At Weatherby Law Firm, P.C., we are experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyers, having recovered millions of dollars for folks that suffered traumatic brain injuries. We have also defended companies facing allegations of traumatic brain injury.

Our lawyers leverage the insight gained from prosecuting and defending cases, to provide the strongest representation possible for our clients. At our firm, we seek to represent honest folks truly in need of help.

That is never more necessary than in a case of traumatic brain injury. For immediate assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

How Do We Handle Brain Injury Cases After an Accident?

As with any other case, we quickly work to understand all the facts of how the accident occurred. What makes a traumatic brain injury case different is the nature and extent of the damages at issue.

We have a team of experts to assist us in cases. This includes neurologists to diagnose the injury.

An economist, if necessary, to identify the future damages and expenses that will be incurred. Because we have worked on a number of traumatic brain injury cases, we can quickly spot the issues and point our clients in the right direction.

The key with a traumatic brain injury case is understanding how serious the impairments are and how the injured person will be affected. We have worked on traumatic brain injury cases involving only a mild concussion, which were resolved in a matter of weeks.

We have also assisted a traumatic brain-injured child, with lifelong cognitive, speech, and motor skill deficits, obtain the maximum recovery possible in their position. In both cases, understanding the extent of the injury was key.

What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

The CDC defines a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as “a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or a penetrating head injury.” In general, the blow will need to be violent for a traumatic brain injury to occur.

Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injuries can range from mild to severe, with symptoms associated with each change.

The symptoms of a TBI can be broken down into physical symptoms and mental symptoms. The more severe the brain injury, the more severe the symptoms will be.

Mild TBI Symptoms

According to the Mayo Clinic, a mild TBI may result in the following symptoms:

  • Loss of consciousness
  • Dazed, confused, or disoriented
  • Headache
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Fatigue/drowsiness
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Sleeping too much
  • Loss of balance/dizziness
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Mood changes

Severe TBI Symptoms

A severe traumatic brain injury may include the following symptoms:

  • Loss of consciousness
  • Persistent/Strong headaches
  • Repeated nausea/vomiting
  • Seizures/Convulsions
  • Fluids coming from nose/ears
  • Inability to waken from sleeping
  • Weakness in extremities/Paralysis
  • Loss of coordination
  • Profound confusion
  • Coma
  • Slurred speech
  • Agitation

For a child, some of these symptoms may be difficult to recognize. Therefore, you should look for an (a) change in eating habits, (b) change in sleep, (c) seizures, (d) sad or depressed mood, loss of interest in toys and activities.

What are the Classifications of Brain Injuries?

In general, there are two main classifications of brain injuries: closed-head injuries and open-head injuries.

A closed head injury is when the head is impacted causing trauma to the brain, but the skull and dura (the tough fiber covering the brain) remain intact. In a closed head injury, the brain suffers trauma but the skull does not break. This is similar, in a rudimentary sense, to a bruise.

Closed head injuries can range from mild to severe.

The types of closed head injuries include:

  • Concussion (head injury with resulting temporary brain dysfunction), 
  • Intracranial hematoma (blood vessel in the brain ruptures causing blood to pool), 
  • Cerebral contusion (a bruise to brain tissue), and 
  • Diffuse axonal injury (a potentially devastating brain injury in which lesions form).

Open head injuries occur when the skull is broken by an object that makes contact with the brain. A skull fracture, in which the skull is broken, is a result of an open head injury. Often, these types of injuries occur when something penetrates the head. This can be a bullet (in the case of a shooting) or any other object.

What are the Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries?

A traumatic brain injury can be caused by any significant blow to the head. The most common type of accident leading to a TBI is a fall. The second most common is a motor vehicle accident. This can be an auto accident involving standard cars or involving a tractor-trailer or other commercial vehicle.

Other common causes of TBI include a person being struck by or striking an object.

How are Traumatic Brain Injuries Diagnosed?

Traumatic brain injuries are typically diagnosed through physical assessment and imaging tests. When the person arrives at the doctor, the doctor will perform a physical assessment checking to see if the person can follow certain directions. A good example of this occurs in football when doctors perform assessments of the players to determine if they have suffered a concussion.

More definitive tests include a CT Scan and MRI scan. These scans may show issues with the skull and the soft tissue.

How Much are Brain Injury Cases Worth in Georgia?

There is no hard and fast rule for the value of brain injury cases.

Because they can vary significantly, the amount of potential recovery will depend on the liability, causation, and damages associated. The more clear the liability and the more severe the brain injury, the higher recovery. Some brain accident cases can be worth millions of dollars. Other cases are not recoverable depending on the facts and circumstances.

Our Atlanta brain injury attorneys can help you determine your expected case value.

Brain Injury Case Results:

Here are some examples of our case results:

  • In cases we defend, we have never had a case resolve (by way of settlement or at trial) for more than our valuation. We know how much a claim is worth, and we make sure to put you in the best position to win.
  • For plaintiff cases, we have recovered millions of dollars for injured folks. This includes a $700,000 recovery for a brain injury.
  • Check out our other case results here.

Contact an Atlanta Brain Injury Lawyer

Our lawyers have extensive experience helping our clients with brain injury claims. If you or someone you love suffered a head injury or TBI from a serious accident, we can assist you.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call (404) 793-0026 today to schedule a free consultation.