If you suffered from a traumatic injury through no fault of your own, you might be eligible for compensation. Garratts’ team of highly knowledgeable personal injury solicitors will assist you with your traumatic brain injury compensation claim. To start the claims process, fill in our contact form or call us on 0161 665 350 to determine if you’re eligible to make a claim.
What constitutes a traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
A traumatic brain injury occurs when the brain experiences sudden trauma, i.e., a blow or jolt to the brain. Furthermore, the head may also be violently hit by an object which bounces off it or enters the actual brain tissues through a cut to the skull.
Traumatic brain injuries can result from:
What are the main symptoms of a moderate to severe TBI?
Whilst mild TBI may result in headaches, nausea, and temporary memory loss, moderate to severe TBI can have a prolonged, life-altering impact on someone’s mental and physical health.
Common symptoms of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Convulsions or seizures
- Dilated pupils
- Vomiting and nausea
- Headaches that may worsen in the days following the trauma
- Loss of coordination and general confusion
- Unusually, agitated behaviour
- Slurred speech
- In some cases, the person may fall into a coma.
What different types of traumatic brain injuries exist?
There are two types of brain injuries:
- Closed brain injury - Here, no objects have pierced through the skull and brain tissue. Instead, the brain was shaken inside the skull, causing it to bruise and/or tear parts of tissue and surrounding blood vessels. This usually occurs through strong external forces like a fall from a height or a car accident which causes the brain to move forwards and backwards.
- Open or penetrating brain injury - This type of traumatic brain injury occurs when the skull is penetrated by an object which pierces the brain tissue. It’s a rarer condition than the aforementioned closed brain injury, which can occur when a person is hit with a sharp object or shot.
What are the side effects of a TBI?
According to the brain injury association Headway, ‘traumatic brain injury causes numerous ‘hidden disabilities’ that result in changes to personality, thinking and memory.’ The actual location where the injury occurs often provides an accurate indication as to what side effects a person may experience following a TBI.
- Damage to the centre of the brain may result in a coma.
- Damage to the parietal lobes can correspond with weak limbs.
- Speech and language impairments can result from damage to the brain stem.
- If the frontal lobes were injured, the patient can experience a behaviour change.
How can I claim compensation for my brain injury?
Start by getting in touch with our team of personal injury solicitors, who will offer you a free initial consultation. That way, you can find out if your claim is eligible. Our legal experts will review your case and subsequently advise you whether we think you could qualify for compensation.
Next, we will help with accruing all the required evidence to help support your claim and inform any liable third parties. Additionally, we will arrange an independent medical examination report to ensure your compensation claim has the best possible outcome. We will carry out all negotiations, and if required, we will represent you in court.
How long have I got to claim compensation?
To make a claim, you must be aged 18 or older and be a UK resident. You will have three years from the date of your injury to claim compensation. If it occurred in the last three years, please call Garratts as soon as you can. You may also claim on behalf of someone younger than 18 years old who may have completed an apprenticeship, work experience or was in part-time employment when the accident occurred. In this case, there is no time restriction until their 18th birthday.
