone else’s negligence. You generally must file a personal injury lawsuit within two years of the date of the accident (735 ILCS 5/13/202).
Here are a few examples of situations in which you might have a valid claim for damages resulting from a head injury:
- You sustained a concussion in a car crash caused by a drunk driver, and you have suffered lasting effects, such as severe headaches and memory issues.
- You suffered a TBI in a fall in a store, and the main reason you fell is that the store was negligent in maintaining safe conditions for their customers.
- You suffered a blow to the head during a fight in a bar in which the person who struck you behaved recklessly and intentionally.
Consult an Arlington Heights Head Injury Attorney
If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury in a fall, collision, or other event caused by someone else’s negligence, it is important that you seek immediate treatment and diagnosis, as well as long-term care to document the full extent of your injuries. In order to file a claim for compensation from the negligent party, you will need evidence of their negligence as well as documentation of the specific injuries you sustained.
To determine if you have a valid claim, consult with a knowledgeable Palatine personal injury lawyer. The law firm of Drost, Gilbert, Andrew & Apicella, LLC can help you obtain full and fair compensation for your injuries. Call 847-934-6000 to schedule a free consultation.
About the Author: Attorney Ken Apicella is a founding partner of DGAA focusing in the areas of personal injury, employment, insurance coverage disputes, and civil litigation. Ken earned his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law in 1999. He has been named a SuperLawyers Rising Star and a Forty Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch. Ken has written and lectured for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education and regularly serves as a moderator at Northwest Suburban Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education seminars.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html
https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Traumatic-Brain-Injury