Brain Injury Lawyer in Houston

In an instant, a brain injury can forever change your life. A brain injury can take away the activities that you treasure, force you to quit work, and leave you with massive medical bills. If you or a loved one are suffering from a traumatic brain injury and need help fighting for compensation because of what happened, it is essential to have an experienced Houston brain injury lawyer on your side.

At The Callahan Law Firm, our personal injury lawyers have decades of experience representing clients who have suffered head injuries. We understand how a traumatic brain injury affects a person’s life as well as the lives of those around them, which can take away the job you once worked, the activities you enjoyed, and the lifestyle you once had. We know how much your loss means to you, and we are here to help.

If you or a loved one have experienced a head injury or a traumatic brain injury, contact our Houston brain injury lawyers for a free case review. Call us or contact us online today.

When Should You File a Personal Injury Claim After a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Before filing a personal injury claim because of a head injury, you will need many different types of documentation. The documents include accident reports, accident investigation material including photographs and witness statements, medical records, and rehabilitation assessments of how the injury has changed your life.

Too often, those suffering from a traumatic brain injury experience, confusion, forgetfulness, and other memory problems which makes it very difficult to manage activities of daily living, much less gather the information and documents needed to pursue a claim. An experienced brain injury lawyer in Houston can help you understand what you will need. It is important to retain an attorney that can help you gather those documents and guide you and your claim from start to finish.

Common Causes of Brain Injuries in Houston

A brain injury can happen in any type of accident. Common causes of brain injuries include:

• The head impacting objects – In car, truck, and motorcycle accidents, people are often traveling at high speeds. A collision with another vehicle or object can cause drivers and passengers to strike their heads on the dashboard, steering wheel, windows, roof, and other parts of the vehicle. Motorcycle riders may be thrown to the ground or into structures near the road. These sudden strong impacts can cause lasting brain and spinal cord injuries.
• Lack of oxygen – Oxygen deprivation could happen in any situation where an accident results in someone being unable to breathe. Common accidents where these types of injuries occur are boat accidents and offshore accidents. When a person is underwater too long and without oxygen, the brain suffers damage that can be permanent and debilitating.
• Workplace accidents – A brain injury can often result from a workplace accident. Workplaces such as refineries, chemical plants, factories, warehouses, and oil fields can be dangerous places with falling objects and many other threats to safety. Heavy equipment such as forklifts, tools, and other workplace objects can strike an individual and cause a traumatic brain injury. In addition, individuals working in elevated workspaces can fall from heights, causing serious injury.

Compensation for a Traumatic Brain Injury

A traumatic brain injury can leave you with large medical bills, lost wages, and many other financial burdens. As part of a head injury claim, you may be able to seek compensation for these types of damages:

• Medical bills – A head injury can leave you with piles of medical bills and the need for long-term care. An attorney can help you get compensation and coverage for these costs.
• Pain and suffering – Not all injuries are physical. Pain, suffering, and emotional distress are very real effects for a person who has sustained a traumatic brain injury. An attorney can help you get compensation for these damages.
• Lost wages and future earnings – Head injuries can take you out of work and take away your ability to return to work and earn a living. An attorney can help you recover damages for lost earnings in the past and loss of earnings in the future that result from the injury.
• Funeral costs – A sad fact of traumatic brain injury is that it can take the life of those we hold dear. If a loved one suffers a head injury and dies because of that injury, funeral bills, lost income, and other damages can be included in a claim.

How Long Do You Have to File a Brain Injury Claim After an Accident in Houston?

The amount of time you have to file a personal injury claim will depend on your case’s unique circumstances. However, according to Section 16.003 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, a person who suffers an injury must bring a suit within two years of the date of the injury. This date can change in certain circumstances, including if the injury happens to a minor. Either way, it is critical to consult with a lawyer to understand the time limits that apply to your claim.

A lawsuit is a lot of work, and every step must be done right. Before you file a lawsuit, make sure you have an experienced brain injury lawyer in Houston on your side.

Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury

The brain is a complex organ, and if you suspect you or a loved one have suffered a head injury, it is vital to get a medical evaluation as soon as possible.

Common symptoms of a head injury include:

Treatment for a Traumatic Brain Injury

When doctors are treating traumatic brain injuries, they need to act quickly. A serious head injury may require these medical treatments:

• Surgery – After a severe head injury, doctors may need to operate on the injured victim’s brain. This may include fixing skull fractures or more invasive procedures, such as removing blood clots or stopping bleeding within the brain. These procedures are very serious operations that require specialized skills, and advanced medical technologies. Even with the best surgeons and the best medical care, doctors may only be able to repair part of the damage. Many people who suffer head injuries face a long road to recovery and will likely never be the same.
• Medications – Doctors use many medications to treat brain injuries. These range from medications that can help fight fluid build-up in the brain to pain medications or medications to help prevent seizures. Every brain injury is unique, and experienced doctors will use all the medications at their disposal to help patients.
• Therapy – One of the most effective methods of treating traumatic brain injuries is neuropsychological rehabilitation therapy also called cognitive rehabilitation therapy. This type of therapy does not cure the traumatic brain injury but can help both the victim and the victim’s family develop methods of dealing with the lasting impact of a traumatic brain injury. Physical and occupational therapy to relearn how to stand, walk, move extremities, and perform activities of daily living are also common for those who sustain a traumatic brain injury.

After the initial treatments following an injury, people who suffer head injuries often go through a lengthy recovery. In many cases, those who suffer a brain injury require long-term medical care, long-term rehabilitation with mental health professionals, and long-term physical therapy to help regain use of their limbs.

How a Brain Injury Can Alter Your Life

A traumatic brain injury can instantly change every facet of your life. You may lose the ability to work, make a living, or do the activities you love. People who suffer head injuries may also lose the ability to think or communicate clearly, have memory problems, as well as other permanent symptoms.

If a loved one suffers a head injury, it can negatively impact your relationship with them and may require you to permanently support and care for them.

Types of Traumatic Brain Injury

Common types of brain injuries include:

• Concussions – Concussions (also called mild traumatic brain injuries) are one of the most common types of head injuries. These typically occur when something strikes the head, or the head strikes something else. Symptoms include confusion, headaches, nausea, trouble communicating, and loss of consciousness.
• Bleeding – Contusions occur when the brain is bruised and bleeding. If the brain suffers an impact that causes it to bleed, it can lead to life-threatening problems.
• Hematomas – A brain bleed can lead to hematomas or clotted blood inside the brain. These clots can lead to further injury and be life-threatening.
• Fractures and skull damage – For many head injuries, it is common for the skull to be damaged. Doctors may need to repair the fracture or remove bone fragments from the brain. Doctors may remove parts of the skull during treatment.
• Diffuse axonal injury – This term addresses microscopic damage to the connections between the neurons in a person’s brain. With this type of injury, those connections can be partially damaged or completely severed. With a diffuse axonal injury, lesions can form in the brain leading to long-term symptoms of traumatic brain injury, swelling of the brain, and coma. Studies show that 90% of patients with severe diffuse axonal injury never regain consciousness, and those who do wake up often remain significantly impaired.

How Our Houston Brain Injury Lawyers Can Help You

A brain injury attorney can guide your claim from start to finish, helping you navigate the process. An attorney can gather the documents you need to support your claim, advise you on the law surrounding the injury, develop the liability and damages parts of the case, and fight for the recovery needed by you or a loved one.

If you or someone you love have suffered a head injury, contact the experienced Houston brain injury attorneys at The Callahan Law Firm today. With years of experience helping those who have suffered traumatic brain injuries, we know how to fight for you and maximize the financial recovery you deserve. Contact us for a free case evaluation today by reaching out online or by phone.