Traumatic brain injury, commonly referred to as “TBI,” is a catastrophic injury that occurs when a blow to the head or a penetrating head injury disrupts the normal function of the brain. TBI can be caused by everything from a car crash to a slip-and-fall accident. This type of injury can range from mild concussions to moderate or severe TBI, which can result in permanent brain damage or even death. In many instances, a traumatic brain injury lawsuit may be needed to help the victim recover their losses.
While there are individuals who will quickly and fully recover from their injuries, others will face lifelong changes and challenges. These traumatic injuries can affect cognitive function, motor function, sensation, and behavior. This can create difficulty doing everything from household tasks to being able to work, requiring surgeries, therapies, and around-the-clock care.
Traumatic brain injuries can lead to permanent life changes. If you or a loved one have been affected by a traumatic brain injury, contact the Brain Injury Law Center at (757) 244-7000. We have decades of experiencing helping brain injury victims obtain the justice they deserve.
Filing a Traumatic Brain Injury Lawsuit
As a result of the many devastating changes caused by these traumatic injuries, TBI greatly impacts the life of the individual who suffers from it. However, it also impacts the lives of and the relationships with his or her loved ones and community.
Family members and close friends are often left trying to help pick up the pieces, which can be draining on both emotions and financial resources. This is why those who suffer from these injuries due to someone else’s negligence are often entitled to monetary awards.
Compensation for Your Injuries
Monetary awards, known as “compensation,” are intended to repay the victim for their injuries and related expenses (“damages”). For example, when someone suffers a TBI he or she may face mounting medical bills despite decreased income caused by their inability to work. Awarding someone with the proper amount of money is a way of compensating this individual for these costs.
Damages may include “out of pocket” losses, sometimes referred to as special damages, such as:
- Cost of past and future medical treatment
- Cost of repairing or replacing damaged property
- Cost of burial or funeral when an injured victim dies
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
Damages in a traumatic brain injury lawsuit may also include those that are “general” or non-economic, but still extremely impactful. In fact, sometimes general damages can be the most life-altering. These may include things such as:
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium (relationships)
- Shock and mental anguish
Our Top Ten Traumatic Brain Injury Settlements
At the Brain Injury Law Center, our goal is to help our clients receive justice for their injuries and damages. Although money can only change so much, helping our clients to recover the compensation that they need to cover medical bills and other costs of living can help to make their situation easier.
We work hard to maximize the value of each case. While the details of every traumatic brain injury lawsuit are different, here are the top ten examples in which the Brain Injury Law Center worked hard to ensure that our clients received the compensation that they deserved:
- Train Accident — $60.26 million
A jury awarded more than $60 million to a man who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury when a train derailed and sent a pair of train cars crashing into the gas station where he was working.
- Motorcycle Accident — $14.59 million
A motorcycle dealer and a tire manufacturer agreed to a settlement of $14.59 million for a woman who suffered a brain injury in a motorcycle accident caused by a defective tire tube.
- Slip & Fall — $12.26 million
A jury awarded more than $12 million – the largest slip and fall verdict in Virginia history – to a man who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury during a fall. Slip and fall accidents, which disproportionately affect children and older adults, have long been a leading cause of TBI.
- Truck Accident — $10.22 million
A jury awarded more than $10 million – believed to be the largest personal injury verdict in Norfolk, VA – to a woman who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury in a crash.
- Car Accident — $10 million
After litigation, a company paid $10 million to a man who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury in a crash. Motor vehicle crashes are one of the most common causes of hospitalization due to TBI.
- Truck Crash by Intoxicated Driver — $8 million
A company agreed to a settlement of $8,000,000 for a plaintiff who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after its intoxicated driver crashed into the back of her vehicle.
- Car Accident — $7.5 million
A Hampton, VA jury awarded $7.5 million to a woman who suffered a brain injury in a 1996 car accident. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2014 motor vehicle crashes accounted for 20.4% of all TBI-related hospitalizations.
- Car Accident — $5.2 million
A Hampton, VA jury awarded $5.2 million to a woman who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury in a car accident. According to the CDC, in 2014 motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of hospitalizations for those aged 15 to 44.
- Car Accident — $4.75 million
A company paid $4.75 million to a school librarian who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury in an auto accident. Luckily, most TBIs that occur each year are mild, commonly referred to as concussions.
- Car Accident — $4.1 million
A school principal received $4.1 million after suffering a mild traumatic brain injury in an auto wreck. The severity of one’s TBI is just one factor that is considered when determining the value of someone’s injuries.
While no amount of money can turn back the hands of time or prevent the harm that has already been caused, a monetary award can help to ease some of the emotional and financial burdens that this injury has caused. That’s why it’s in your best interest to consult with a knowledgeable and qualified attorney who specializes in traumatic brain injuries – and who cares.
Get in Touch with a Hampton Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer
The Brain Injury Law Center in Hampton, VA, is the only law firm in the United States dedicated exclusively to representing brain injury victims, survivors, and their families. Brain Injury Law Center’s attorneys have not only been recognized for their contributions to the practice of law, but proudly practice law with the utmost compassion and care.
Founded by Stephen M. Smith, Esq., a graduate of Marquette University’s Neuroanatomical Dissection of the Human Brain and Spinal Cord program, the Brain Injury Law Center brings an unmatched level of knowledge. With more than four decades of experience, Mr. Smith has dedicated his life to helping survivors of brain injuries and their families.
In addition to his many other accolades, he is the only Virginia attorney ever to be awarded Diplomate status by the American Board of Trial Advocates. Mr. Smith has also won the largest mild traumatic brain injury verdict in the world and his groundbreaking work in the field of TBI has garnered him international recognition.
At the Brain Injury Law Center, we leverage our deep understanding of the laws surrounding traumatic brain injuries and our experience assisting brain injury survivors to build a strong case on your behalf. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, contact our team right away for more information on filing a traumatic brain injury lawsuit.
Let us help you to fight for the compensation that you deserve so that you can move forward with your life. To learn more or to schedule a free consultation, call us at (757) 244-7000 today. We are here to ensure your legal rights are protected and to help you get your life back on track.
