Any part of your body can sustain injuries, but damage to some areas is worse than others. Brain injuries are among the most serious, potentially causing permanent behavioral, cognitive, emotional or physical impairments.
Brain injuries happen in many ways. If someone else caused the injury, the injured party deserves compensation. Our brain injury lawyers in Camden, SC, from Savage, Royall & Sheheen, LLP, can explain your legal options.
Categories of Brain Injuries
Medical professionals categorize brain injuries in many ways. The labels typically indicate the wound’s severity, cause or whether the skull is fractured.
- Traumatic: A physical object impacts the head externally.
- Non-traumatic: Non-TBIs result from internal causes rather than impact.
- Closed: Internal damage occurs without a skull fracture.
- Penetrating: An object breaks the skull and pierces the brain.
- Mild, moderate or severe: Using the Glasgow Coma Scale to measure patient consciousness levels, physicians classify brain injuries according to their severity.
Another eight-level scale describes the patient’s recovery stage.
Types of Brain Injuries
Brain injuries come in many forms, such as:
- Concussions: Damage caused when an external force impacts the head, causing the brain to collide with the skull
- Contusions: Brain bruises
- Coup-contrecoup: Dual injuries caused by one initial impact and a secondary impact that directly results from the first
- Diffuse axonal: Connecting fiber tears due to shaking or twisting of the brain
- Penetrating wounds: An object breaking through the skull and into the brain
Hematomas and hemorrhaging are also common. These conditions relate to bleeding and collections of blood outside blood vessels.
If a person sustains a second head injury soon after a previous one, the health risk is typically more severe. Second injury syndrome can also complicate potential compensation claims. Ask your brain injury lawyer in Camden, SC, for assistance.
Causes of Brain Injuries and Possible Lawsuits
Some brain injuries, while tragic, are the result of aneurysms, strokes and other internal causes. Others result from accidental or intentional harm caused by others, such as:
- Assault
- Falls
- Firearms
- Motor vehicle collisions
- Medical malpractice
If someone else’s negligence is the root cause of a brain injury, the injured party can usually seek compensation for their damages. In legal terms, negligence is failing to exercise the same level of care as a reasonable person would in the same situation.
Proving negligence involves duty of care, which is an obligation people have to meet specific standards in their actions towards others.
For example, motorists must drive safely to avoid collisions, property owners need to repair hazardous conditions or warn others about the risks, and medical professionals should exercise caution and competence when treating patients.
Negligence is the basis for most personal injury lawsuits. To prove negligence, your Savage, Royall & Sheheen, LLP, brain injury lawyers in Camden, SC, will show that:
- Someone owed you a duty of care.
- That party failed to provide the required duty of care.
- The failure caused an injury.
- You sustained damages as a direct result of the breach.
When you can prove that all these statements are factual, you can seek compensation for your damages. You will need evidence to support your claim, and your attorney will investigate to gather it.
Your Options if Negligence Leads to a Brain Injury
South Carolina’s comparative negligence law allows you to seek compensation for damages caused by another party as long as you are less than 51% responsible for causing your injury. Your assigned percentage of fault reduces compensation amounts correspondingly.
If eligible, you can file an insurance claim against liable parties. However, insurance companies may attempt to assign you an unfair portion of blame to avoid paying your claim. They might also offer unreasonably low settlement amounts.
When you hire one of our personal injury lawyers in Camden, SC, we will protect your rights and fight for maximum compensation on your behalf. If necessary, we will file a civil lawsuit. We will not let insurance companies take advantage of you.
Compensation for Brain Injuries
People sustaining brain injuries incur many expenses, and their quality of life may suffer. Different types of payments compensate for these damages.
Economic Damages
These damages reimburse you for expenses you incur as a direct result of your injury, including:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Replacement services
- Property damage
You may be eligible to request compensation for some future expenses. Your brain injury lawyer will tell you if you qualify.
Non-Economic Damages
Brain injuries can cause significant adverse effects on your quality of life. Non-economic damages compensate for these conditions, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
- Losing the ability to enjoy life
- Anxiety, depression and PTSD
- Damage to personal relationships
Insurance companies rarely volunteer this kind of compensation, and they often attempt to discredit you to avoid paying these damages. To ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve, contact Savage, Royall & Sheheen, LLP, today.
Contact a Brain Injury Lawyer in Camden, SC
Savage, Royall & Sheheen, LLP, has helped people in South Carolina with their legal issues since 1926. With almost a century of experience, we have handled multiple cases similar to yours. We know how to obtain favorable results. We have the resources of a large firm, but we give each client the personal attention they deserve.
If you need a brain injury lawyer in Camden, SC, contact Savage, Royall & Sheheen, LLP, today. Let us assess your case and tell you how we can help. Call us at 803-432-4391 or use our online contact request form.
Brain Injury Case FAQs
Can you recover from a brain injury?
Every injury is different. Some people have full recoveries, while others experience long-lasting or permanent damage.
If someone dies from a brain injury, can survivors seek compensation?
Eligible survivors can file a wrongful death suit if someone else caused the wound and the patient had a valid personal injury claim before death.
What is the average brain injury settlement amount?
Brain injuries affect each person differently, requiring varying treatments and producing diverse consequences. Each settlement differs depending on case-specific factors.