Navigating Life After a Head Injury: A Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer in Virginia Can Help

According to the Virginia Department of Health, there are about 5,000 hospitalizations and 2,000 deaths among Virginians each year related to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the estimated cost of a fatal TBI is $45,678. In contrast, a non-fatal case can cost $5,800 for medical spending and $1,690 in lost work for outpatient care, with those numbers increasing to $52,250 and $7,820, respectively, for victims requiring inpatient care.

These statistics show the severity of a TBI and why, when seeking a traumatic brain injury lawyer, Virginia residents only want the best of the best.

Why traumatic brain injuries make for such complex personal injury claims

Unfortunately, head injury cases tend to be more difficult than other injuries because of the complexity of their circumstances. Doctors often call head injuries “the invisible injury” because of how difficult it can be to diagnose and treat them.

Symptoms of head injuries may take days, weeks, or even months to surface, hence why it is so crucial for accident victims to seek immediate medical attention — especially when a sudden, violent jolt or blow to the head is involved. Even if it seems like you may only have a mild traumatic brain injury, only a skilled physician or neurologist can diagnose a severe brain injury and brain damage after an accident.

People who suffer from a traumatic brain injury will likely have both short-term and long-term effects, including headaches, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, and sometimes more serious symptoms such as seizures or weakness or numbness in their limbs. These effects can interfere with a person’s ability to complete daily tasks like work or hobbies that they enjoy. Some traumatic brain injuries can even result in death, especially for those in more vulnerable demographics, including the elderly, as well as children and adolescents whose brains are still developing.

Of course, when you have suffered a traumatic brain injury, the medical expenses rack up quickly. From doctor’s appointments to diagnostic tests like CAT scans, MRIs, and X-rays to rehabilitation therapy, it’s essential to get the medical care you need if you hope to make the fullest possible recovery. Beyond that, traumatic brain injury victims may face other expenses, such as time missed from work or even permanent disability, depending on the severity of their injury.

How an experienced Virginia brain injury attorney can help you with your traumatic brain injury case

Virginia law includes a significant obstacle: the strict contributory negligence rule. If an injured person is found even 1% at fault for their accident, they may be barred from recovering damages. This is why it is vital to seek the help of a skilled personal injury attorney who will fight to get you the compensation you deserve for the injuries you have suffered.

You shouldn’t have to be on the hook for someone else’s negligence. A traumatic brain injury attorney will do their best to recover both the damages you have experienced and those you will continue to experience during and after your recovery.

In Virginia, few brain injury law firms are better equipped to handle the complexity of a traumatic brain injury case than Burnett & Williams. With offices in Richmond, Leesburg, Midlothian, Orange, Winchester, Culpeper, and Hopewell, Burnett & Williams has helped Virginia accident victims for decades, recovering damages for expenses and pain and suffering resulting from traumatic brain injuries and other accidents.

Your personal injury attorney will begin by conducting a thorough investigation to accurately assess the nature and cause of your injury. They will collect supporting documentation, including police reports from the accident, medical records from when you sought treatment, witness statements from people who were at the scene, and expert testimony from people who can attest to the seriousness and liability of your case.

After they have built your case, your attorney will begin to negotiate with the at-fault party’s insurance company. They will submit a demand package with evidence supporting your brain injury claim, including medical expenses (past and future), lost wages and diminished earning capacity, pain, suffering, and emotional distress, and permanent disability or life-care costs you have experienced because of your accident. This negotiation process can sometimes take months as your attorney and the at-fault party’s insurance company go back and forth trying to reach a satisfying result.

Often, a settlement is agreed upon during the negotiation process before the case ever reaches court. However, Burnett & Williams prides itself on keeping clients involved in every step of the process. If their clients are not satisfied with the settlement they are offered, they will proceed to trial and have an excellent reputation in the courtroom to back it up. The Burnett & Williams team has achieved several record awards in court for personal injury cases, and you could join those ranks.

Contact Burnett & Williams, leading Virginia brain injury lawyers, for a free consultation on your brain injury claim

“If you have been involved in a car accident, motorcycle accident, slip and fall, or other accident in Virginia that has caused you to suffer from a TBI, contact us today,” says C. James Williams III, principal at Burnett & Williams. “We will set you up for a free consultation and case review at one of our offices throughout Virginia to see if our personal injury lawyers can help you with your personal injury case.”