How,Attorney,Can,Help,Victims, law How an Attorney Can Help Victims of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Bankruptcy is a situation, wherein an individual is termed as unable to discharge all the debts. When a person or a company is not able to pay off its creditors, it has an obligation to file a bankruptcy suit. In fact, a bankruptcy suit is a When you work with an attorney, you will have no problem reducing the risks associated with getting your case in front of a judge and jury, or other formal court, when you need to. However, every case is different. It is important to work wi

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}According to current statistics fromthe Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 1.4 million Americans suffer atraumatic brain injury (TBI) each year. The majority of these injures areclosed head, or "mild" traumatic brain injuries, and mainly arecaused by falls, motor vehicle accidents and sport accidents.Closed head brain injuries can bedifficult for medical professionals to diagnose and treat and present specialevidentiary issues for attorneys. However, with the help of a skilled trialattorney experienced in handling these types of cases, TBI victims can receivethe medical treatment they need and recover the compensation they deserve fortheir injuries.Diagnosing Traumatic Brain InjuriesMany people who sustain closed headtraumatic brain injuries are not initially properly diagnosed. This happens fora number of reasons. First, the initial medical care received in the emergencyroom is often directed at any observable physical injuries the person may havefollowing a traumatic accident. ER doctors may not consider testing for brain injuries in patients who do not have an openhead wound or other obvious trauma to the head.Second, closed TBIs generally arenot apparent to the casual observer (or even medical professional) and requireadditional testing to diagnose. The symptoms of a TBI can be general enoughthat physicians mistake them for other conditions, like depression or anxietyattributed to the trauma of the accident. Some of these symptoms includeagitation, mood swings, insomnia, short-term memory loss and difficultyconcentrating.Lastly, even in cases when doctorsorder further diagnostic testing, including MRIs and CAT Scans, they still maymiss the diagnosis. Depending on the severity of the injury and the area of thebrain affected, the TBI still may not be detected by the most common types ofdiagnostic tests.The Lawyer's Role in Helping TBIVictimsThe lawyer's role in helping TBIvictims extends much further than simply helping them recover compensation fortheir injuries. The attorney also can help the victim receive a correctdiagnosis and the treatment they need for their injury.A personal injury lawyer experiencedin working with brain injured clients often will be able to recognize that theproblems plaguing the client are the result of a TBI and not some other medicalcondition. The attorney then can direct the client to the appropriate medicalprofessionals to obtain a proper diagnosis and begin a treatment regime.Generally, this will include the help of a neurologist or physiatrist (i.e.,rehabilitation physician) who has experience in working with TBI victims.The attorney, however, will not turncomplete control of the TBI victim's care over to the doctors. Instead, thelawyer will stay on top of the victim's medical treatment for the purposes ofproviding input regarding care alternatives and, even more importantly, makingsure that the right evidence is developed for the client's underlying legalclaim. In this way, the attorney works as the point person in directing thepatient's care and legal representation.Assembling a Team of ExpertWitnessesTBI legal claims require theextensive use of expert testimony to prove the extent of the injury and theinjury's relationship to the accident, or "causation." This requiresthe attorney to work closely with the victim's team of health care providersand other professionals to build a legal case for recovery.Some of these professionals include:Neurologists: physicians who specialize in treatment of nervous system disorders, including those affecting the brain. Responsible for making the initial diagnosis and immediate treatment of patient as well as directing further diagnostic testingPhysiatrists: rehabilitation physicians who are specialists in treating nerve, bone and muscle injuries. Their work focuses on renewing and restoring function. They work with the neurologist as point person directing further patient careNeuropsychologists: psychologists (PhDs) who have additional training in studying brain-behavior relationships. They can provide the best evidence of closed head injuries when these injuries do not present themselves in diagnostic testingNeuropsychiatrists: psychiatrists (M.D.s) with additional training in studying brain-behavior relationships. They help TBI victims handle the emotional components of their injuries, monitor the patient's progress and prescribe any necessary psychotropic drugs and other medications to help deal with the short-term and long-term effects of the injuryPhysicaltherapists: they help the patient restore motion and joint function, coordination and balanceCognitive rehabilitation therapists: they help patients develop compensatory strategiesThe attorney also may use theservices of other expert witnesses during the trial, including:Vocational rehabilitation specialistsOccupational therapistsEconomistsSpeech pathologistsSocial workersLife care plannersIn addition, the attorney willassemble various diagnostic tests for use as evidence of the brain injury attrial. These tests may include MRIs, PET Scans, Electroencephalograms,Electonystagmograms and others.ConclusionTraumatic brain injury cases present uniquechallenges for the individuals suffering from the injury and those trying tohelp the victims. By working with a trial attorney experienced in handlingthese cases, victims with even mild brain injuries can get the medicalattention they need and deserve. For more information on traumatic brain injury litigation, contact anexperienced attorney today. Article Tags: Traumatic Brain Injuries, Traumatic Brain, Brain Injuries, Brain Injury, Closed Head