Donaldsonville Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney In Donaldsonville, LA

Dealing with the physical, psychological, and financial fallout of a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, can wreak havoc in your life. You may have no idea where to start when it comes to seeking financial compensation or legal accountability. It’s understandable to be so wrapped up in what your new normal is that you forget about the other details. That’s one of the many reasons why it’s so important to retain legal help from a Donaldsonville traumatic brain injury lawyer.

The legal team at Gauthier Amedee is prepared to help you work through your TBI case. We can determine your next steps when it comes to understanding the state’s TBI laws. As you attempt to focus on recovery, you would benefit from a Donaldsonville personal injury lawyer to take charge of the legal side of things. Our firm knows what kind of help you need.

Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

If you suffer a TBI in Donaldsonville, the EMTs will most likely take you to the nearest trauma center, which includes Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge. This medical center has high-level trauma capabilities and is fully equipped to deal with a medical situation as serious as yours. Recent data from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) states that there are 1.56 million new TBIs a year, while data from the CDC states that 2021 alone saw 69,000 deaths.

The majority of TBIs are caused by accidents, but that doesn’t mean that some TBIs aren’t the fault of someone’s negligent actions. It’s important to prove negligence if you believe it was the primary cause of your accident. That means you need to prove someone owed you a duty of care, breached it, caused your injury, and that you’re owed damages.

A penetrating and non-penetrating TBI can be equally devastating. Here are some of the most common causes:

• Vehicular accidents: Car, motorcycle, and truck crashes remain one of the most frequent causes of multiple serious injuries, including TBIs. Injuries sustained in a vehicular accident can affect your entire body. A sudden blow to the head or something being blasted through your brain can result in either death or a TBI. See a doctor as soon as you can to determine if you have a concussion, which can be a symptom of a TBI.
• Violence: If somebody attacks you, they can give you a TBI. A penetrating TBI can happen when something penetrates your brain, like a bullet or a knife. A non-penetrating TBI happens when your brain is smacked against your skull, like with a baseball bat or some other blunt instrument. If you survive a violent encounter with a serious injury, you should consider seeking civil damages on top of criminal charges.
• Serious falls: Falls are common in every demographic worldwide. Depending on how hard you hit the ground, you could end up suffering a TBI. Be sure to see a doctor for a thorough examination and diagnosis, and don’t forget to document the scene of the accident. If you’re going to prove negligence, you need to have documentation of the accident scene and witness statements.
• Sports injury: Contact sports like football, boxing, and hockey, or even limited-contact sports like baseball, basketball, and soccer, can all result in severe brain trauma. This can happen via a rough tackle, a blow to the head, or repeated incidents. If you don’t have the right head protection, you could easily sustain a TBI while engaging in a sport.

FAQs

What Is the Four-Hour Rule for a Head Injury?

The four-hour rule for a head injury refers to the critical observation period that doctors take to monitor the patient for symptoms of a traumatic brain injury. Those symptoms include intracranial bleeding, swelling, repeated vomiting, confusion, drowsiness, and worsening headaches. It’s vital to watch the patient for the first four hours to see just how serious their head injury is. Once that’s determined, the doctor can figure out treatment options.

How Do TBI Patients Act?

There is no telling how a TBI patient might act. Everyone who suffers a TBI reacts to the injury in different ways. The symptoms are sometimes completely different between patients. Everyone’s brain is different and reacts to trauma in a unique way. Some patients may suffer an increase in aggression, irritability, and mood swings. Other patients may experience changes in impulse control, emotional regulation, and apathy. It depends on which area of the brain is hurt.

What Can You Not Do When Recovering from a TBI?

If you are currently recovering from a TBI, there are many actions and activities you should not engage in until you are cleared by your doctor. Don’t operate any heavy machinery, which includes driving. Avoid any physical activity, including contact sports, horseback riding, or even heavy lifting. You may want to limit actions that require significant mental effort. It can be hard to try not to think too much, but doing so could hurt you in the long term.

How Long Do TBI Cases Take to Settle?

A TBI case can take anywhere from several months to several years to fully finalize and reach a settlement. It depends on how willing each party is to compromise, as well as the amount of evidence you have that proves negligence.

The worse your injury is and the longer your recovery takes, the more it might impact the timeline of your case. Ultimately, there is no way to tell how long your case may take until it’s already begun.

Hire a Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

When you are struggling to adjust to your new normal after a TBI, you should hire a traumatic brain injury lawyer to lead your case and prevent you from making any costly mistakes. The worse your injury is, the harder it can be to be present for your own case.

A lawyer can be present for you. At Gauthier Amedee, we have 45 years of experience providing our clients with everything they need to succeed. Contact us to speak to a team member about your situation.