Did you suffer a brain injury? Was it due to the negligent actions of a person, business, or another party? If so, you need the help of an experienced and dedicated legal team. The Washington personal injury attorneys of Tamaki Law might be able to represent you and pursue the compensation you need to recover.
Brain injuries can be severe and cause lifelong medical problems. Even if you heal, you could end up with expensive medical bills. Most people can’t afford ongoing medical treatment and other costs following an accident. This significant financial burden can lead to debt.
At Tamaki Law, our Washington brain injury attorneys understand the traumatic experience you’ve been through and might be able to help you in your fight for justice. You shouldn’t go into debt when you’re trying to recover from your injuries. We will be your advocate and pursue the maximum compensation you deserve from the at-fault party. Call us at (800) 801-9564 to learn more about our legal services.
What Is a Brain Injury?
A brain injury is an injury that causes damage to the brain cells. The two main types are:
- Acquired brain injury – An internal factor affects the functioning of the brain.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) – An external force causes the brain to move around in the skull or causes skull damage, which, in turn, damages the brain.
Different types of TBI can occur depending on the circumstances of the accident or traumatic event.
Primary Injuries
A primary injury happens during a traumatic incident or accident. Varying types can result, such as:
- Skull fracture – A traumatic event disrupts the skull. It can lead to leaking spinal fluid, bleeding, and pressure.
- Intracranial hematoma – A bursting blood vessel causes blood to collect in empty spaces or brain tissue.
- Diffuse axonal injury – A rotational force or violent stopping can twist or tear the connections between brain cells.
- Contusions – The brain tissue becomes bruised, typically from the head violently jolting side to side or forward and backward.
Secondary Injuries
A secondary injury immediately causes metabolic and physiological changes. However, these changes can continue for hours or even days. Common types of secondary injuries are:
- Cerebral edema – This happens when the brain swells, putting pressure on the skull.
- Ischemia – This is a medical condition of the brain that causes insufficient blood flow.
- Hypoxia and hypotension – Hypoxia occurs when the brain doesn’t get adequate oxygen. Hypotension creates negative pressure in the brain cavity.
- Hydrocephalus – This is the result of excess fluid buildup in the brain.
Tamaki Law understands the limitations of a brain injury. Many people can’t return to work or care for their families. Some become disabled and must rely on other people to perform routine tasks, such as driving or getting dressed. If you continue to incur medical expenses long after your case is over, you should have financial compensation to cover those future medical bills. This accident wasn’t your fault, and you shouldn’t suffer the financial consequences.
Common Brain Injury Symptoms
Brain injuries can lead to various symptoms that range in severity. If left untreated, physical impairment, disability, or death could occur. In 2019, there were 61,000 fatalities in the United States from traumatic brain injuries.
It’s critical that you pay attention to any unusual changes to your mood, cognitive function, or physical abilities. Seeking immediate medical treatment could prevent permanent damage.
The most common symptoms that could indicate a brain injury are:
- Anxiety
- Balance issues
- Blurry vision
- Difficulty thinking or concentrating
- Sleeping more or less than usual
- Dizziness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headaches
- Light or noise sensitivity
- Decreased or lack of energy
- Irritability
Severe brain injuries that don’t heal can lead to physical or mental disabilities. Your brain function might never return to normal, especially if you don’t see a doctor. The person responsible for the accident should be held liable for their misconduct and be forced to provide the financial award you need to compensate for your losses.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries
A brain injury can happen to anyone in any situation. You could end up in a car crash or hit your head after falling on someone’s property. The violent jolt or blow to your brain can damage your brain cells, tissue, and other structures. Sometimes, symptoms start immediately after the accident. Other times, you don’t notice any problems until days later.
The most common causes of brain injuries include:
- Dangerous drugs
- Assault
- Construction accidents
- Nursing home abuse
- Medical malpractice
- Falling objects
- Slip/trip and fall
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Defective products
If another person or business was at fault, Tamaki Law might be able to help you seek the maximum available compensation. We can investigate the cause of your injury and determine who should be financially responsible for your resulting medical treatment and other expenses.
Compensation You Could Pursue in a Personal Injury Case
It’s entirely possible to secure a significant monetary award for the losses you suffered. Even if your brain injury was minor and didn’t require much medical treatment, you still deserve compensation for the impact the accident had on your life.
Tamaki Law will review the factors associated with the injury you sustained to determine whether we should file an insurance claim or lawsuit. Different circumstances might require different legal strategies.
For example, if you were in a car accident, we could file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. If a doctor’s error caused your injury during surgery, we could file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
The compensation you pursue could compensate you for the losses suffered from the injury, such as:
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Lost future earnings
- Medical costs
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
The Washington brain injury attorneys of Tamaki Law can review all associated factors to calculate the value of your case. It’s our job to ensure you receive a monetary award that covers your past and future losses, so you’re not left with any medical bills or other expenses to pay for yourself.
How to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
If you lost someone in an accident that caused a fatal brain injury, you could file a wrongful death lawsuit if you’re one of these eligible individuals:
- The personal representative of your family member’s estate
- A surviving spouse or state-registered domestic partner
- A surviving child or stepchild
Parents of children under 18 years old may also be allowed to pursue a wrongful death case as long as both parents regularly supported that child.
If the deceased didn’t have a surviving spouse, domestic partner, child, or stepchild, a parent, brother, or sister could file the lawsuit.
There is a strict timeframe you must follow if you want to sue someone for your loved one’s death. This is called a statute of limitations. Washington requires you to file your lawsuit within three years of the date your loved one died from their brain injury. If the deadline passes and you try to file suit anyway, the court will probably dismiss your case.
You can pursue compensation for various losses depending on your relationship with the deceased. For example, the estate’s personal representative can’t seek loss of companionship, but a surviving spouse or domestic partner could.
The available losses in a wrongful death case are:
- Loss of companionship, care, or another intangible benefit provided by the deceased
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Cost of personal property damaged in the accident
- Pain and suffering experienced by the deceased before death
- Medical bills associated with the fatal brain injury
- Lost income and wages the deceased could have earned if they were still alive
Tamaki Law knows how traumatic the death of a loved one can be. It can cause emotional pain and financial struggles as you’re trying to pay for final medical bills and plan a funeral. Those expenses should be the negligent party’s responsibility. We will explore all legal options and determine the strategy we believe would be best to meet your needs.
Contact Tamaki Law Today
The Washington brain injury attorneys of Tamaki Law have over 100 years of combined experience handling personal injury cases. We’ve been representing accident victims since 1994 and set multiple settlement records in the state. We use our knowledge and resources to pursue the maximum compensation you’re owed, so you’re not forced to pay for anything out of pocket.
When you hire Tamaki Law, our legal team will thoroughly review the details of the accident to develop a plan that can achieve your goals. We will tirelessly work to reach a favorable outcome in your case so you can recover from your injuries and move forward with your life. You can depend on us to be your advocate and fight by your side until the end.
Do not hesitate to reach out to one of our Washington brain injury attorneys if a negligent or careless party caused your injuries. We can meet with you for a free consultation at one of our three office locations to discuss your case and advise you about your legal options. We take most cases on contingency, so you don’t have to worry about upfront legal fees or costs. Call us now at (800) 801-9564.