Traumatic Brain Injuries can Occur in a Variety of Ways
Concussions and traumatic brain injuries have been in the news as of late, with several high profile lawsuits between professional athletes and their respective leagues resulting in multi-million dollar settlements1 and changes to rules and safety equipment.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that approximately 1.7 million people2 sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year in the United States. TBIs occur when a bump or violent jolt to the head causes an injury that results in a disruption in normal brain function. Importantly, contact between the head and an external object does not need to occur in order for a person to sustain a TBI; these injuries can also occur in cases of sufficiently forceful whiplash as well. Because of the potentially serious complications that can accompany a TBI, it is extremely important that victims protect their rights by retaining a Clearwater personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
The attorneys of the Dolman Law Group have been assisting people injured in preventable accidents since 2009, and are dedicated to providing each client with individualized and solution-based representation. When you retain our firm, you can rest assured that every legal aspect of your case will be handled by a licensed Florida attorney, rather than a member of our support staff. Call our office today at 727-451-6900 to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer.
What kinds of accidents commonly cause TBIs?
Any accident that involves a bump or jolt to the head has the potential of causing a TBI. Some of the more common include the following:
Motor vehicle accidents – Accidents involving cars, trucks, and other motorized vehicles often involve tremendous force that can easily cause a TBI. In some cases, a TBI will be caused by the head striking part of the car in which a person is riding, while in others, a whiplash injury is the cause of a TBI. Additionally, a person may be ejected from a vehicle and be involved in a secondary collision with the ground or another object that causes a TBI.
Slip and fall accidents – While the vast majority of slip and fall accidents result in little more than embarrassment and perhaps a sore spot the next morning, they have the potential to result serious injury, including TBI. In fact, the National Safety Council (NSC) reports3 that slip and fall accidents account for nearly 9 million emergency department visits in the United States each year. When these accidents occur on someone else’s property, victims may be able to recover for their losses through a Florida premises liability claim.
Sport injuries and accidents – Generally speaking, injuries sustained in the normal course of a sporting event are not actionable, meaning that victims will not be able to successfully bring a legal claim to recover for their losses. This is due to a legal doctrine known as “assumption of the risk4,” which basically means that people who participate in a knowingly dangerous activity give up their right to sue for injuries that occur as part of the inherent risk of that activity. There are some cases, however, in which a person who sustains a TBI during a sporting event may be able to sue. These include:
• Injuries caused by defective equipment
• Injuries caused by poorly maintained sporting premises
• Injuries caused by the reckless conduct of another participant
• Injuries caused by another participant’s intentional conduct
After a sports injury resulting in a TBI, victims should be certain to discuss their situation with an experienced Clearwater personal injury lawyer in order to determine whether they have a claim.
Contact a Florida traumatic brain injury lawyer today to schedule a free consultation
Anyone who has sustained a TBI in Florida should retain legal counsel as soon as possible. To schedule a free consultation with one of our personal injury lawyers, call our office today at 727-451-6900.
Dolman Law Group
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33756
727-451-6900
1http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/19/us-nfl-concussions-idUSKCN0J31BJ20141119
2http://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/pdf/blue_book.pdf
3http://www.nsc.org/NSCDocuments_Advocacy/Fact%20Sheets/Slips-Trips-and-Falls.pdf
4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assumption_of_risk
