Why Choose Us as Your Brain Injury Lawyer?
The Cochran Firm is known for its extensive support for individuals who have suffered a personal injury.
Attorney Robert S. Miller is a dedicated attorney who practices in all areas of personal injury law, including slips and falls, motor vehicle accident litigation, premises liability, and medical malpractice. Mr. Miller has received several awards, including 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyer and a 2020 Best Lawyers In America, Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
If you’re seeking a brain injury lawyer in Philadelphia, look no further than Robert S. Miller at the Cochran Firm. Be assured that he will handle your case with full attention, and he won’t stop until he obtains the compensation you deserve.
Brain Injuries Are Devastating
Suffering from a brain injury is frightening. Symptoms vary tremendously. Some individuals may have difficulty focusing, remembering details, or have problems with their vision. Others may experience more severe consequences, like difficulty with relationships and being unable to function at their normal capacity. If you or a loved one has experienced a traumatic brain injury, it is crucial to seek legal assistance from a skilled traumatic brain injury attorney.
In the worst cases, victims cannot balance and have trouble processing language or understanding the words of others.
Doctors can often mitigate the impact of a brain injury, especially if it is caught early on. However, victims may need extensive therapy and treatment to regain their abilities.
If you’ve suffered a brain injury, remember that you are not alone. According to the CDC, over 220,000 people suffered from a traumatic brain injury that required hospitalization in 2019.
This number doesn’t include the hundreds of thousands whose injuries go untreated or victims treated in an outpatient setting. The CDC estimated that 1.5 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury annually but don’t seek treatment in a hospital. Victims of a traumatic brain injury who don’t seek treatment often see their condition worsen.
If you’re suffering from a traumatic brain injury, you need help. Don’t wait to take action. Hire a Pennsylvania brain injury lawyer and get the monetary compensation you need to rebuild your life.
What Causes Brain Injuries?
Traumatic brain injuries result from an unexpected event that damages the brain, such as a violent impact with a heavy object. For example, a severe motor vehicle accident, sports injury, gunshot wound, or a slip and fall accident may result in a brain injury.
Brain injuries also result from medical incidents that reduce the oxygen level in the blood. For example, a stroke, brain infection, or cancer may lead to a brain injury.
If your brain injury was sustained as a result of an accident or caused by the negligent actions of others, The Cochran Firm could help. Contact our team of brain injury lawyers in Philadelphia for the assistance you need.
What Are The Symptoms of A Brain Injury?
Symptoms of a brain injury vary from individual to individual. The symptoms depend on the area of the brain affected, as well as the severity of the damage.
Mild traumatic brain injuries cause the following symptoms:
- Headaches
- Nausea or vomiting
- General tiredness and fatigue
- Difficulties with speech
- Dizziness or trouble balancing
- Blurred vision, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth
- Difficulty with memory or concentration
- Mood changes
- Depression and anxiety.
Individuals suffering from a severe brain injury may experience additional symptoms, including:
- Loss of consciousness for several minutes or hours
- A persistent, ongoing headache
- Seizures
- Dilated pupils
- Challenges awakening from sleep
- Weakness in the fingers and toes
- Severe mood swings and anger
- Difficulty finding the right words to identify objects or people
- Mumbling or mispronouncing common words.
Anyone who has recently sustained a head injury and experiences any combination of the above symptoms should seek help from a doctor immediately. Delaying treatment can result in additional brain damage that may be even more difficult to overcome.
Individuals concerned about medical costs for treating their injury must realize that damage may worsen. It’s best to visit the hospital and undergo the appropriate tests to understand the extent of the damage. A brain injury attorney can help you obtain the compensation you need to repay medical bills and cover your regular expenses while you recover from your injuries.
Why Are Brain Injuries So Dangerous?
Philadelphia Brain Injury Lawyers Understand the Consequences You May Face
Some injuries are readily apparent. For example, a severe cut results in bleeding and may require stitches to stem the blood flow and encourage the skin to heal. A broken ankle prevents a person from walking, so they’ll need a doctor to reposition the bones and apply a cast to the injury. If you believe your injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, it’s important to consult with a personal injury lawyer.
However, brain injuries aren’t always evident at the time of an accident. Individuals who sustain a brain injury due to a motor vehicle accident often experience a surge of adrenaline, which the body produces in excess after an accident. The adrenaline in the body reduces a person’s ability to recognize pain or differences in their average level of functioning.
Symptoms from a brain injury usually take a few days to appear. It’s normal to be tired following a car accident, but within a few days, the body should recover. Problems arise when it doesn’t, and signs of a more severe injury appear — like difficulty concentrating or persistent headaches.
Brain injuries left to their own devices can worsen. Your symptoms will likely increase, especially if you neglect your condition. Take care of yourself, especially after an accident. While your brain injury may not be visibly noticeable, symptoms can overpower your ability to work, manage relationships, and perform everyday activities.
Due to the nature of brain injuries, close family and friends are usually the first to notice that something is “off” in your daily functioning. Take heed if you’ve been in an accident and someone close to you comments that your behavior or actions are different than usual.
Visit a hospital and tell the doctor about the accident. The doctor will likely perform an MRI or CAT scan to determine whether you have internal brain injuries. Your physician may order other tests as well.
If you’re unsure what to do next, contacting a brain injury lawyer in Philadelphia is always a good idea. At The Cochran Firm, we work with personal injury victims every day. We can recommend steps following your accident and guide you to a medical professional if you are unsure who to see.
Sometimes having someone to help you navigate your next steps is tremendously beneficial, especially if you are at a loss.
How Do Brain Injuries Affect Children?
Adults aren’t the only ones who can sustain a brain injury. Infants and children may also experience a brain injury. Infants may experience a loss of oxygen, especially during childbirth. Accidental falls can also impact the health of their brain.
Older children who participate in sports may sustain a head injury during regular practice or at a game. Signs of a brain injury in children include:
- Change in eating or nursing habits
- Easily irritable
- Persistent crying
- Difficulty paying attention
- Sleep habit changes
- Seizures
- Depression
- Loss of interest in activities.
If you know your child has recently experienced an injury that resulted in a blow to the head, watch them carefully for changes in their behavior. If you notice any of these symptoms, see a pediatrician right away.
What Happens to People with Untreated Brain Injuries?
Individuals who don’t seek treatment for a brain injury increase their risk for future brain damage. Their symptoms may worsen, and their ability to focus, remember important facts, and sustain relationships may decline. Any future accidents that impact the brain can pile onto pre-existing injuries, worsening them and requiring additional time to heal.
Refusing to seek treatment for a brain injury also financially impacts your ability to recover from the accident. If you don’t take your condition seriously and seek help, it may affect your case and the capacity of your brain injury lawyer to get you the compensation you deserve.
The brain injury lawyers in Philadelphia at The Cochran Firm are available to assist you with your case. Contact our team at 800-969-4400 for a free consultation.
How Long Do I Have to File A Brain Injury Lawsuit in Pennsylvania?
Time Is of the Essence in a Brain Injury Case
Each state has a statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits. Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years following the initial accident date.
While you have some time to file your claim, remember that a lawyer will need to assemble the facts of your case before filing a lawsuit. Case assembly involves obtaining medical evidence, speaking with medical experts, investigating the accident, and other matters.
If your injury resulted from a motor vehicle accident, they might need to talk with your Philadelphia car accident lawyer.
It’s not uncommon for individuals to forget essential facts about their accident as time passes. Thus, it’s best to seek legal counsel from a brain injury lawyer in Philadelphia as quickly as possible for the best results. You don’t want to reduce your chances of a fair settlement or court verdict due to waiting too long to contact a brain injury lawyer.
What Type of Compensation is Possible in A Brain Injury Lawsuit?
Three main types of damages are possible in a brain injury lawsuit. They include economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the most common types of compensation awarded by a court. They are easily measurable by a brain injury lawyer and presented to the defendant when pursuing a lawsuit. Economic damages include:
- Medical bills, such as hospitalization, lab services, ambulatory costs, and medications
- Estimated expenses for future medical treatments, therapies, and medication
- Loss of wages due to time spent away from work to recover from injuries
- Lost earning capacity due to reduced ability to work at standard capacity
- Household services for activities such as cleaning and caring for children.
Your brain injury lawyer in Philadelphia can determine what economic damages apply to your case.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are not easily measurable. They relate to non-monetary losses sustained by the victim as a result of the negligent actions of others. Common types of non-economic damages include:
- Mental pain and anguish
- Long-term disability or disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium or parental guidance
- Reduction in a person’s quality of life.
Non-economic damages are more likely in severe cases of traumatic brain injury caused by accidents. A Pennsylvania brain injury attorney determines if your case warrants non-economic damages.
Punitive Damages
A court or judge must award punitive damages. Punitive damages punish a person or entity for severe negligence cases. The purpose of punitive damages is to discourage similar future actions by the defendant or others. If your case goes to trial, brain injury lawyers in Pennsylvania can request punitive damages.
