Brain Injuries Attorney in Newark, New Jersey

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is damage to the brain caused by external physical forces such as those that occur in a car crash or a fall from a height. A person can suffer a traumatic brain injury without losing consciousness, though the loss of consciousness after head trauma is a key warning sign of a potential TBI. Experiencing whiplash can also cause TBIs. Common types of brain injuries include:

• Concussion
• Edema
• Diffuse Axonal Injury
• Hematoma
• Skull Fracture
• Hemorrhage
• Hypoxic/Anoxic Brain Injury
• Stroke

Both minor accidents and severe head trauma can impair physical and cognitive functions or put the victim in a coma. Knowing the signs and symptoms of head injuries is key to diagnosing and treating them as soon as possible. Here are some common symptoms of brain injuries:

• Dizziness
• Memory loss
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Changes in vision or hearing
• Sleep problems
• Slurred speech, loss of words
• Emotional changes, depression, etc.

When a doctor diagnoses you with a brain injury after an accident, it's essential to be completely honest with your doctor about your physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. Continue with your follow-up care plan and obtain comprehensive medical reports for your injury claim. While a minor brain injury can heal in weeks, it will likely lead to chronic post-concussive syndrome. Some (even purportedly minor) brain injuries take months or years to recover from.

The nature of brain injuries means that there is no short-term remedy. Even if you decide to take legal action soon after suffering a brain injury, it is impossible to know the extent of your injuries so soon after the event. There's no quick and easy way to resolve a brain injury claim. It takes months of documenting and treating your injury to understand your damages fully.

One of the best ways to establish your brain injury is to work with a team of experts. Your treating doctor will connect you with someone who has years of education, training, and experience in diagnosing and treating brain injuries. Insurers have a harder time arguing with an expert opinion, and jurors take an expert's testimony seriously.

Just because your loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury and is incapacitated doesn't mean you can automatically file an injury claim on their behalf. Several legal mechanisms will allow you to do this, though. If your loved one has legally appointed you to manage their affairs, you can file a personal injury claim for them. Otherwise, you can petition in court to appoint yourself as their guardian; therefore, you can handle their legal matters.

In pursuing a lawsuit after suffering a traumatic brain injury, individuals may be able to recoup compensation for both out-of-pocket economic damages and non-economic damages based on a decreased quality of life. Specific types of recoverable damages include:

• Medical Bills
• Physical therapy and medical specialists
• Lost Wages
• Pain and Suffering
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life (known as "hedonic" damages)
• Punitive Damages

If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, you probably feel overwhelmed-emotionally, physically, and financially. At Maran & Maran PC, I have the resources necessary to help your unique situation. I proudly serve clients in Newark, Warren County, Sussex, Passaic, Essex County, Somerset, Hunterdon, Mercer, and Monmouth counties, including Northern New Jersey. Contact my office today for a consultation.