Head injuries can have serious and long term consequences for an individual’s health and general wellbeing. These injuries are usually the result of a slip and fall, a sports related accident, or an assault and often require extensive medical care and can have long term consequences. Head injury lawyers, and legal experts in general, are an important part of helping victims of such accidents get the compensation they deserve for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most common causes of head injuries and how lawyers gather evidence to build strong cases for their clients.
The Impact of Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents are one of the most common causes of head injuries. These incidents can happen anywhere from grocery stores to office buildings because of poorly maintained floors, wet surfaces or uneven pavement. A fall can result in a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) when a person hits their head.
Identifying Liability in Slip and Fall Cases
Head injury lawyers must prove that the property owner was negligent in keeping the property safe. This may require surveillance footage, witness testimony, and medical records that demonstrate the extent of the injury. Experts also look at what caused the fall, for example, were there warning signs or were there proper maintenance protocols in place.
Sports Injuries: A Risk for Athletes
Another common cause of head trauma is sports injuries, especially in contact sports like football, hockey, and boxing. Unfortunately, these activities are common with concussions and other head injuries. Long term cognitive impairments can result from repeated blows to the head, so it is important to know the legal aspects of such injuries.
Proving Negligence in Sports Injury Cases
Head injury lawyers for athletes who suffer head injuries while playing must decide whether negligence was involved. It can involve looking at equipment, safety, the conduct of coaches and officials. Medical experts are called in to assess the long term effect of the injury and whether or not the precautions were taken. This evidence is then used by lawyers to establish liability and to fight for fair compensation for the athlete’s medical bills and lost career opportunities.
Assaults and Head Injuries: A Matter of Liability
Serious head injuries can result from assaults either in the form of physical assaults or violent attacks. In fact, these types of injuries typically result in concussions, skull fractures or even permanent brain damage. Victims in assault cases have both criminal and civil lawsuits recourse in these cases.
Gathering Evidence in Assault Cases
Head injury lawyers gather evidence when dealing with assault related head injuries to prove the defendant caused the injury. This includes police reports, witness statements and medical documentation of the injuries. Sometimes forensic experts will be needed to show how bad the injury was and how it will affect you in the long term.
The Role of Medical Records in Proving Head Injuries
A head injury claim is often bolstered by expert testimony. Medical implications of the injury and how it affects the life of the victim can be explained by neurologists, neuropsychologists and other medical professionals. This expert testimony can greatly bolster the case by revealing the severity of the injury and its long term effects on cognitive function and quality of life.
Medical Experts and Testimony
A head injury claim is often bolstered by expert testimony. The medical implications of the injury can be explained to neurologists, neuropsychologists and other medical professionals as to how it affects the victim’s life. This expert testimony can be a tremendous way to strengthen a case, especially to help describe the severity of the injury and the long term effects on cognitive function and quality of life.
Gathering Witness Statements and Surveillance Footage
In slip and fall and assault cases, witness statements and video can be very valuable. Once a lawyer gathers the witness accounts it can start to establish what happened and if negligence or intentional harm played a role. Surveillance footage is particularly helpful in showing exactly what someone was doing in the moments before an accident (like a slip on a wet floor), or during an assault.
Legal Recourse for Head Injury Victims
If you or a loved one has suffered a head injury, you have the right to seek compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more. Head injury lawyers focus on helping clients through the legal process and getting the client the fair compensation they deserve for their injuries. These lawyers often work on a contingency fee basis, which means that they are paid only if the case is successful.
