Facts about Traumatic Brain Injuries
If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident, do not delay in calling a top motor vehicle accident lawyer Silver Spring MD can provide. Our attorneys at Cohen & Cohen have helped many innocent victims of car crashes receive compensation for their damages from those responsible for their accident. Medical costs for traumatic brain injuries can quickly escalate. It is important to contact an experienced lawyer immediately to protect your rights and recover your accident related damages.
Traumatic brain injury cases can be complicated which requires a motor vehicle accident lawyer Silver Spring MD recognizes as experienced and proficient in this area. The attorneys of Cohen & Cohen have extensive experience in multi-party cases. Our legal team includes medical professionals who are available on an as-needed consultation basis. Our attorneys are practiced at complicated legal issues and settlement negotiations as well as lawsuits.
How Traumatic Brain Injuries Occur
More than 50 percent of traumatic brain injuries in the United States occur in motor vehicle accidents. This type of injury can happen when a force or object injures the skull. Very often in car accidents the skull comes into contact with the windshield or the steering wheel. The force of a hard object against the head or face can cause the brain to smash against the internal skull. This can cause:
- Bruising of the brain, also known as a contusion
- Bleeding on the brain, also known as a brain hemorrhage
Because a traumatic brain injury does not always involve an open wound, the injury may go undetected at first. If your head came into contact with any object during the vehicle accident, seek medical attention immediately. More than one motor vehicle accident lawyer in Silver Spring MD has likely had clients with traumatic brain injuries who did not realize it immediately.
An open wound to the head is also common in serious vehicle accidents when the victim is thrown from the car or the roof is crushed into their head. Open head wounds generally cause substantial blood loss which makes the injury apparent almost immediately. After you have undergone medical attention directly following the accident, it is advisable to contact a motor vehicle accident lawyer Silver Spring MD is proud to have in the community. Cohen & Cohen has represented and protected the rights of clients in the Maryland area for more than 20 years.
Crashworthiness of the Accident Vehicle
On the surface, it may appear that the only blame for a victim’s traumatic brain injury is the at fault driver. However, as an experienced Silver Spring MD motor vehicle accident lawyer might tell you, the victim’s vehicle may come into question as well.
An automobile’s ability to protect the driver and passengers during an impact is referred to as its crashworthiness. After investigating your accident, a motor vehicle accident lawyer Silver Spring MD victims turn to for justice may determine that your vehicle was not sufficiently crashworthy. If it failed to adequately protect you and resulted in you experiencing a traumatic brain injury, the vehicle manufacturer may be vulnerable to legal action on your part. After discussing your case with a qualified motor vehicle accident lawyer Silver Spring MD clients trust, your legal options can become clear.
Vehicle manufacturers are responsible for designing and building vehicles that can withstand a reasonably foreseeable accident. Crashworthiness has to be taken into consideration by the manufacturer to eliminate or minimize the likelihood and seriousness of injuries that can be suffered by the driver and passengers.
Automotive defects have been blamed for a number of traumatic brain injuries. They can also cause the actual accident. Examples of what might be considered a critical pre-existing automotive defect include these faulty parts:
- Accelerator pedals that stick and cause sudden and unstoppable acceleration
- Seatbelts that unfasten or do not prevent forward movement during an impact
- Airbags that do not deploy properly and either do not protect the person or it injures them
- Tires that blow out or fall apart
- Window glazing
- Door latches that do not securely keep the door closed
- Roofs that crush occupants or cause the vehicle to roll over
- Windshield or window glass that is laminated and not tempered which can cause it to shatter
Compensatory Damages
When injured in an accident that you are not responsible for causing, you may be entitled to recover your damages from the at fault party or parties. Damages from an accident can be extensive, particularly when they include an injury as serious as a traumatic brain injury. A top motor vehicle accident lawyer Silver Spring MD offers may be able to help you recover any of the following costs that are applicable to the accident:
- Emergency medical costs including ambulance transportation
- Immediate and future surgery costs
- Damage to your vehicle
- Damage to your personal property inside the vehicle
- Lost wages from the time of the accident into the future if you are unable to work due to your injury
- Vocational rehabilitation if you are unable to return to your job because of your injury
- Physical rehabilitation
- Counseling
- Specialized medical equipment for the home
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages (in rare cases, this may be awarded to victims of accidents caused by the reckless behavior of a negligent driver or third party)
Legal Representation May Make a Difference
If a motor vehicle accident resulted in a traumatic brain injury for you or someone you love, you may wish to contact a lawyer who has the experience needed to handle a personal injury case of this nature. A motor vehicle accident lawyer Silver Spring MD drivers count on may be able to determine if you are entitled to compensation for your injuries. In some cases, more than one party may be held liable, including another driver and/or a defective part’s manufacturer. Contact the law firm of Cohen & Cohen today to speak with an experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer Silver Spring MD traumatic brain injury victims turn to for help.
