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Traumatic Brain Injury or TBI can vary greatly depending on what injuries occurred to create the condition. Simply put, a TBI is an injury to the brain due to a sharp blow or bump to the head. Blunt force trauma or penetrating trauma can also cause a TBI.

The brain can crash back and forth in the skull, and this can result in bleeding, bruising, or sheering of nerve fibers in the brain called axons. The brain typically swells due to the abovementioned symptoms, leading to further problems.

Are All TBIs the Same?

TBI is divided into three main categories; mild, moderate, and severe. A secondary type is if the TBI causes a persistent vegetative state. Below we will briefly discuss the three main categories and what they involve.

Mild TBI can includes fatigue or drowsiness, headache, vomiting, dizziness, difficulty sleeping or sleeping more than usual, mood changes or abrupt mood swings, ringing in the ear, blurred vision, and more.

Moderate to severe TBI typically include loss of consciousness for several minutes to hours, convulsions or seizures, loss of coordination, slurred speech, persistent or worsening headache, confusion, numbness, and more. It can be complicated for doctors to predict the full extent of the injuries to the brain and what symptoms may present over time due to the brain being the most critical and complex system in the human body.

What are the Different Types of TBI?

There are several different types of TBI. We will briefly summarize several of them below.

Concussions are the most common type of TBI. Sports injuries, falls, car accidents and more are all common ways a concussion can occur. When your head is slammed against a strong force like the ground or a windshield, it can result in a concussion.

Brain hemorrhages occur when uncontrolled bleeding occurs in the brain, either within the brain tissue or on the surface. Because these are typically in a specific area of the brain, they tend to be less severe but can still cause death if not treated quickly.

Penetrating Brain Injury is what it sounds like and involves something penetrating the skull and piercing the brain. This can be things like a bullet, a nail, pieces of the individual’s skull, and more.

Second Impact Syndrome occurs when an individual has endured a second injury to the brain shortly after the first one. The second injury typically causes more damage than the first as the brain struggles to heal and is wounded again. Multiple concussions, for example, can create Second Impact Syndrome or recurrent TBI.

Diffuse Axonal Injury or DAI is one of the most severe types of TBI. They can result when the brain is twisted or shaken in the skull, leading to axonal shearing, disrupting the messages that neurons send. This can result in severe loss of function or even death.

Should I Consult an Attorney?

TBI is tough to deal with for anyone, and handling it alone may be intolerable to some. If you or a loved one has experienced a TBI and you want to learn more about your options, contact our office at (608) 448-6242. You may be entitled to compensation to help recover some of the medical costs or lost time at work while you or your loved one heals. We have multiple years of helping clients determine their options based on their specific situations, and we can also help you.

Wisconsin, similar to several other states, is not a no-fault state. Wisconsin residents involved in car accidents and found to be at fault for the accident are responsible for the costs incurred by the other parties involved. Suppose it can be proven that the other party was legally responsible or at fault for the accident. In that case, they will generally be required to compensate you for expenses such as medical expenses, the cost to fix your vehicle damage, and more.

What are Common Damages Sought in Car Accident Cases?

Some apparent expenses such as covering medical costs are typically pursued in car accident cases. Medical bills can pile up fast and cause significant financial strain to you and your family after an accident. Ongoing physical therapy or other medical costs may continue long after the accident and can be included in the total compensation you require.

Lost wages are another common topic that is included in car accident cases. If you missed work due to receiving medical attention after your accident, such as surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and more, you likely missed significant time at work and the income associated with that time.

Some of the less apparent forms of damage come in the form of emotional suffering experienced as a result of a car accident. Fear, anxiety, and depression can take a toll on an individual based on the circumstances surrounding their accident. They may also experience a loss of enjoyment in activities they once loved to do, such as attending sporting events or concerts. An estimate of the monetary value for these issues can be added to the total compensation that an individual can pursue.

How is Fault Negligence Established?

Fault can be established in several ways. Negligence is pivotal in personal injury cases, so establishing it can make or break your options for filing a claim.

Some of the most common ways are through investigations or recreations of the accident scene. Interviews with eyewitnesses are also essential. If there are pictures or video footage of the accident, this can be incredibly beneficial to establishing fault or negligence.

Why Work With an Attorney?

Car accident cases can become complex for many reasons. You may have to negotiate with multiple insurance companies, try to establish fault or negligence, and more, all while recovering from your injuries. By working with an experienced attorney, they can provide peace of mind by working on your case while you focus on your health. They can take over the reins, handle communication and negotiations with insurance companies and other parties involved in the accident, gather evidence to prove negligence, and more.

Our team of personal injury attorneys has worked with countless families to help them achieve the justice they deserve after an accident. Contact our office at (608) 448-6242 to learn more about how we can best assist you.

Product liability refers to holding those all along the manufacturing chain accountable for products. This includes everyone from the manufacturer themselves to the wholesaler, to the store owner, and more.

Suppose an individual was injured due to their use of a particular product, and it can be proven that the product was defective and therefore caused the injury. In that case, they can be eligible for a product liability case.

Are All Product Liability Cases the Same?

Briefly discussed below, product liability can be broken down into three main categories.

Design defects are the first category and can be defined as inherent errors in the product’s design. The product itself may have been manufactured to standards, but the design was flawed and caused an injury.

An example of a design defect can be a pressure cooker that a reasonable person was operating and burned himself because it was not built into the design to have an automatic shut-off when the lid was raised and the individual burned himself.

Manufacturing defects cover the process during the initial creation of the product. If a product was manufactured defectively and led to an injury, the individual may be eligible for damages.

Examples include a product with an auto shut-off mechanism when you raise a lid or move a part of the machine. If the shut-off mechanism failed and the person injured their arm or hand due to the device failing to shut off, this can be a manufacturer error.

Defects in marketing are the third category. This includes the manufacturer’s duty to provide adequate warning signs for safety hazards or instructions on how to use the product. If it can be proven that inadequate safety instructions led to a reasonable person injuring themselves with the inadequately labeled product, they may be entitled to compensation.

An example of defects in marketing can be medicine that can cause issues if taken along with other medications. If an individual became incredibly sick because they weren’t aware taking medicine alongside another substance could create a problem, this might be considered defective marketing.

What Should I Do if I Feel Like I Have a Product Liability Claim?

Seek medical attention and discuss any concerns with a physician. Just because an injury isn’t apparent from the beginning doesn’t mean there aren’t underlying issues that could arise.

Document your symptoms thoroughly so that you don’t have to look back and try to recall what changes have occurred since the injury. Gather all documentation such as medical records, pictures of injuries, a personal account of what happened, and more.

Should I Consult An Attorney?

Product liability cases can quickly become complex. There are several “built-in” defenses that companies have come up with in the past to avoid compensating victims for their injuries. An experienced injury attorney will have invaluable insight into what steps to take based on your specific situation. Contact our office at (608) 448-6242 to learn more about how we can best assist you.

It can be overwhelming to deal with injuries at any age. What makes the injuries even more troublesome is if you weren’t at fault for getting hurt and now are left with mounting medical bills and missed time at work to heal.

Personal injury claims allow you to attempt to obtain compensation for the medical bills, the wages lost while handling your injuries, and more.

What Are Some of the First Steps I Should Take?

After any injury, it is crucial to seek medical attention. There are common cases where an individual chose not to seek medical attention, thinking that their injuries weren’t severe, and later found out that though there weren’t apparent injuries, there were complications they weren’t aware of, such as a concussion that lets to traumatic brain injury or other examples. After an accident, having a physician thoroughly examine you and discuss your concerns is incredibly important.

Begin to gather documentation. This can involve pictures of the accident scene, contact information from the other parties involved, eyewitness statements, and more. A police report and medical record are also essential to have on hand.

Consider hiring an attorney. It can feel like an easy task to handle a personal injury case. Still, without the experience of helping several families, you may overlook details that could result in significant changes in what compensation you are eligible for. Experienced attorneys can help you document details you hadn’t yet thought of, negotiate with the other parties and their insurance companies, establish negligence which is crucial to obtaining compensation, and more.

What Damages Can I File For?

The obvious damages such as your medical bills or property damage come to mind quickly for those who have experienced a personal injury. It can feel overwhelming to deal with the financial strain that a personal injury can leave you in. What some don’t often realize is that you may be eligible for several other compensation aspects.

Emotional pain and suffering and other non-tangible issues can also be factored into the compensation you request. Do you no longer find happiness in the same activities you once engaged in due to your injuries? Sporting events, concerts, and more? These things can be included with an estimated monetary value and requested as damages.

Have you experienced injuries that have left you unable to perform your work tasks the same as you once had? That can be referred to as diminished earning capacity, and the amount (the difference between what you once made and what you can make now) can be calculated and factored into what you request compensation for.

Were you partially at fault for the injuries, so you feel that you wouldn’t have a valid claim? If it is found that you aren’t at least 50% or more at fault for the injuries you sustained, you can still be compensated.

Why Hire an Attorney?

As you can see, there are many details you may not have thought of after your injuries. It’s not something we are taught in school or in our society. That is what well-trained attorneys are here to help you with. Contact our office at (608) 448-6242 to get your specific questions answered and learn more about how we can help you.