Compensation for Head Injuries
cartwrightlaw - May 30, 2023 -
You always want to protect your head from injuries whenever possible. Cyclists, skaters, athletes, construction workers, and others wear helmets for protection, though even a helmet cannot always prevent a head injury due to trauma.
Head injuries can require costly treatment in San Francisco and have many effects on various aspects of your life. If someone else caused or contributed to your head injury, they should compensate you for all of your medical bills and other losses.
Never hesitate to seek help from the best personal injury attorney San Francisco office of The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. We represent head trauma victims, and we are ready to assess your rights.
What Is The Most Frequent Head Injury?
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that acquired brain trauma is the #2 cause of disability in the US, affecting more than 13 million Americans. The most common type of head injury is concussion because of its prevalence in sports injuries and car accidents.
Fortunately, most people with mild TBI, including concussions, can return to normal in a few weeks. But if the injury is not properly treated, the concussion can worsen. So, if you hit your head in an accident, seek prompt medical attention. Then, you should speak to a qualified personal injury attorney about your case.
Types of Head Injuries
Head injuries can take many forms. They can include:
- Concussion and TBIs – A traumatic brain injury occurs when the brain tissue hits the inside of the skull and suffers damage. A concussion is a form of a mild TBI, though, despite the “mild” diagnosis, concussions can still have serious and lasting effects. Severe TBIs can leave victims with permanent impairments.
- Skull fractures – Your skull can fracture like any other bone in your body and include linear fractures, depressed fractures, diastatic fractures, and basilar fractures. Sometimes, bone fragments can shift or break off and damage brain tissue, leading to a TBI. Skull fractures can also result in disfigurement.
- Intracranial hematoma – Known as an ICH, this is a blood clot in the brain, and it can range from mild to life-threatening injuries. Hematomas can cause brain damage, as well as increased intracranial pressure, which can be life-threatening and might require brain surgery.
No matter what type of head injury you sustain, you need immediate medical attention and will likely require ongoing medical care, rehabilitative therapy, time off work, and more.
Causes Of Head Injuries
Head injuries can happen because of someone’s negligence or wrongful act. If that happens, you could be entitled to compensation in a California personal injury lawsuit. Common causes of head injuries include:
Car And Truck Accidents
In motor vehicle accidents, the brain may slam into the front and back of the skull because of the tremendous force in the crash. The brain also may have injuries if your head strikes the steering wheel, window, or windshield. Many car accident-related head injuries are closed-head, and you may not be aware of it at first. Closed-head head injuries are often serious and can cause internal bleeding that is severe or fatal.
Slip & Falls
Slip and fall accidents can happen almost anywhere, including sidewalks, steps, in a home or store. When you slip and fall, you could slam your head on the ground or on an object, causing a skull fracture, traumatic brain injury, or internal bleeding, all of which can cause severe or fatal injuries.
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice happens when a healthcare professional makes a mistake or is negligent, such as if the brain is deprived of oxygen. If a medical professional makes an error with anesthesia, a medication dose, or oxygen levels, you can have hypoxia, which can cause irreversible brain damage.
Explosions
Head and traumatic brain injuries are also common with military personnel in combative operations. Researchers are unsure why, but many believe brain function can be affected when severe shockwaves are released from explosive blasts.
Pedestrian Accidents
Thousands of pedestrian accidents happen daily, including those that involve motor vehicles. When a car or truck hits a pedestrian, they can strike their head on the ground, vehicle, or object, causing a severe or fatal head injury.
Sports Accidents
Sports accidents are a top cause of concussions and other head injuries. Some sports involve serious contact, including wrestling and football, while others have incidental contact, such as basketball and volleyball. Even if non-contact sports, including gymnastics and track, head injuries can happen.
In recent years, there has been more study of micro traumas to the brain that can cause chronic brain damage over time. For instance, professional football players are often diagnosed with chronic brain trauma after they stop playing. Also, if you come back too quickly from a concussion, you can have a severe or fatal complication if you have another head injury.
Workplace Injuries
Construction, manufacturing, and industrial workers are more prone to head injuries than others, but head injuries can happen in any workplace. For example, an office worker could trip going down the steps and hit their head.
If you are hurt at work and have a head injury, the compensation you get depends on the cause of the injury and how the accident happened. Most workers in California are entitled to workers’ compensation if they are injured at work.
All of these can cause serious head trauma and resulting injuries. Whoever is responsible for causing your head trauma should also be responsible for compensating you for all of your injury-related losses.
Seeking Compensation for Your Head Injury
To seek the compensation you deserve for your head injury, never wait to consult with a personal injury lawyer in San Francisco. Our Bay Area law firm can:
- Evaluate whether you have a case
- Identify liable parties
- Calculate your past and future losses
- File all insurance claims
- Negotiate with insurance companies
- File a personal injury lawsuit in civil court when needed
You can stay focused on your medical treatment and recovery while we handle the entire legal process.
Seek Help from a San Francisco Head Injury Lawyer Right Away
After a head injury, you want The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. on your side. We understand the unique nature of these injuries and the losses that result, and we will fight for the total amount you need. Contact us for a free case evaluation today.
You always want to protect your head from injuries whenever possible. Cyclists, skaters, athletes, construction workers, and others wear helmets for protection, though even a helmet cannot always prevent a head injury due to trauma.
Head injuries can require costly treatment in San Francisco and have many effects on various aspects of your life. If someone else caused or contributed to your head injury, they should compensate you for all of your medical bills and other losses.
Never hesitate to seek help from the best personal injury attorney San Francisco office of The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. We represent head trauma victims, and we are ready to assess your rights.
What Is The Most Frequent Head Injury?
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that acquired brain trauma is the #2 cause of disability in the US, affecting more than 13 million Americans. The most common type of head injury is concussion because of its prevalence in sports injuries and car accidents.
Fortunately, most people with mild TBI, including concussions, can return to normal in a few weeks. But if the injury is not properly treated, the concussion can worsen. So, if you hit your head in an accident, seek prompt medical attention. Then, you should speak to a qualified personal injury attorney about your case.
Types of Head Injuries
Head injuries can take many forms. They can include:
- Concussion and TBIs – A traumatic brain injury occurs when the brain tissue hits the inside of the skull and suffers damage. A concussion is a form of a mild TBI, though, despite the “mild” diagnosis, concussions can still have serious and lasting effects. Severe TBIs can leave victims with permanent impairments.
- Skull fractures – Your skull can fracture like any other bone in your body and include linear fractures, depressed fractures, diastatic fractures, and basilar fractures. Sometimes, bone fragments can shift or break off and damage brain tissue, leading to a TBI. Skull fractures can also result in disfigurement.
- Intracranial hematoma – Known as an ICH, this is a blood clot in the brain, and it can range from mild to life-threatening injuries. Hematomas can cause brain damage, as well as increased intracranial pressure, which can be life-threatening and might require brain surgery.
No matter what type of head injury you sustain, you need immediate medical attention and will likely require ongoing medical care, rehabilitative therapy, time off work, and more.
Causes Of Head Injuries
Head injuries can happen because of someone’s negligence or wrongful act. If that happens, you could be entitled to compensation in a California personal injury lawsuit. Common causes of head injuries include:
Car And Truck Accidents
In motor vehicle accidents, the brain may slam into the front and back of the skull because of the tremendous force in the crash. The brain also may have injuries if your head strikes the steering wheel, window, or windshield. Many car accident-related head injuries are closed-head, and you may not be aware of it at first. Closed-head head injuries are often serious and can cause internal bleeding that is severe or fatal.
Slip & Falls
Slip and fall accidents can happen almost anywhere, including sidewalks, steps, in a home or store. When you slip and fall, you could slam your head on the ground or on an object, causing a skull fracture, traumatic brain injury, or internal bleeding, all of which can cause severe or fatal injuries.
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice happens when a healthcare professional makes a mistake or is negligent, such as if the brain is deprived of oxygen. If a medical professional makes an error with anesthesia, a medication dose, or oxygen levels, you can have hypoxia, which can cause irreversible brain damage.
Explosions
Head and traumatic brain injuries are also common with military personnel in combative operations. Researchers are unsure why, but many believe brain function can be affected when severe shockwaves are released from explosive blasts.
Pedestrian Accidents
Thousands of pedestrian accidents happen daily, including those that involve motor vehicles. When a car or truck hits a pedestrian, they can strike their head on the ground, vehicle, or object, causing a severe or fatal head injury.
Sports Accidents
Sports accidents are a top cause of concussions and other head injuries. Some sports involve serious contact, including wrestling and football, while others have incidental contact, such as basketball and volleyball. Even if non-contact sports, including gymnastics and track, head injuries can happen.
In recent years, there has been more study of micro traumas to the brain that can cause chronic brain damage over time. For instance, professional football players are often diagnosed with chronic brain trauma after they stop playing. Also, if you come back too quickly from a concussion, you can have a severe or fatal complication if you have another head injury.
Workplace Injuries
Construction, manufacturing, and industrial workers are more prone to head injuries than others, but head injuries can happen in any workplace. For example, an office worker could trip going down the steps and hit their head.
If you are hurt at work and have a head injury, the compensation you get depends on the cause of the injury and how the accident happened. Most workers in California are entitled to workers’ compensation if they are injured at work.
All of these can cause serious head trauma and resulting injuries. Whoever is responsible for causing your head trauma should also be responsible for compensating you for all of your injury-related losses.
Seeking Compensation for Your Head Injury
To seek the compensation you deserve for your head injury, never wait to consult with a personal injury lawyer in San Francisco. Our Bay Area law firm can:
- Evaluate whether you have a case
- Identify liable parties
- Calculate your past and future losses
- File all insurance claims
- Negotiate with insurance companies
- File a personal injury lawsuit in civil court when needed
You can stay focused on your medical treatment and recovery while we handle the entire legal process.
Seek Help from a San Francisco Head Injury Lawyer Right Away
After a head injury, you want The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. on your side. We understand the unique nature of these injuries and the losses that result, and we will fight for the total amount you need. Contact us for a free case evaluation today.
“Our successful case results are a reflection of the values and virtues we believe in and uphold at Cartwright Law Firm. Nothing stops us from pursuing justice on behalf of those who need it.
Robert E. Cartwright Jr.
Founder and Managing Partner