A brain injury is not only painful, it can also cause memory loss, change the victim’s personality, and make it difficult for the victim to hold a job and get along with family and friends. Sadly, most brain injuries are preventable as common causes of a brain injury include car accidents, falls, criminal assaults, and other preventable incidents. Victims of negligence, recklessness and intentional acts who sustain brain injuries find themselves with serious health challenges as well as financial problems due to considerable medical bills and decreased income. If you suffered a injury to the brain because of the actions of another person, you may be entitled to recompense for your losses such as your expenses. However, it is critical that you are represented by a New York brain injury lawyer who has the skill, knowledge, and resources to vigorously fight for your legal rights.
Common causes of a brain injuryThere are a variety of ways that victims suffer brain injury. Any time that the head suffers a violent blow or jolt, any time that something falls on the head, or any time that something penetrates the skull there is a risk of a brain injury. In addition, if the brain is deprived of oxygen brain damage is a likely result. Common causes of a brain injury include:
Falls. Falls are the leading cause of brain injuries. In some cases the victim falls from a height, while in other cases the victim slips and falls on water, ice, or some other substance. In other cases the victim hits his (or her) head on a table, counter, or some other hard surface on the way down.
Vehicle accidents. Car, SUV, and truck accidents are the second leading cause of brain injuries. The risk of a brain injury in a vehicle accident increases significantly if the vehicle rolls over since the roof may collapse leaving the occupants susceptible to serious head and brain injuries.
Assaults. Criminal assaults are one of the top causes of a variety of brain injuries. For example, victims who are struck in the head with an object or with a first are at risk for concussions and skull fractures. Victims who are thrown to the ground are also at risk for concussions, skull fractures, and hematomas from the head striking the hard surface. Victims who are shot or stabbed in the head are at risk of sustaining and open head injury. In addition, victims of strangulation or suffocation may sustain brain damage due to lack of oxygen to the brain.
Sports. Sports and recreational activities that involve violent contact, or where participants are at risk of falling, are also a common cause of brain injuries. Concussions are frequent in football, despite the fact that helmets are worn. Gymnastics and horseback riding are also sports where there are accidents that result in head injuries.
Stuck by object. When an object that falls from or a height or that flies through the air and hits a victim on the head, the result can be a concussion, contusion, or open head injury.
Birth injury. Babies are sometimes born with brain damage due to a lack of oxygen during labor and delivery. With proper monitoring the medical staff should understand when a baby is in distress and take immediate action to treat the situation. This may mean delivering the baby via emergency c-section.
Pursuing compensationBrain injuries sustained in car accidents, falls, and other accidents can be life-threatening. Treatment may include hospitalization, surgery, therapy, and long-term care. Medical bills can quickly pile up, putting the entire family into financial jeopardy. Victims often worry about how they are going to pay their medical bills, and sometimes consider forgoing treatment simply because they cannot afford it. The New York attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates want you to know that there may be resources for you so that you will be able to afford to pay your medical bills and keep up with your other family expenses. Based on the specific facts of your case, we will pursue all appropriate sources of compensation such as a personal injury claim against the person who caused your brain injury, a workers’ compensation claim if your accident occurred at work, and Social Security disability if your injury is long-term.
Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates can helpAny type of injury to the brain is dangerous and life-threatening. Immediate treatment is critical to ensure that your injury does not worsen. But treatment is costly. An experienced attorney serving injured victims in New York will help you pursue compensation go ensure that you have the financial resources to get the medical treatment that you need. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates has successfully represented clients who suffering serious injuries sustained in car accidents, falls, and workplace accidents. Contact an attorney at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.