Milwaukee Personal Injury Lawyer

A good Milwaukee personal injury lawyer knows that brain injuries are incredibly common, in fact there are 7.1 million deaths and hospital visits due to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) every year in the United States. There is a common misconception that just because you didn’t experience a heavy blow to the head that you aren’t a victim of a brain injury. This is not the case as there are plenty of examples of brain injuries, depending on what happened.

With this in mind, if you have been a victim of a brain injury, it is always a good idea to speak with a personal injury lawyer in Milwaukee to ensure your rights are protected. Brain injuries can be quite complex, so we have created a guide to personal injury and how it relates to TBIs.

What Exactly Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

A TBI is defined as any injury that impacts the head. There are two different categories of TBIs, closed and open. An open injury is when a foreign object strikes the head, fractures the skull, and enters the brain. A closed injury is when there has been blunt force trauma to the head, but there is no open wound. While many people think an open injury is more harmful to the victim, a Milwaukee personal injury lawyer knows that a closed injury poses an additional risk as there could be a brain bleed or brain swelling that is unable to be seen.

Defining the Severity of the Brain Injury

There are also two categories of brain injury severity, mild and severe. Here we break down the classification and symptoms of each.

Mild

• A TBI is considered mild if the victim suffered a loss of consciousness for less than 30 minutes
• The victim will start feeling the symptoms anywhere between a few days and a few weeks after the accident.
• Symptoms include:
  • Problems concentrating
  • Loss of taste and/or smell
  • Violent outbursts
  • Memory loss
  • Coordination problems
  • Nausea
  • Seizures

Severe

• Open injuries tend to be in the severe category
• Symptoms will appear within hours to days of when the accident happened
• Symptoms include:
  • Clear fluid draining from ears and/or nose
  • Dilated pupils (can just be one eye)
  • Unexplained mood swings
  • Problems speaking, walking, eating, and doing other cognitive abilities
  • Habitual bouts of nausea

Going Through a Medical Evaluation

If you are planning on filing a personal injury claim for a brain injury, a personal injury lawyer for Milwaukee may tell you it is imperative you go through a medical evaluation first. This will help figure out if:

The victim is able to work

The victim has rights to multiple types of economic compensation

Whether the victim can live independently

What kind of future medical care or assistance the victim will need

The victim can get protective services against discrimination

If you have been a victim of a brain injury and don’t know where to turn, consider hiring a personal injury lawyer serving Milwaukee to help guide the path in the judicial system for you. Make sure your rights are protected and you get the justice you deserve with a Milwaukee personal injury lawyer that is looking out for your rights and call Hickey & Turim today!