According to the Centers for Disease Control thousands of people suffer brain injuries each year. An alarming number of such victims are permanently impaired, while many others pass away. In the fall of 2008 Karen Lariviere suffered trauma to her brain. Lariviere was crossing a street in Brooklyn when she was struck on the side of the head by a bus owned by New York City Transit Authority. While there are many types of injuries that a person can sustain in a pedestrian accident, car accident, construction accident, truck, accident, slip and fall, or other types of accidents, a brain injury is one of the most serious. A person suffering from a brain injury or a head injury can have their life drastically altered and may sustain permanent, debilitating effects. A head trauma can be mild, such as a brief loss of consciousness, or more severe, such as permanent mental disability or amnesia. The injury can be localized to a certain part of the brain, or in the case of extreme trauma, can result in overall permanent brain damage. A brain trauma may also include other injuries such as a spinal injury, broken bone, or paralysis. If you or a loved one have sustained a brain injury as the result of an accident, it is important to speak with an experienced Brooklyn brain injury attorney as you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Common causes of brain injury include:While many people equate loss of consciousness with a serious head trauma, it is possible to be badly injured while remaining conscious. Signs to look for include:
If you have any of these warning signs, you should see a doctor at once. Severe trauma to the brain can leave the victim in a coma, semi-conscious state, or vegetative state. Brain trauma may also result in permanent nerve damage, cognitive problems, sensory and communication problems. Furthermore, it may cause you to be more susceptible to degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and dementia pugilistica.
Recovering compensationA brain injury not only affects your heath, but will also affect your ability to work and your general quality of life. In addition, it can have a devastating effect on the finances of you and your family. Because damage from a brain injury is often severe and permanent, you may be faced with a lifetime of medical expenses.
Fortunately, through a personal injury lawsuit against the person responsible for the accident that resulted in your injury, you can receive compensation that will pay for your medical expenses. You may also be able to receive compensation for your lost earnings and loss of earning capacity. Furthermore, the physical and emotional pain and suffering that you experience and that your loved ones experience are compensable losses as well.
For example, in Lariviere v. NYC Trans. Auth., 2015 NY Slip Op 6894 (N.Y. App. Div., 2015), Karen Lariviere was walking across the street within the crosswalk with the traffic light in her favor when she was struck by the bus as it was turning left. The evidence showed that New York Transit Authority was at fault and that the Lariviere was free from comparative fault. The jury found in favor of Lariviere and awarded her $60,000 in damages.
Contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & AssociatesEvery year thousands of people suffer brain injuries in accidents or due to medical malpractice. When victims are injured due to negligence the law allows them to hold the negligent party accountable. In order to make sure that your legal rights are protected it is important that you are represented by a lawyer who understands both the legal issues associated with negligence cases as well as the medical issues associated with severe brain injuries. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in handling personal injury cases stemming from auto, truck, motorcycle, boat, and construction accidents as well as birth injury and medical malpractice cases. Contact us 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, Rockland County, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.