Calculating Damages for a Pascagoula Traumatic Brain Injury Case

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) encompass injuries to the brain and spinal cord that can limit one’s ability to control their extremities or impact their major organs’ ability to function. The injuries can also affect processing of thoughts and functions in the brain.  Every traumatic brain injury varies from individual to individual.

Traumatic brain injury cases focus heavily on how the individual functioned before the injury and their tragic limitations because of the injury. These cases are unique because while it may be years until recovery materializes, the outcome of the case can hinge on statements from medical professionals regarding the individual’s long-term prognosis and their functionality.

If you or a loved one have been catastrophically injured, it is best to reach out to a knowledgeable traumatic brain injury attorney. The lawyer could help with calculating damages for a Pascagoula traumatic brain injury case.

Assessing Damages for a TBI

If the injured person was physically active, working, traveling, and had a thriving social life before the TBI occurred, those factors will be taken into account when assessing damages. Younger or more active individuals will likely recover higher damages than those who are older or were not employed immediately before the TBI. However, every case is different and depends on the injured person’s lifestyle before they sustained the injury.

Other factors involved in assessing damages are the number of people that the injured person was responsible for in their household or who depended on them for financial support, household support, or wage-earning capacity. The attorney may hire experts to assess what the total damages could amount to and what kind of life the individual can expect to lead post-accident.

Common Damages

When calculating damages for a Pascagoula traumatic brain injury case, the courts will look at how an individual’s life has changed since the accident occurred. Many individuals who sustain TBIs must relearn basic functions, making appropriate rehabilitative therapists, medical professionals, and even specialized surgeons crucial to their recovery. The type of catastrophic injury they have will dictate the type of therapy and treatment they need.

Injured claimants may be eligible to recover compensation for a wide range of damages. The most common include:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Loss of one’s ability to maintain a household, raise children, or be an effective spouse or employee
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish

The most important thing an injured person can do to assist their attorney is keep them aware of what is going on, how their health or lifestyle is changing for better or worse, and the medical developments, issues, and facts of their case.

Long-Term Damages

Attorneys often look to experts to make those assessments and verify to the court what it will cost for the injured individual to function long-term. It is imperative for a traumatic brain injury lawyer to work closely with experts and the injured claimant to determine what those expenses will likely amount to as the years go by.

Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries are unique, and each type of injury is often treated by a different specialist physician, making it of paramount importance for injured individuals to be treated by the appropriate medical professional for their specific injury.

Following a TBI, the individual will likely need to relearn certain basic functions. Physical rehabilitation therapists, speech therapists, and any other types of therapists are key contributors to the individual’s recovery.

It is imperative that they follow up with all of their medical appointments, carefully adhere to instructions from their doctors, and make sure that they are being treated appropriately.

Coordinating Long-Term Plans

A personal injury attorney can help someone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury obtain a long-term life plan by enlisting the help of a life care plan expert or life plan expert.

These experts create long-term life plans outlining the injured person’s approximate expenses for their own care going forward, including costs for rehabilitation, prescription medications, surgery, continuing medical treatment, and even assistive devices like wheelchairs or braces. The plans can also include expenses for home care if the individual needs assistance with physical hygiene, housecleaning, or cooking as a result of their injury.

Life plans are often disputed by insurance company lawyers. The plans are designed to give a jury, judge, or mediator an idea of what it will going to cost the individual to either recuperate or have a reasonable quality of life after sustaining the traumatic brain injury.

How a Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney Could Help

A lawyer’s greatest responsibility in a TBI case is to work in the injured claimant’s best interests. Traumatic brain injury cases often involve only a limited amount of insurance coverage, but an attorney can ensure that the plaintiff is able to obtain and utilize every resource available to them.

The lawyer could discuss with the victim’s family how to plan for long-term care, maximize recovery, and act in their best interests. A TBI lawyer knows what to look for when calculating damages for a Pascagoula traumatic brain injury case. With the help of an attorney, injured individuals may be eligible to recover compensation for their present and future damages. Call today to learn about what may be possible in your case.