CHASENBOSCOLO represents those who have suffered severe brain injuries in accidents caused by negligence. We fight for victims and their families, and we get results. When a brain injury impacts your life or the life of someone you love, you do not have to suffer silently. An experienced brain injury lawyer could help you get the justice that you deserve.
Your brain is the control center for your entire body, dictating your ability to speak, think, feel, act, and remember. Any time your brain is injured, it can have far-reaching effects on how your entire body operates. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a type of injury to the brain that is usually caused by some kind of external force to a person’s skull. An individual may be struck by something, land on something, or collide with something. The most common kind of TBI is a concussion, and many people have a tendency to believe that they can simply walk off the injuries and that the injuries will heal themselves over time. While the symptoms of a TBI can be very subtle initially, they may become much more severe over time.
If you or your loved one have suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident caused by another party’s negligence in Virginia, do not wait to retain legal counsel. Proving a brain injury can be exceptionally difficult, but an experienced lawyer can guide you through the legal process to recover the financial compensation you need and deserve.
CHASENBOSCOLO has a record of success that includes $1 million recovered for a hockey player who sustained a career-ending concussion. Our Virginia brain injury attorneys will help you understand all of your legal options when you call (703) 538-1138 or contact us online to take advantage of a completely free consultation.
Do I Need A Brain Injury Lawyer?
If you have been diagnosed with a brain injury, you may be coming to understand the newfound limitations in your life. The insurance company representing the negligent party is unlikely to fully compensate you for the harm you have sustained and will instead be seeking to resolve your case for as little money as possible. In many cases, the insurer will try to accomplish this by finding a reason to deny your claim. This is usually by attributing some of the negligence to you. To avoid saying anything that might harm your case, it is best to hire an experienced injury attorney to speak with the insurance company on your behalf.
The insurance company may also offer you a lump-sum settlement that is likely in an amount far lower than what you are entitled to. A knowledgeable lawyer can deal with the insurance company for you in order to negotiate a fair and comprehensive settlement in your case. Your lawyer will also be able to conduct an independent investigation to collect key evidence and identify all of the liable parties involved.
Why Choose CHASENBOSCOLO To Handle My Case?
At CHASENBOSCOLO, our clients have been our top priority since our founding in 1986. Our attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Managing partners Barry M. Chasen and Benjamin T. Boscolo each have more than 30 years of legal experience. Both attorneys have received an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, a peer rating denoting the highest level of professional excellence.
CHASENBOSCOLO also provides a No Fee Guarantee.® That means that you pay us nothing unless you get a financial award. Our firm can negotiate a settlement that covers every possible expense you have incurred or will incur. When we cannot reach an adequate settlement, CHASENBOSCOLO can file a lawsuit and take your case to court.
Types of Brain Injury Cases We Handle
A person who suffers from a TBI will often experience a wide range of symptoms. Some of these effects may be physical, but others can be mental.
Common physical symptoms of a TBI generally include:
- Repeated vomiting or nausea
- Fluids draining from the nose or ears
- Weakness or numbness in fingers and toes
- Loss of consciousness
- Blurred vision
- Loss of coordination
- Dizziness
- Convulsions
- Seizures
- Migraine headaches
A TBI victim can also experience such mental or cognitive symptoms as:
- Changes in appetite
- Slurred speech
- Agitation
- Irritability
- Amnesia
- Disorientation
- Profound confusion
- Depression
- Short-term memory loss
There are essentially five kinds of TBIs:
- Concussion — Concussions are the most common kind of TBI and are often caused by direct blows to the head, the force of a whiplash injury, or a violent shaking of the head. Concussions do not always appear in diagnostic imaging tests, and some concussions can cause diffuse axonal type injuries that lead to temporary or permanent damage.
- Contusion — A contusion is a brain bruise causing bleeding usually caused by direct impact to the head. Large contusions can require surgical removal.
- Coup-Contrecoup — A coup-contrecoup TBI involves contusions on both sides of the brain, the point of impact and its opposite side.
- Diffuse Axonal — A diffuse axonal injury involves the tearing of nerve tissue.
- Penetration — A penetrating injury involves an external object entering the brain.
TBIs can be sustained in most accidents in which a person strikes their head. Frequent types of accidents that cause TBIs include, but are not limited to:
- Auto Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- Construction Accidents
- Defective Products
- FELA Train Injury
- Maritime and Longshore Injury
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Nursing Home Abuse
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Slip and Fall Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Workplace Accidents
Insurance companies routinely undervalue the severity of TBI claims. Most insurers do not appreciate the full extent of the damage these types of injuries can cause, but an experienced attorney will know how to seek compensation for all of the different damages applicable to your case.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Brain Injuries
A contusion is a localized bruise in the brain, but a concussion involves a generalized lesion that is more widespread. Both injuries are TBIs and usually involve impact to the head. A person can experience a contusion without experiencing a concussion or vice versa, but several TBI victims suffer both.
A “traumatic brain injury (TBI)” is caused by a sudden external force to a person’s head. According to the World Health Organization, an “acquired brain injury” is the result of damage that occurred “after birth and is not related to a congenital or a degenerative disease.” Motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall accidents, and other kinds of collisions are common causes of TBIs, while acquired brain injuries may be caused by heart attacks, strokes, near drownings, tumors, or other medical conditions affecting the brain.
The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a neurological scale used to assess the impairment of the conscious state of a person with a TBI. Eye opening, best motor response, and best verbal response are the three measurements used to score responses, with eye opening having four grades, verbal response having five, and motor response having six. A total patient score of 3 indicates deep unconsciousness while a score of 14 (on the original scale) or 15 (on the modified schedule) indicates a healthy individual.
Brain Injury Statistics
According to the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), each year brain injuries caused an estimated 2,685 deaths, 37,000 hospitalizations, and 435,000 emergency department visits among children 14 years of age or younger. Brain injury is also responsible for approximately 62,000 yearly hospitalizations and 564,000 emergency department visits among children 19 years of age or younger.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated in its December 1999 Report to Congress that the 1.5 million Americans who sustain a TBI include 50,000 people who die. The 230,000 individuals who are hospitalized and survive include 80,000 to 90,000 people who face the onset of long-term disability. In its 2004 Report to Congress, the CDC stated that falls were the leading cause of TBI for children 4 years of age and younger. Furthermore, the two age groups at greatest risk for brain injury are children younger than 4 years of age and those between 15 years of age and 19 years of age.
The CDC reported that TBIs contribute to about 30 percent of all injury deaths, and an average of 153 people in the United States die every day from injuries that include TBI. In 2013, motor vehicle crashes were the third overall leading cause of TBI-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths among all age groups, and the third leading cause of TBI-related deaths. According to the CDC, about 2.8 million TBI-related emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations occurred in the United States in 2013, contributing to the deaths of nearly 50,000 people. More than 2.5 million ED visits and 282,000 hospitalizations involved a TBI diagnosis.
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), an estimated 50 to 70 percent of TBI accidents are caused by motor vehicle crashes. An April 2012 report from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance found that 30 percent of the more than 55,000 teenage drivers and passengers seriously injured in auto accidents in 2009 and 2010 suffered acute head injuries such as concussions, skull fractures, and other TBIs.
Contact a Brain Injury Attorney in Virginia
Have you or your loved one sustained a brain injury as the result of another party’s negligence in Virginia? You could be facing a lifetime of treatment and rehabilitation costs, and the party responsible for your injuries is liable for covering those expenses.
CHASENBOSCOLO will fight to make sure you recover every dollar of compensation that you are entitled to. Call (703) 538-1138 or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation.
