What Happens After A Traumatic Brain Injury At Work?

A traumatic brain injury is a devastating event, not only for the victim but for anyone close to them. When a severe TBI unexpectedly occurs on the job, the victim's entire personality and ability to work and take care of themselves could change in a matter of hours. Many sufferers may never regain the skills they've lost, and some of those who do get better may only regain a portion of their lost abilities after a long, expensive, and painful recovery process.

Regardless of injury severity, all workers are entitled to Workers' Compensation if they suffer a traumatic brain injury on the job. However, the symptoms of these injuries may not all surface right away. It's not uncommon for symptoms to slowly develop and surface hours, days, or weeks after the traumatic impact. This slow onset may cause issues when you're trying to provide medical evidence for your claim.

If you're seeking Workers' Comp or Social Security Disability benefits after a TBI, you should seriously consider speaking with an experienced work injury lawyer. The right firm will have contacts with reliable medical experts who can evaluate your condition and testify that your injuries were acquired while you were at work.

How Do We Define A Traumatic Brain Injury?

Medscape defines a TBI as an injury to the brain from an external force "possibly leading to permanent or temporary impairment of cognitive, physical, and psychosocial functions, with an associated diminished or altered state of consciousness."

These injuries range from relatively mild concussions to severe cases which have permanent physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. In any case, you're entitled to benefits after acquiring a TBI on the job.

Common Causes Of Brain Injuries

The majority of traumatic brain injuries fall into one of a few categories, although there are numerous ways these injuries can happen. We frequently evaluate claims for workers who have suffered a brain injury on the job from:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Slips and falls
• Falling objects

Our practice isn't just limited to work injuries. We have experience representing TBI victims who were injured in all types of settings.

Occupations With Higher Risk

While an unexpected head injury could happen to any of us at any time, there are certain industries in which there's a higher risk:

• Construction workers
• Police, firefighters, and emergency responders
• Warehouse and factory workers
• Healthcare workers
• Transportation workers and delivery drivers

If you look through this list, you'll notice that each occupation is at risk of one or more of the three main causes of brain injuries we listed above. It's important that workers in these industries do everything they can to follow safety protocol in order to reduce the risk of an accident.

However, even perfect safety standards won't stop work-related TBI's completely. For instance, those who drive for a living will always be at risk of getting into an accident because of another negligent driver. In a situation where an injury is caused by a negligent party other than a co-worker or employer, TBI sufferers have the option to seek additional compensation in a personal injury claim.

How Lawyers Help Victims & Their Families

Traumatic brain injuries are costly, not only for the victim but for everyone close to them. These injuries often require expensive long-term medical treatment, not to mention how mentally and emotionally taxing it can be to watch a loved one suffer and struggle to return to a normal life. With such a serious injury, it's vital to uncover all possible routes of compensation and seek the maximum that your family is entitled to.

It's not uncommon for employers and their insurance companies to look for reasons to dispute or deny claims for Workers' Comp. They may argue that the brain injury occurred outside of work hours. Their side will have legal counsel who knows how to deny claims. It's important for you to have your own representation who will have your family's best interests at heart.

Our dedicated work injury legal team can help guide you through the process of filing for Workers' Compensation, Social Security Disability (if applicable), and determine if a negligent third party could be held liable for further damages in a personal injury claim.

We understand the difficulties families face when a loved one suffers a traumatic brain injury, and that's why we are proud to help these families earn all of the financial support they need and deserve. Don't worry about the costs of legal representation - we will evaluate your case for free and only request payment if we win.

Work-Related Injury Resources

• The intended purpose of Workers' Compensation and possible complications
• Common workplace accidents that can cause severe injuries
• Life after a paralyzing work injury
• Benefits available for disabled workers