When a person suffers a brain injury and works with a personal injury attorney, that attorney will look at a wealth of information to determine the financial damages their client has suffered. Keep reading to learn what those factors are, and then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
Brain Injuries Are an Expensive Issue
According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than two million brain injuries occur each year. They result in an average of around 100,000 deaths and half a million injuries serious enough to require hospital stays.
In total, the lifetime cost to society as a whole of these brain injuries is about $76 billion. That includes costs such as medical bills, lost wages, and social services – some of which are paid by taxpayers. There is no question that these are expensive injuries.
We Will Consider the Type of Head Injury
There are many types of head injury, and the type a person suffers from will have a significant impact on the long-term cost of the injury. A concussion is a brain injury that results from the head and brain being moved back and forth fast, such as in a case of whiplash. A coup/contrecoup injury refers to the brain moving forward at a high speed and then moving direction, which causes concussion in separate locations. These are just two examples of the types of head injuries a person might suffer from.
We Will Consider How Severe the Injury Was
While concussions are often discussed as “mild” brain injuries, they can be quite severe. There is a rating scale for brain injuries that begins at mild, goes to moderate, then severe, and then catastrophic. This is determined based on the damage done to the brain.
It cannot always be simple to see the extent of the damage right away, and a seemingly mild brain injury can eventually be classified differently. As a result, we cannot make decisions about damages based only on what has already occurred with the brain injury – we must also consider the likelihood that the damage will become more severe.
We Will Look at the Actual Losses
We will have to look at the past and estimated future losses, such as medical bills, lost income, loss of enjoyment in life, and necessary improvements to your property. We will also consider future medical costs likely associated with your injury.
If you have suffered a brain injury due to someone else acting negligently, then we advise you to contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 to request a free legal consultation at your convenience.
