New York City Brain Injury

Brain injuries are one of the most common serious injuries suffered by victims as a result of accidents. Every year over a million people are involved in car accidents, falls and other types of accidents that leave them with serious brain injuries. Over 50,000 brain injury victims die, and almost 300,000 require extended hospital treatment. While there are many ways that a person can sustain a brain injury, construction accidents, vehicle accidents, falls, and criminal assault are among the most common. Victims of brain injuries face challenges. Even with treatment many suffer persistent symptoms such as headaches. Others find working difficult, resulting in financial problems. To help counter 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 because another person was reckless, it is important to speak with an experienced New York City brain injury lawyer as you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Common causes of brain injuries

Most brain injuries are preventable as they were caused by someone choosing to behave negligently or recklessly.

• Falls. The largest percentage of traumatic brain injuries are caused by falls. Some falls occur in the workplace, such as construction sites where the victim falls from a high elevation. Other falls that lead to brain injuries occur while the victim is participating in sports such as gymnastics or horseback riding.
• Vehicle accidents. Another large percentage of brain injuries happen in vehicle accidents. Whether the accident is a car, minivan, SUV, truck accident, victims often bang their heads on the dashboard, steering wheel or windshield, resulting in trauma to the brain.
• Criminal assaults. About 10% of traumatic brain injuries are due to assaults where the assailant hits the victim in the head with fists, or strikes the victim in the head with an object, bullet, or knife.

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. Victims often have chronic headaches and sensitivity to light. Some experience dizziness and nausea. These symptoms make it challenging to complete many activities of daily living. It also makes it difficult to be effective at work. The medical expenses associated with brain injuries, coupled with a decrease in income can cause victims to face financial difficulties.

Through a personal injury lawsuit victims can demand that the person responsible for their injuries shoulder the financial burden. A brain injury attorney representing victims in New York City can help you file a claim and receive the damages to which you are entitled, including:

• Medical expenses: Expenses related to brain injuries include hospital expenses, CT scans, surgery and other diagnostic tests, medication and other treatment. Victims with severe injuries may fall into comas, resulting in extended hospital stays, or care in a nursing facility.
• Lost wages: Because victims of brain injuries often from suffer from chronic debilitating symptoms such as light sensitivity, vision loss, hearing loss, chronic headaches, they often miss a significant amount of work. This means missed paychecks, missed bonuses, missed bonuses and lost benefits. The value of the wages and compensation lost is a compensable loss.
• Pain and suffering: Many sufferers of brain injuries are faced with pain and other debilitating symptoms that do not go away even with treatment. This leads to psychological problems such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Compensation for pain and suffering takes into consideration both physical and psychological challenges that typically 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 and burial expenses, loss of support, and conscious pain and suffering.

If your brain injury occurred in while your were working, instead of a personal injury lawsuit, your compensation may come from your employer's workers' compensation insurance. Workers' compensation benefits include medical care, wage replacement, and vocational counseling for those who may not be able to return to the same job. An experienced brain injury attorney serving New York City will be able to you to make sure you receive the workers' compensation benefits to which you are entitled in a timely manner.

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.

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