When you’ve experienced a concussion or other head injury due to someone else’s negligence, it’s frightening, but you’re not alone. The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine has seen the impact that head injuries and concussions can have on someone’s life.
The effects of head injuries can be some of the most serious and longest-lasting personal injuries; victims of these injuries may face years, if not a lifetime, worth of pain and suffering. Call us for your free, no-obligation case evaluation with a team member today. Our Jacksonville personal injury lawyer will go the extra mile for your case, helping you not only file a claim but even schedule necessary appointments.
Recoverable Damages for a Head Injury or Concussion Claim
What these cases come down to is recovering what you’ve lost or the expenses you face due to the negligence of someone else.
Financial Damages You May Pursue
- Emergency transportation
- Medical examination/tests
- Bills from a hospital stay
- Lost time at work
- Physical therapy
- Ongoing medical treatment, including prescription medications
Non-Financial Damages We Can Help You Determine
- Pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional suffering
- Physical limitations
- Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and symptoms of PTSD from the accident
Suppose you file an injury claim against a person or company for your head injury. In that case, you’re probably going up against a big insurance company with adjusters and attorneys on their staff. That is why we recommend working with one of our Jacksonville personal injury lawyers to help you pursue compensation for your damages.
What We Do for Head and Concussion Injury Victims
Suffering a head injury can leave you unable to go about your everyday life in either the short term or the long term. We want to help you deal with the legal aspects of your case so that you can focus on your recovery.
Let us get to work seeking compensation for you by:
- Determining what damages you qualify to seek
- Investigating the evidence in your case and building your evidence file
- Speaking with witnesses and gathering expert testimony
- Dealing with the insurance companies for you
- Handling the negotiations process and seeking a full, fair settlement
- Preparing your case for trial and litigating on your behalf, if necessary
We will handle every step of your case for you, from determining who was liable for your accident to navigating the insurance claims process. In the event that we are unable to seek a fair settlement, we have no problem taking your case to court to seek damages.
While we will manage your case, we will keep you updated on any changes you should be aware of and advise you on your legal options. The decision to accept an offer is always yours.
Filing a Lawsuit Before the Statute of Limitations Deadline in Jacksonville
You should know that we have a limited time to file suit in any injury case. In Florida, you generally have four years from the date of the accident, per Florida Statutes §95.11(3)(a). We advise getting started on your case as soon as you can to protect your legal options.
While it is true that most cases settle as an insurance claim, we do advise some clients to file a lawsuit in order to seek the compensation they deserve. Unfortunately, some insurance companies are only motivated to offer a fair amount if we file suit.
Our head and concussion lawyers may also advise that you proceed with a lawsuit for other reasons, such as cases where the liable party was uninsured and you are seeking an award from this party personally.
The Physical, Emotional & Financial Effects of Brain Injuries
Brain injury is a blanket term for anything that inflicts temporary, long-term, or permanent damage to your brain. A concussion is usually one of the more mild traumatic brain injuries, but it can be a life-altering or life-threatening condition nonetheless. Sometimes even subtle symptoms interfere with your quality of life, and others don’t even appear right away.
Possible complications include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Post-concussion syndrome (painful headaches, memory loss, confusion, and dizziness)
- Headaches
- Epilepsy
- Vertigo/loss of balance
- Slurred speech
- General cognitive decline
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Tremors
- Irritability
- Insomnia
These symptoms and complications can have significant and wide-ranging effects:
Mounting Medical Bills for Care and Assistance
Medical Expenses start piling up after a severe injury, especially if it has lasting effects and requires long-term medical care.
Effects on Your Ability to Work and Earn a Living
Some people find their head injury prevents them from returning to work for weeks or months. Some are only able to return on a part-time basis. Others can no longer perform the tasks they once did and must switch careers, and still others cannot work at all. After a catastrophic injury, brain injury victims deserve financial support for the duration of these effects on their lives.
Emotional & Psychological Effects Following the Accident
A head injury might cause depression and anxiety. Some experience mood or behavioral changes as a result of a head injury. In any case, it might have an effect on one’s relationships, quality of life, and more.
We will seek to recover compensation for both your economic and non-economic losses, including the emotional and psychological effects of your type of brain injury.
Liability for an Accident That Causes a Severe Head Injury
Proving your head injury or concussion was avoidable if not for another party’s negligence is an important part of establishing liability. Our brain injury attorney can collect evidence to demonstrate this to the insurer, judge, or jury on your behalf.
- Jacksonville car accident liability: If a negligent driver caused an auto accident in which you suffered a severe head injury, the driver may be liable for your injuries.
- Slip and fall liability: If you slipped and fell on another party’s property (a residence, store, office building, etc.), then the property owner or manager may be liable. You would need to prove the defendant knew or should have known of the dangerous condition and failed to correct it or warn of it.
- Liability for other types of accidents: Regardless of the type of accident, the circumstances of the case will dictate liability. If another party was negligent, and that party’s negligence led to your head injury, then that party may be liable for your financial, physical, and emotional damages.
Common Kinds of Head Injuries
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls and auto accidents are two of the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries. These often lead to varying degrees of severity in terms of the type of injury sustained. Here are some common kinds of head injuries:
- Concussion. Usually the brain is shaken inside the skull, resulting in changes to the way signals and chemicals are transported across brain tissue. Occasionally the tissue is stretched and torn. This may cause confusion, headaches, and other symptoms.
- Closed head injury. These kinds of injuries occur when the protective barrier of the skull is intact while the brain is injured. These kinds of injuries can also vary in severity. One severe type of closed head injury is called a contrecoup brain injury in which the brain injury occurs on the opposite side of impact to the head, resulting in a contusion on the brain.
- Open head injury. These, often severe, traumatic injuries are the result of an object or the skull itself damaging the brain. These catastrophic brain injuries can result in long-term disability and medical needs.
Only a medical professional can diagnose a brain injury, so if you suspect you may have suffered a head injury in your recent accident, see a doctor right away. Our legal team is ready to use our time and resources and the evidence your physician provides to seek the compensation you deserve.
Call us Today for a Free Case Review
As our client, the head injury and concussion injury lawyers in Jacksonville at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine have your best interests in mind throughout the entire process. As a personal injury law firm, we know how to navigate the complicated nature of traumatic brain injury cases, which can be more complex because of the long-term implications associated with some of these injuries.
Call us now. We can take the burden of handling your head and concussion injury claim off your shoulders.
We Can Help.
