Manhattan Brain Injury

Statistics report that well over a million people each year are involved in accidents in the United States that leave them with a serious injury to the brain. Over 50,000 of such victims will dies, while nearly 300,000 require extended hospital care. On December 9, 2008 Karen 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 construction accident, auto accident, slip and fall, or other types of accidents, a brain injury is one of the most serious. The life of a person suffering from a brain injury may drastically change, particularly in cases where the injury results in permanent, debilitating side-effects. This means that the victim will also face financial challenges. To address such challenges the law allows victims of accidents caused by another's negligence to file claims and demand compensation. If you or a loved one sustained a brain injury as the result of an accident caused by another person, it is important to speak with an experienced Manhattan Brain Injury Lawyer as you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Common causes of brain injuries

Most brain injuries are caused by negligent acts or intentional acts.

• Falls. Over 35% of traumatic brain injuries are caused by falls, making falls the leading causes of brain injuries
• Vehicle accidents. 17% of brain injuries car caused by car, SUV, truck and minivan accidents.
• Blows to the head. 16.5& of brain injuries are caused by blows to head, or when the head hits a hard surface such as a wall. Such accidents typically occur in a construction accident or recreational sports accident.
• Criminal assaults. 10% of traumatic brain injuries occur as a result of a criminal assault. This can mean a gunshot to the head, a blow to the head by weapons such as a bat, or being punched in the head or face.

Recovering compensation based on a brain injury

A brain injury not only affects your physical well-being, it will also affect your living and your ability to enjoy life. Because damage from a brain injury is often severe and permanent, you may be faced with a lifetime of medical expenses. It is not fair that you should have to shoulder the financial burn of substantial medical expenses and decreased income when the injury was not your fault.

• Medical expenses: Expenses related to brain injuries include hospital expenses, CT scans, surgery and other diagnostic tests, medication and other treatment. Victims of severe brain injuries often require rehabilitative care or the care of a nursing facility. Even in cases that are relatively mild, victims may suffer chronic migraines, dizziness, light sensitivity and sleeplessness.
• Lost wages: Because victims of brain injuries often from suffer from chronic debilitating symptoms, they often miss a significant amount of work. This means missed paychecks, missed bonuses, missed bonuses and lost benefits.
• Pain and suffering: Sufferers of brain injuries are faced with pain that does not go away even with treatment. This leads to psychological difficulties such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental disorders. Compensation for pain and suffering takes into consideration these types of physical and psychological challenges that accompany serious injuries such as brain injuries.
• Wrongful death: Brain injuries are often fatal. Through a wrongful death lawsuit the family members of victims may be awarded compensation for funeral expenses, loss of support, and conscious pain and suffering.

If your brain injury occurred in the workplace, instead of a personal injury lawsuit, your compensation may come from your employer's workers' compensation insurance. Benefits include medical benefits, lost wages, and vocational counseling. If a worker died as a result of a workplace brain injury, then workers' compensation death benefits may be available to the victim's family.

Contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates

If you or a loved one was injured in an accident that resulted in a brain injury, contact an experienced attorney who understands both the legal issues associated with personal injury cases as well as the medical and emotional issues associated with traumatic brain injuries. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in handling personal injury and wrongful death cases stemming from auto, truck, motorcycle, boat, and construction accidents. 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, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.