A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most serious types of injury a person can suffer in an accident and it may have life-changing consequences.

With any type of serious head injury sustained in an accident due to the negligent or reckless act of another party, you may be able to claim significant compensation for your losses.

Our skilled Albuquerque brain injury lawyers can assist you in navigating tough times and claiming the damages you are due.

How do you know if you have a traumatic brain injury?

A traumatic brain injury is caused by a blow to the head when either an external physical force causes the brain to move violently around inside the skull or an object pierces the skull and damages the brain.

This can lead to a variety of types of brain injury, which are explained in more detail below. Injuries may be either highly visible or “hidden”.

With the latter type of brain injury, where there are no visible signs of trauma, diagnosis can be difficult. 

Brain injuries can be temporary or permanent and may lead to serious consequences, including:

• A diminished state of consciousness
• Impaired cognitive abilities (memory, thinking abilities)
• Difficulties with communication
• Impaired physical function (arms, legs)
• Numbness, partial-paralysis or complete paralysis
• Behavioral changes
• Headaches and vision problems
• Depression and anxiety
• Sleep problems
• Pain and suffering

The most common causes of such injuries in Albuquerque include motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries, and assaults. 

Whatever the cause, it is essential to seek immediate medical assistance to determine whether there has been any injury to the brain or other type of injury.

MRI scans and other diagnostic tools can be used to identify brain injuries but they are not always successful in doing so. Other neurological tests may be required. 

Your doctor should be able to provide guidance on the nature and extent of the injury as well as treatment options.

What are the most common types of brain injury?

There are two categories of brain injuries:

• Closed head injuries

“Closed head” brain injuries cause no visible outward signs of damage to the brain. They result from a whiplash-type motion that causes the brain to move inside the skull and collide against it.

• Concussion

This is the most common type of closed head injury and is caused by a blow to the head that leads to the brain moving around inside the skull. It is particularly common in slips and falls and in car accidents, where violent impact means the head is thrown rapidly backward and forward.

Headaches, nausea, and vision problems are the most common symptoms of concussion. While most injuries heal within a few weeks, some are more serious and post-concussion symptoms can include continuing headaches, memory loss, and other cognitive problems.

• Coup-Contrecoup injury

High-speed motor vehicle accidents or other accidents involving immense force may cause the brain of the victim to collide with one side of the inside of the skull and then the other, bruising it or causing other damage.

The resultant injury is known as a coup-contrecoup injury, where either or both sides of the brain impacted by the collision may be injured.

• Penetrating brain injuries (open head injuries)

Where an object penetrates the skull, as may happen during a car collision or an assault, a penetrating brain injury occurs.

For instance, glass from a motor vehicle accident or a knife used during an assault may cause such an injury.

These injuries can be very serious, affecting cognitive abilities, vision, hearing, balance, and other functions of the brain depending on the location of the injury.

How can a personal injury lawyer help? 

If you are involved in an accident where a negligent party’s actions resulted in a TBI, you should contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

Your injuries may be temporary or cause losses that impact you and your family for the rest of your life, requiring ongoing support or therapy.

Families may need to arrange permanent full-time care in the most serious cases. In almost all cases, brain injuries involve complex medical care.

In Albuquerque, the leading cause of brain injury is road accidents. However, you could equally have a valid claim against a store owner, the owner of a hospitality venue, a manufacturer, or even the City of Albuquerque as the at-fault party for your accident.

The negligent party may be liable for damages but, to claim them, most people require assistance from a lawyer experienced in this area of law.

Otherwise, insurance companies frequently play “hardball” and make it very difficult to receive adequate compensation commensurate with the injuries suffered.

How much compensation can you claim for a brain injury?

The level of compensation you are due will depend on the nature and extent of your injury, as well as the losses you have incurred to date or are likely to occur in the future.

Some injuries cause temporary losses while others result in costs for the remainder of the victim’s life. Medical bills, in particular, can be astronomical.

Brain injury victims in Albuquerque may be able to claim for financial losses as well as non-economic losses, such as:

• Medical expenses (ambulance, hospitalization, surgery, ongoing therapy, etc.)
• Costs for future medical care, if required
• Loss of earnings
• Loss of earning capacity in the future
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering

Get the compensation you’re entitled to

A life-changing brain injury can never be adequately compensated. 

However, claiming back some of the material costs associated with an injury can at least help you and those around you move on with fewer financial concerns.

Your decisions from here are important.

Choosing to work with a skilled brain injury lawyer at Legal Solutions of New Mexico will provide you with the best chance of securing maximum compensation for your injuries.

Start with an initial consultation. Call 505-445-4444 or email us.