In case of a brain injury it is important for you to know that you are not alone. In addition to the support of friends and family, there are a variety of professionals dedicated to helping victims of brain injury.

Each year in the United States one and a half million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury. Of the injured, 230,000 will survive, but another 50,000 won't be as lucky. About 80 to 90 thousand brain injury victims will suffer from long term disability that affects every aspect of their lives indefinitely.

While, unfortunately, there is no cure for brain injury, medical technology and its advances are improving the care and treatment available to brain injury victims and their loved ones.

Devastating physical, cognitive, and emotional consequences follow a traumatic brain injury. Sensory impairment, headaches, coordination difficulties, muscle spasticity, paresis, or paralysis, seizures, and balance or gait problems are just some of the physical impairments that can ensue.

Cognitive impairments which can occur include memory loss, language difficulties, lack of judgment, poor perception, lack of attention, difficulty learning, and other disabilities. Fatigue, mood swings, anger, denial, anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunction, and other trouble experiencing and managing emotions are some of the psychosocial and emotional impairments caused by brain injury.

Concussion:
A blow to the head may cause a slight or severe concussion (an alteration of consciousness, transient or prolonged) and may be followed by amnesia, vertigo, nausea and a weak pulse.

A Concussion is often accompanied by unusually rapid or slow breathing. Bleeding and bruises may be evidence of the injury. The victim will likely have a severe headache and possibly blurred vision upon awaking. In the case of a severe injury the victim may lapse into a coma.

Sports related injuries are the most common cause of concussions.

Anoxic Brain Injury:
This type of brain injury is caused when the brain does not receive oxygen. An absence of oxygen intake or the inability of the blood stream to transport oxygen to the brain can cause anoxic brain injury. Anoxic brain injuries are generally caused by swimming and diving accidents or by complications during surgery.

Traumatic Brain Injury:
This severe type of brain injury is the result of rapid acceleration and deceleration of the brain, including tearing of nerve fibers, bruising of the brain tissue against the skull, brain stem injuries, and swelling. The leading cause of traumatic brain injuries is motor vehicle accidents.

Auto accidents are the leading cause of brain injuries in the United States, and most car accidents are caused by negligence.

When negligence is the cause of a traumatic brain injury, the victim or their family may be entitled to recover all of their losses due to negligence, including all current and future medical costs, property damage, pain and suffering, loss of current and future income, loss of enjoyment and in some cases, punitive damages.

Families of the victim may also be compensated for losses if, due to the injury, they are forced to change their circumstances and lifestyle in order to care for the victim of brain injury.

Although auto crashes account for almost half of all brain injuries, more than 300,000 sport-related traumatic brain or head injuries occur in the United States each year. It is increasingly evident that brain injuries due to sports related accidents can lead to severe and often irreversible complications, yet many high school and college sports coaches and officials have not been trained appropriately regarding the serious medical risks and required first aid care associated with concussions.

Many people believe that if the victim has not lost consciousness, they are not seriously injured. However, a medical evaluation may show that though a person remains conscious the injuries to the brain could be severe. Medical research also shows that once an individual has suffered a concussion, the likelihood of suffering another concussion will be three times higher and some reports suggest that as few as three concussions may result in permanent and/or irreversible brain damage.

Schools and amateur sports leagues should be required to assume responsibility for negligence in cases where children are allowed to "play" a sport even though it was known that the child had suffered previous head injuries.

It is imperative that the victim seek immediate and proper medical attention after a brain injury. A brain injury can cause many damages that must be addressed promptly by a qualified physician. After receiving a brain injury you could be at risk for bleeding and swelling of the brain that must be treated immediately to minimize the damage to the brain and reduce the risk of secondary injuries. There are many resources available to the victim and their family after a brain injury.

Treatment for a brain injury often involves a series of rehabilitation phases aimed at maximizing your ability to reclaim self-sufficiency and independence. There is an entire team of professionals dedicated to assisting victims in reaching their highest level of recovery. This team of professionals may include: physicians, nurses, psychologists, physical therapists, speech and language professionals, occupational therapists, respiratory professionals, case managers, social workers, neurologists and more.

An attorney experienced in brain injury law is also a vital resource for the victim of a brain injury and their family. Auto accidents, slip/falls, sports injuries, workplace incidents and violence are common causes of brain injuries. Another party may be responsible for your brain injuries in many of these.

If you feel that a party may be liable for your brain injury, you should speak with a lawyer experienced in brain injury law who can review your case to determine your legal rights and options. For more information about brain injury cases, please contact us to speak with an experienced lawyer. Claims may also be filed against hospitals, HMOs or physicians if it is determined that a brain injury resulted from improper and/or negligent medical treatment or that a brain or head injury was present, but remained undiagnosed.

Rehabilitation centers and long-term care facilities are responsible for providing a safe environment for all brain injury victims under their care. Families often assume that their loved one continues to be in a care facility because of necessity. However, it has been revealed that some long-term care facilities have purposely kept a patient in their facility after it is no longer necessary for the purpose of collecting medical insurance benefits.

The Department of Justice has filed charges against many of these unscrupulous institutions, but some still exist. Proving a physical, cognitive or emotional injury can be difficult, however, our experienced lawyers are able to take difficult cases and prevail, convincing skeptics of the merits of a claim through credible and trustworthy evidence as well as objective test results.

We are committed to protecting your rights and succeeding in the most challenging and complex traumatic brain injury cases.

Trauma is the leading cause of death in the United States for people between the ages of 1 and 44 and is the third leading cause of death overall. Statistics show there are about 2 million brain injuries reported each year in the United States. Of these reported brain injuries, over 51,000 were fatal and 20-30% of the surviving victims suffered permanent, irreversible disabilities. Physical and emotional damages resulting from traumatic brain injuries may eventually be reversed but unfortunately many victims of brain injury suffer some type of permanent irreversible damage.

It is reported that currently there are more than 5 million people in the United States who are permanently disabled due to the effects of a brain injury. If you, or a loved one, have been involved in any type of accident resulting in brain injuries in Kansas or Missouri, please do not hesitate to contact our office for a free consultation and case evaluation.