Did you or a loved one suffer a brain injury in Jacksonville, FL? Our lawyers at Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to helping clients struggling with brain damage and other serious injuries. Give us a call today at (904) 396-1100 to speak with a Jacksonville brain injury lawyer who can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
We’ve dedicated our careers to helping accident victims recover financially after serious accidents. Since we opened our doors, we’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars for injured clients.
You don’t have to struggle alone. Contact our law offices in Jacksonville, Florida to schedule a free consultation with an experienced lawyer today.
How Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With a Brain Injury Claim in Jacksonville, FL
The brain is the organ that controls the entire body’s function. With one single blow to the head, your life could change forever. If someone else caused your injuries, you deserve to be compensated.
The insurance companies might seem sympathetic. Don’t be fooled. They’ll do everything possible to pay less than you deserve–even if their offer sounds like a generous one at first.
An experienced personal injury lawyer in Jacksonville can help you fight for every dollar you deserve. At Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we have more than 100 years of experience between us. We’ve been selected as the Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers in Florida by National Trial Lawyers and been recognized by Super Lawyers for our work.
Hiring us means you’ll have a lawyer to:
- Investigate to determine the cause of your injury
- Find out who is legally responsible for damages
- Hire experts and specialists to help assess your case value
- Negotiate with the insurance companies to maximize your settlement or verdict
Our Jacksonville personal injury attorneys have been handling personal injury cases for decades. To learn more about our experience, call for a free initial consultation today.
Overview of Brain Injuries
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury caused by some type of external trauma to the head. Acquired brain injuries, or non-traumatic brain injuries, occur when something within the brain causes brain damage.
Each type of brain injury can cause damage that can be mild, moderate, or severe.
Types of Brain Injuries
There are two primary types of traumatic brain injury: open-head injuries and closed-head injuries.
Open-head injuries happen when an external object penetrates the skull and causes brain damage. Closed-head injuries, on the other hand, occur when the trauma damages the brain and does not actually penetrate the skull.
Within those two broad groups, brain injuries are further classified based on the type of brain damage that occurs.
At Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of brain injury claims in Jacksonville, including those involving:
- Concussions
- Edema, or swelling within the brain
- Diffuse axonal injuries (DAI), which damages brain cells and makes them unable to function
- Hematomas, which causes blood to pool within the brain
- Hemorrhages, or uncontrolled bleeding within the brain or surrounding tissue
- Brain contusions, or bruising of the brain
- Coup-contrecoup injuries, which injure at least two regions of the brain
- Focal injuries, or injuries confined to a single area of the brain
- Diffuse brain injuries, where multiple regions are damaged
The severity of any brain injury will depend upon a few different factors, including:
- The type of injury sustained
- The region of the brain that is impacted
- The source of the injury (gunshot wound, auto accident, etc.)
Brain injuries can also be classified as primary or secondary. A primary injury happens after a sudden impact, such as a blow to the head. Secondary brain injuries appear gradually, over time and cause changes in the brain and surrounding tissue. It’s possible that a secondary brain injury could be more serious than the immediate injury.
How Common Are Brain Injuries?
Traumatic brain injuries are extremely common in the U.S. In fact, the CDC reported that there were about 61,000 TBI-related deaths in the United States during 2019.
The CDC also estimates that about 1.5 million Americans sustain brain injuries each year. Somewhere between 80,000 and 90,000 TBI victims suffer a long-term disability that’s related to the brain injury.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Brain Injuries?
The symptoms of brain injuries can vary widely. Some are immediately obvious, especially if the injury is an open-head injury. Others take time to develop.
That makes it important for accident victims to pay close attention for the signs of even a mild brain injury, which could include:
- Loss of consciousness, even for a moment
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness
- Ongoing headache
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Extreme fatigue
- Ringing in the ears
- Irritability
More serious brain injuries tend to show more serious signs, including:
- Difficulty walking or problems with balance
- Memory loss
- Seizures
- Personality changes
- Changes in behavior
- Weakness in an area of the body
- Dilated pupils
It’s always a good idea to get medical care immediately after an accident, especially if the accident caused some type of head trauma. That way, a doctor can run tests to determine whether you’ve sustained any potential brain damage.
What Are the Long-Term Consequences of Brain Injuries?
Some accident victims can make a full recovery after suffering a brain injury. Others may suffer serious long-term damage.
Potential long-term consequences of brain injuries include:
- Memory loss, whether short-term or long-term
- Cognitive disabilities, including trouble reasoning or thinking
- Loss of speech
- Difficulty understanding others speak
- Vision loss
- Physical impairments, including loss of motor function
- Developmental disabilities in children
- Personality changes
- Stroke
- Coma
- Wrongful death
The exact impact will depend on the region of the brain impacted by the injury. Further, the extent of the damage may not be known for weeks or months after the injury occurred.
If you or a loved one sustained a brain injury, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Jacksonville brain injury attorneys at Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers. We’d be happy to help you understand your legal rights and options in a free case review.
What Causes Most Brain Injuries?
According to the CDC, motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in the U.S., followed by violent acts and falls.
In reality, any type of traumatic event can result in a brain injury.
Some of the most common causes of brain injuries include:
- Car accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Boating accidents
- Near-drownings
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Poisoning
- Defective products
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse and neglect
- Birth injuries
- Assault and violence
Sports are also a leading cause of TBI in Jacksonville. In fact, experts estimate that millions of sports-related brain injuries happen each year–yet about half of the injured athletes don’t seek medical attention for those injuries.
What Is My Jacksonville Brain Injury Case Worth?
The cost of treating a brain injury can be overwhelming. The value of your personal injury claim will ultimately depend on the type and severity of the injury you’ve sustained.
Multiple factors play a role in calculating the fair value of your personal injury case.
Some examples include:
- The cost of your medical treatment
- Your need for ongoing or long-term medical care
- The cost of rehabilitation and specialized treatments
- How the injury impacts your ability to work, both during recovery and in the future
- How the injury changes your daily life
- Changes to your quality of life and the impact on your family
Insurance companies often try to focus on whether you caused the injury or failed to mitigate the damage you’ve sustained.
It’s always important to have an experienced lawyer by your side before taking an insurance settlement. At Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers, our lawyers in Jacksonville would be happy to help. Just call our law firm for a free case evaluation today.
What Compensation Can I Recover for My Brain Injuries in Jacksonville, Florida?
Florida personal injury laws allow courts to award both economic damages and non-economic damages in personal injury cases.
At Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ll fight to recover fair compensation, including money for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Physical therapy
- Long-term care or nursing care
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety and depression
- PTSD
- Disfigurement or scarring
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of your independence
- Loss of consortium
If you were injured because someone else was careless, don’t hesitate to take legal action. Call to learn more about the damages you may be entitled to receive today.
How Long Do I Have to File a Brain Injury Lawsuit in Florida?
You only have a limited amount of time to take legal action if you were hurt in an accident. Under Florida law, the statute of limitations for most personal injury lawsuits was recently changed. If you sustained your brain injury on or after 3/24/2023, you’ll have two years to submit a claim; otherwise, you’ll have four years.
However, there are exceptions to the statute of limitations in certain cases. Reaching out to an attorney to determine the appropriate deadline for your case is recommended. If you submit your claim too late, you likely won’t be able to receive compensation.
Contact a Jacksonville Brain Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Are you or a family member struggling after sustaining a brain injury? Call an experienced Jacksonville brain injury lawyer today. At Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we offer a free consultation, so you don’t have to worry about the cost.
Our personal injury law firm in Jacksonville, FL also provides:
- Bicycle Accident Attorney in Jacksonville
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- Pedestrian Accident Attorney in Jacksonville, FL
- Product Liability Lawyer in Jacksonville
- Slip and Fall Accident Attorney in Jacksonville
- Truck Accident Lawyer in Jacksonville, FL
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- Workplace Accident Lawyer in Jacksonville