Arizona Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney Seeks Damages for Accident Victims

Experienced lawyer represents Flagstaff-area clients who have suffered head injuries

If you've suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a car accident, a fall, a contact sport or any other way, the extent of the harm may not be readily apparent, but the effects could be long-lasting or even permanent. If your head injury was caused by someone else's negligent or reckless actions, you may have a right to seek compensation. At the Law Office of Matthew J. Poirier PLLC, I have experience representing clients in the Flagstaff area and throughout Arizona who have sustained TBIs. I understand the complexities of these cases and will work to obtain compensation that addresses your needs now and in the future.

What is traumatic brain injury (TBI)?

A traumatic brain injury occurs when an outside force or a foreign object makes violent contact with the head, resulting in brain tissue damage. Common causes of TBIs include:

  • Blunt force — An object striking the skull, perhaps fracturing it, causes bruising or bleeding of the brain. This type of TBI frequently results from auto accidents, athletic injuries, assaults and slip and fall accidents.
  • Concussive force — An explosion sends shock waves against the skull causing damage to brain tissue. These injures are commonly linked to battlefields and industrial accidents.
  • Piercing of the skull — When a foreign object penetrates the skull, it can tear brain tissue, producing severe injury. Victims might suffer this type of harm from a gunshot wound, construction accidents or car crash.
  • Shaking — Violent shaking of the head can cause the brain to move within the cranium, tearing brain tissue. People in vehicle collisions might sustain this form of TBI due to the whiplash effect and these cases are also sometimes associated with shaken baby syndrome.
  • Anoxia — When an individual is deprived of oxygen, brain cells can die, possibly causing irreversible harm. Anoxia is linked to birth injuries, anesthesia errors during surgery, heart attacks and near-drownings.

Accidents can produce open-head injuries, where the skull is fractured. However, closed-head injuries, where the skull is not fractured, can be even more serious because the brain might swell creating damaging pressure, or blood clots could form under the skull.

Incidents that cause TBIs and symptoms to look for

Medical experts classify brain injuries as mild, moderate or severe. Any blow to the head can potentially produce a concussion or a worse form of TBI. Common TBI-producing events include:

  • Car accidents
  • Slip and fall incidents
  • Athletic collisions
  • Assaults

You should immediately seek medical treatment if you sustain a blow to the head that produces flashes in your field of vision, causes momentary disorientation or causes you to lose consciousness.

Signs of mild TBI

Brain injuries are classified as mild if the victim loses consciousness or is disoriented for less than 30 minutes. But even when MRIs and CAT scans are normal, and the patient appears outwardly healthy, TBI victims sometimes suffer the following symptoms:

  • Severe headache
  • Confusion and difficulty remembering events
  • Lightheadedness and dizziness
  • Blurred vision or tired eyes
  • Numbness or weakness on one side of the body
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Bad taste in the mouth
  • Unusual tiredness

Mild traumatic brain injuries are expected to heal in time.

Moderate to severe TBI injuries

Moderate to severe brain injuries  occur when a victim loses consciousness for more than a few minutes and suffers more than momentary memory loss. In addition to symptoms listed above, victims might also  experience conditions such as:

  • Speech and language deficits such as difficulty speaking, reading or writing
  • Partial or total vision loss
  • Loss of the senses
  • Diminished motor skills
  • Mood swings and/or personality changes
  • Coma
  • Paralysis
  • Death

People who've sustained a severe TBI often suffer deficits that are permanent, affecting their ability to hold a job and support themselves and their families.

Do I need a lawyer if I suffered a TBI?       

The potentially catastrophic consequences of a TBI can leave a victim in need of:

  • Lifetime medical treatment
  • Extensive and prolonged rehabilitative services
  • Modifications to a home to accommodate a disability
  • Long-term or permanent personal care services
  • Lifetime income replacement

In addition to these tangible, economic losses, a TBI victim deserves compensation for pain and suffering, as well as their diminished ability to enjoy life.

Insurance companies are determined to limit their payouts and frequently take advantage of victims by offering less than what their claim is worth. A person suffering from TBI should certainly not take on the burden of self-representation. To recover a damage award that meets your present and future needs, you should retain a personal injury attorney with a record of success in catastrophic injury cases. To help maximize your recovery, I consult with medical experts who can testify to the extent of your injury and financial experts who can accurately calculate the sum of your losses.

Contact a skilled Arizona personal injury attorney for a TBI claim

If you or a loved one has sustained a traumatic brain injury caused by someone else's negligence, the Law Office of Matthew J. Poirier PLLC can help you seek full, fair compensation that accounts for the harm you've suffered. Call my Flagstaff office at 928-222-2803 or contact me online to schedule a free consultation.