Car accidents are one of the leading causes of personal injury in the United States. While some people are fortunate to walk away from a car accident with minor injuries, the results for others are catastrophic.
Few injuries have more of an impact on a person’s life than a brain injury. A brain injury can compromise a person’s cognitive, behavioral, and physical abilities, and can result in the need for lifelong medical care. If another person or party is at fault for the accident that caused the brain injury, victims may be due financial compensation for a wide range of losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Those involved in car accidents resulting in brain injuries should work with the San Francisco, CA attorneys at Bowles & Verna LLP to protect their legal rights.
Risk of Head Trauma in a Car Accident
The risk of head trauma, or brain injury, after a car accident is high. In fact, over half of recorded brain injuries are linked to car accidents.
The reason this risk is so high is that car accidents often involve a significant impact. When a vehicle strikes another car or object, the force can cause passengers within the car to be jerked or thrown around.
A car accident can drivers or passengers to strike their head, possibly against the windshield or steering wheel. However, even if the head doesn’t get hit, the force of an accident can still lead to a brain injury. If the body is jolted significantly enough, it is possible for the brain to slam against the skull. This can lead to internal brain injuries, such as bleeding and swelling.
Seeking Medical Treatment
It is vital that patients seek medical treatment after a car accident. In the case of a brain injury, early treatment can be key to avoiding long-term damage. The head does not have to strike another object in order for injuries to develop, so even if there is no obvious wound or trauma, the accident victim should still be examined.
If a brain injury is present, medical records also play an important role in obtaining the compensation the injury victim may be due for current and future medical expenses.
Compensation for Damages
When people are injured in a car accident that was caused by the reckless or negligent actions of another driver, they have a right to seek financial compensation for their losses. Brain injuries can result in serious changes in a person’s cognitive processes, their emotional health, and their physical abilities.
It can take extensive medical treatment (which is likely to include rehabilitation and therapy) to restore a person’s health after a brain injury. In some cases, the effects of a brain injury may be lifelong.
It is important that injury victims receive enough compensation to cover the costs of all necessary medical treatment (present and future), as well as the loss of wages (or the loss of wage earning potential), and restitution for their pain and suffering. Our attorneys work hard on each case to ensure that clients are rewarded to the maximum extent of the law.
Contact Us
If you have been involved in a car accident and are suffering from a brain injury as a result, you should contact the experienced attorneys at Bowles & Verna, LLP to learn more about your legal rights. Call us at (925) 935-3300 to discuss the details of your case and find out how we can help you get the compensation you are due for damages.