Queens Brain Injury

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 2014 29-year-old Anna Maria Moström was riding her bike when a bus driver turned left across her path. Moström collided with the bus and she fell off her bike. The impact of the fall resulted in Moström suffering a traumatic brain injury. According to the media the accident left Moström in critical condition. There are a variety of accidents that could lead a victim with brain injury. In Moström's case it was a bike accident. Brain injuries occur in construction accident in cases where the victim falls from high elevation such as in a crane or scaffolding accident. Auto accidents and other types of vehicle accidents are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries when the victim's head is slammed into the dashboard or the victim is ejected from the vehicle. A victim can event suffer a brain injury in a slip and fall where the victim's head slams against a hard surface such as a concrete sidewalk. A person who suffers a severe brain injury will likely suffer from long-term or permanent debilitating symptoms such as cognitive deficits, headaches and memory loss. This usually means that the victim's ability to earn a living may be compromised. If the accident that resulted in your brain injury was caused by the negligence of another person, the law allows the victim to file a claim against that person to recover compensation. If you are in need of a personal injury attorney because you or a family member sustained a brain injury as the result of a preventable accident, it is important to speak with an experienced Queens personal injury lawyer as you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

The leading causes of traumatic brain injuries are falls, car accidents, blows to the head and assaults.

• Falls. 35.2% of traumatic brain injuries are caused by falls. For example, in some cases the fall occurs in a construction accident where a worker falls from a high elevation in a crane or scaffolding accident. In other cases the fall is a slip and fall or trip in fall premises liability accident at a business.
• Motor vehicle accidents. 17.3% of traumatic brain injuries are caused by car, SUV, minivan, and truck accidents. While most Americans use seatbelts, seatbelts do not protect the head. In auto accidents victims are sometimes tossed about inside the car, causes the head to slam against the windshield, dashboard, or roof of the vehicle. In other cases the victim is thrown from the car, landing headfirst on the hard pavement.
• Blows to the head. 16.5% of brain injuries are caused by blows to the head. There are a variety of scenarios where someone is hit in the head, including while playing recreational and professional sports. For example, football and hockey players often suffer concussions as a result of hits to the head.
• Assaults. 10% of brain injuries are caused by assaults. People use a variety of weapons in assaults, hitting the victim in the head or pushing the victim to the ground.

When someone suffers trauma to the brain one of the most noticeable signs is that the victim loses consciousness. In some cases the person is out of only a few seconds. In severe cases the victim is unconscious for several minutes or even hours. In extreme cases the victim falls into a coma. In other instances victims do not lose consciousness. In fact initially there may be little evidence of a brain injury. It is important to get medical treatment if you suffered a blow to the head so that a doctor can make sure you have not suffered a serious injury that may get worse should you not receive treatment. In addition to the loss of consciousness, other signs of trauma to the brain include headaches, blurred vision, loss of memory, the inability to concentrate, confusion, seizures, numbness and paralysis.

While victims may recover from mild brain trauma, victims with severe brain trauma often suffer symptoms for the rest of their lives. Severe brain trauma victims face cognitive deficits, mobility problems, balance issues, dementia, and Parkinson's disease. Others fall into longtime comas or vegetative states. Others do not survive the damage to the brain.

The treatment of brain injury cases can be quite complicated and can involve multiple specialists, surgery, rehabilitation and long-term therapy. The expenses associated with such treatment can be astronomical. Through a personal injury lawsuit you can seek compensation to help defray the costs of your treatment. Compensable medical expenses include the expenses for the ambulance service that transported you to the emergency room and your emergency room treatment. The expenses associated with your hospital stay including the fees your doctors charge, fees related to surgery and lab expenses. If you require rehabilitation, physical therapy or occupational therapy, those fees are compensable. Victims who end up in long-term comas may be placed in rehabilitation facilities or nursing homes. The cost of these facilities are also compensable.

Those with mild concussions and other types of mild injuries to the brain may have to miss a few days or a couple of weeks of work. Those with most severe injuries may miss months of work or may never be able to return to work and earn a living. Victims can demand that the negligent party pay damages for lost wages, lost compensation and loss of future earning capacity.

In addition, you can sue for non-economic damages including pain and suffering and loss of consortium

If you or a loved one suffered a brain injury in an accident or by an intentional act of another person, you deserve compensation for all of the losses that you suffered. Personal injury cases that involve serious injuries are complicated requiring an understanding of New York law related to injury cases as well as an understanding of complex medical records. 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.