St. Louis Brain Injury Attorney

Our brains control everything we do. Thoughts, motor functions, and organ function all rely on the brain, and those are only the beginning of what the brain controls. When your brain is injured, it can inhibit some or all of the functions and leave you unable to perform daily tasks. That’s why brain injuries are so dangerous—because your brain is who you are. A St. Louis brain injury lawyer from Thomas Law Offices knows that brain injuries must be taken seriously, which is why their help is essential when you’re making a personal injury claim against the person or party who caused your brain injury.

The financial effects of a brain injury can be just as catastrophic as the physical effects can be. Our experienced brain injury lawyer will help you recover financially so that you can focus on recovering physically and emotionally. We can fight to get you compensation for hospital bills, specialist visits, and physical therapy costs, as well as any other costs that you incurred from your injury.

Missouri Brain Injury Statistics

Brain injuries can happen in a variety of ways and vary in severity. In the United States, over 3 million people suffer from the effects of a brain injury. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list traumatic brain injury as a major cause of death and disability in the U.S. Even when patients with brain injuries survive, they still will most likely see the effects of the injury for a few sometime or even the rest of their lives.

In Missouri alone, around 14,000 people are taken to a hospital for a brain injury every year. While many might think that a brain injury only comes from hitting your head, it can also be a result of a situation that prevents you from breathing for a long period of time because your brain loses oxygen and ends up injured. When you suffer from an accident that could lead to brain injury, you should be taken to the hospital right away so that you can receive immediate treatment.

Here are the top causes of traumatic brain injuries in Missouri:

• Falls
• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Assault
• Gunshots
• Sport injuries
• Weather
• Drowning

Certain populations are more at risk for brain injuries from specific causes. For example, Missourians 65 years and older are most likely to get a brain injury from falling, whereas people under 24 years of age are most likely to suffer a brain injury from a car accident. When an accident of any kind causes a brain injury, you could use the help of a St. Louis brain injury lawyer from Thomas Law Offices so that you can recover damages for the injuries you’ve suffered from.

Different Kinds of Brain Injuries

A brain injury can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Some of the symptoms are similar, but depending on the severity, these symptoms compound and become worse. It’s helpful to know about the different types of brain injuries that can happen to you so that you can better understand what has happened to your brain and can ask your doctors about your recovery.

The different types of brain injuries are as follows:

• Concussion. This head injury could range from mild to severe, depending on the impact and if it is a repeated injury. This is the most common type of brain injury.
• Contusion. Similar to a concussion, this injury is from an impact to the head. A contusion is when there is a bruise, or bleeding, on the brain.
• Coup-Contrecoup. This is when there are bruises on two sides of the brain, one caused by the impact, the other caused by the brain moving and hitting the opposite side of the skull.
• Diffuse axonal. When a head is shaken or rotated quickly, a diffuse axonal injury can happen. This is when tissue in the brain tears. The brain might also release chemicals that cause even more damage to the brain.
• Penetration. When something enters the brain, it is considered a penetration injury. When something like a bullet enters the brain, it can ricochet inside. Other things can enter the brain if a person falls on an object or from other scenarios.
• Anoxia. This is when the brain stops receiving oxygen either because the oxygen supply has stopped, or because the blood is not carrying enough oxygen.
• Hypoxic. Similar to anoxia, a hypoxic brain injury is when the brain is not getting enough blood, and therefore is not getting enough oxygen. Things like blood clots can cause this.

On this list, some would be ranked as mild, moderate, or severe. A mild TBI happens when the loss of consciousness is brief or doesn’t happen at all, the person is slightly confused, their brain scans seem normal, but they still suffered from a concussion. These usually heal relatively easily and ,when fully healed, don’t have many trace side effects. Repeated mild TBIs, though, can create a more severe brain injury that can even be fatal.

A moderate TBI happens when the loss of consciousness is anywhere from a few minutes to hours, the person is confused, their confusion lasts for days, and they have cognitive impairments. These take longer to heal and, even when fully healed, the cognitive and physical impairments could be permanent.

A severe TBI is usually caused by a penetrating injury to the brain but can also come from a very forceful blow to the head. These can lead to extended periods of hospitalization and rehabilitation, and unfortunately, the injured person never returns to the same mental state or has the same physical capabilities as before the injury.

Thomas Law Offices in St. Louis Will Handle Your Case

Brain injuries can have devastating effects on your life as well as your family’s lives. When you didn’t cause the accident that led to your injury, you deserve to be compensated for the life-changing circumstances. Our expert St. Louis personal injury lawyers know how to handle your brain injury claim and will work tirelessly at getting you the justice that you deserve.

You shouldn’t have to worry about where the money for your treatments, therapy, or daily costs is going to come from. We will help you financially recover so that you can turn your attention to your physical recovery. Reach out to us today so that we can discuss your potential claim and your options moving forward.