Maine Brain Injury Lawyers

Brain injuries are among the most serious types of harm you can suffer in an accident. They can impact how you think and function and could result in cognitive or behavioral changes that turn your life upside down. Brain injuries aren’t rare, either — approximately two million people in the United States sustain them each year.

If another person or entity caused an accident that resulted in your injuries, you may be able to file a brain injury lawsuit to recover your losses.

Because these claims are complicated and there’s a lot on the line, however, you should never attempt to handle them on your own. Instead, you should work with an experienced traumatic brain injury attorney in Maine.

At Gideon Asen, we represent clients who have suffered losses due to someone else’s negligent or wrongful actions. Our team has decades of experience helping injury victims throughout Maine, and we’re confident we can help you, too. Contact us today to speak with a qualified traumatic brain injury lawyer.

What Are Traumatic Brain Injuries?

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are injuries to the brain caused by an outside force. They can be penetrating or blunt and can range widely in severity.

Penetrating TBIs occur when something pierces the skull and enters the brain, causing damage to the sensitive cerebral tissues and nerves. Sometimes, a hard enough blow can cause the skull itself to shatter and embed pieces of bone in the victim’s brain. The severity of these injuries depends largely on what areas are affected.

By contrast, blunt TBIs occur when something strikes the victim’s head hard enough to cause their brain to bounce or jostle inside the skull. The parts of the brain that collide with the skull can suffer nerve and tissue injuries, leading to chemical changes that impact overall function.

Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries

Most TBIs are considered mild. Despite the term, however, even mild brain injuries can result in serious symptoms and long-term complications. Some of the most common symptoms you might experience after suffering a mild TBI are physical effects like:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Blurred vision
• Chronic fatigue

You might also experience emotional issues, including feeling more nervous or anxious than usual. Unexplained anger or irritability can be a telltale symptom as well.

Additionally, your ability to think may be hampered after a brain injury. You could experience:

• Trouble concentrating
• Confusion
• Memory problems
• Grogginess
• A general feeling of sluggishness

These symptoms can begin right after the injury, or they can develop days or even weeks after. Many of them are the brain’s way of forcing the victim to rest and stay still so it can heal itself.

Moderate or Severe Traumatic Brain Injuries

Moderate or severe TBIs can have much more serious symptoms that could progress over time. These injuries frequently result in unconsciousness. Moderate TBIs can mean losing consciousness for more than 30 minutes but less than 24 hours, while severe TBIs can result in unconsciousness that lasts for more than a day.

You might also experience the following effects after a moderate or severe brain injury:

• Vision or hearing problems
• Changes in sensory perception
• Weakness in the arms or legs
• Balance or coordination problems
• Coma

It’s common to experience confusion and short-term memory loss, as well as to struggle to communicate. Your thoughts may seem scrambled, making it difficult to concentrate or express yourself effectively. More severe TBIs can also manifest emotional issues, including mood swings, difficulty managing your behavior, and even aggression.

If you’ve sustained a TBI because of someone else’s negligent behavior, you have rights. Contact Gideon Asen to exercise them and take the first steps toward securing fair compensation.

Most Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Maine

Traumatic brain injuries can happen for a multitude of reasons, including several different types of accidents.

Falls

Falls are a particularly common cause of TBIs, especially in children and older adults. Many people assume that a brain injury can only occur if one falls from a significant height, but that’s not the case. Slip and fall accidents that happen at ground level can be enough to cause a person to hit their head with a high degree of force.

Falling out of bed can be a problem for children, as well as those with mobility limitations; this can happen if a bed or crib is defective. For others, the danger could be unsafe premises, including locations with hazards like damaged stairs or loose flooring.

Pavement slick with ice is a particularly prevalent issue in Maine. Property owners or managers who don’t take steps to protect visitors and keep them from slipping can be held accountable for their failures.

Traffic Accidents

Truck and car accidents are another frequent cause of traumatic brain injuries.

Even a relatively minor crash could result in a driver hitting their head against the steering wheel, dashboard, or another surface, causing the brain to shift inside the skull and causing a concussion. If a defective airbag deploys with too much force, it could also cause impact-related brain injuries.

Rollover accidents can cause an especially severe type of brain injury: diffuse axonal injury. This form of damage occurs when the brain twists inside the skull, shearing the nerve fibers that connect the brain to its stem. Diffuse axonal injuries can be deadly.

Struck-By Accidents

Being struck by various objects can lead to TBIs, as well. While this type of injury can affect anyone, it’s a constant concern for those who work at construction sites, warehouses, or other locations where heavy machinery, tools, and other objects can fall from heights.

How Our Maine Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys Can Help

If you’ve suffered a brain injury as a result of negligence, filing an insurance claim or lawsuit may allow you to recover your losses. For your case to succeed, you’ll need to show that the other party behaved with less care than a reasonable person would have. That means establishing that a duty of care existed and that the defendant breached it.

If you were involved in a collision with a driver who was speeding and ran a red light, for example, they breached their responsibility toward other road users. That would meet the first requirement.

Next, you must show that the breach directly resulted in your injuries. With medical records and statements from expert witnesses, you can demonstrate how your accident caused you to suffer a TBI.

None of this is easy to prove. Fortunately, our skilled traumatic brain injury attorneys can offer the support you need to present a strong case and clearly show that you were hurt because of another party’s conduct.

Brain injury lawsuits often involve significant damages. As such, you can expect the at-fault party’s insurance company to put up a fight and try to minimize your settlement.

Our lawyers will fight for fair compensation based on the injuries you sustained, how they’ve impacted your life, and whether you’re expected to face long-term consequences because of them.

FAQ

What Are the Most Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries?

Traumatic brain injuries are most often the result of falls, traffic accidents, and struck-by incidents in the workplace. While less common, assaults can also cause them.

Is It Possible to Live a Normal Life After Suffering a TBI?

It depends on the severity of the injury. If you’ve experienced a mild TBI, chances are good that you’ll make a complete recovery and be able to return to your regular life. With moderate or severe TBIs, however, you might experience permanent issues, such as memory loss, speech problems, or mobility challenges.

Can I Receive Compensation for the Future Care I Need?

Yes. If you sustained a moderate or severe brain injury that resulted in complications you’ll need help with for the rest of your life, the compensation you stand to receive should factor in those expenses. Your lawyer will work with you to calculate and pursue a fair settlement amount.

Get Help From a Qualified Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney in Maine

A brain injury can have significant consequences. If you’ve sustained one in an accident someone else caused, you may have the right to file a legal claim against them to recover your losses. To improve your chances of receiving fair compensation, you need dependable representation.

The seasoned traumatic brain injury attorneys at Gideon Asen can provide the compassionate yet forceful assistance you need as you go through the legal process. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and get your case underway.