The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It is one of the most vulnerable organs in the body. Traumatic injury is a leading cause of death for persons under 45. The leading causes of traumatic brain injuries are automobile accidents, falls and sports injuries.

A concussion is a head injury with loss of brain function for a short period of time. Traumatic Brain Injury can cause physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral problems. Brain function can be permanently or temporarily impaired. Symptoms of traumatic brain injury include loss of consciousness, headache, vomiting, nausea, and dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, fatigue, and changes in sleep patterns. Severe brain injury can cause dilation of the pupils, inability to awaken, slurred speech, difficulty choosing the appropriate words, weakness/numbness of limbs, or agitation.

Concussion brain injuries/paralysis can lead to a lifetime of health care needs. If you or someone you know has sustained a traumatic brain injury because of someone else’s negligence, contact an attorney to find out what your rights are.

Brain damage may be apparent and quickly diagnosed after an accident — or it may require time and in-depth medical analysis. In some accident cases, head trauma is only one factor in an array of problems, and symptoms of a brain injury take time to sort out. After an accident you believe was caused by someone's negligence, if you have any suspicion a brain injury has occurred, please contact us for caring, informed legal counsel.

At the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, law offices of Locke Meredith, Sean Fagan & Associates, APLC, we have earned credibility as advocates for brain injury victims and their families. Some of our largest recoveries for our valued clients and their families have come in brain injury cases, including:
*A jury award of over $15.5 million for one brain injury victim — and an additional out-of-court settlement worth $1.2 million for another — after a truck accident case involving driver inattentiveness and negligence
*A <$5.4 million jury award in East Baton Rouge Parish for a man severely injured by an explosion while performing his job duties at a manufacturing plant
*Many other sizable recoveries for people injured under other circumstances, whether brain injuries were moderate or permanently disabling

Diligence in Case Valuation and Accounting for Anticipated Lifelong Costs
Top-quality medical diagnosis, treatment and overall care can be essential to your claim as well as to recovering as much quality of life as possible. We have developed a network of medical professionals who can provide valuable testimony about your condition and long-term needs. Specifically, we are familiar with many nuances of:
*Documenting and presenting diagnoses from neuropsychologists, rehabilitation specialists, life care planners, and others
*Neuropsychological testing to measure brain function
*MRIs, CAT scans, and medically sanctioned testing of reasoning and communication capabilities
*Defending against an insurance company's arguments that a brain injury is "fakeable," or that evidence is not medically reliable

Our attorneys' successful track record extends across many types of accidents, including motorcycle crashes, auto accidents caused by drunk driving and other forms of recklessness, boating accidents and construction site accidents — all of which can result in brain injuries and other life-changing outcomes.

*Brain Injury - Overview
Every year in America, nearly 100,000 people suffer serious brain injuries that require medical treatment and affect their ability to perform everyday activities. You do not have to be traveling at a high rate of speed or to strike a hard object in order to suffer a traumatic brain injury. Serious brain injuries can result from falls, car accidents, sports activities, and work-related accidents. Any kind of trauma to the head or neck region can cause the brain to bruise, bleed, tear, or swell.

Types of Brain Injuries: Open and Closed
There are two general types of head injuries: open and closed. An open injury means the skull has been fractured, and this kind of brain injury usually results from falls or other accidents in which the head comes in direct contact with a hard surface or object. A closed head injury does not involve a fracture, but can be more serious than an open injury due to the possibility of brain swelling and the formation of dangerous blood clots inside the skull. Whether a brain injury is open or closed, the most serious of either type can cause paralysis, loss of consciousness, and even death.

Serious Brain Injury: Warning Signs
Soon after an accident or injury, it may be difficult to know whether you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, especially when no visual indications of serious injury exist. Here are some things to look out for when evaluating an accident victim's potential for brain injuries:
-Confusion and difficulty remembering recent events
-Unusual tiredness or sluggishness
-Nausea and dizziness
-Severe headache
-Weakness or numbness on one side of the body

If any of the above symptoms are present soon after an accident or injury, you should seek immediate medical attention. It is even possible to suffer from a brain injury and still feel fine. Some victims have suffered serious brain injuries in an automobile accident, yet have been able to get out of their car and direct traffic away from the scene. Therefore, if there is any question at all whether a brain injury could have occurred in an accident, it is critical to go to the nearest hospital for a thorough medical evaluation.

*This information comes from www.findlaw.com

Contact our office today for a free consultation.
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