Liberty Brain Injury Attorneys

If you sustained a brain injury due to the negligent actions of another person or a company, contact the Liberty personal injury attorneys of House Packard McElderry, LLC right now to discuss your legal options. We might be able to represent you in a case against the at-fault party and seek compensation on your behalf.

The severity of a brain injury depends on the type and location of the damage. Injuries to the brain can cause permanent or temporary disruptions in function. Minor brain injuries heal entirely with adequate treatment. However, severe brain injuries can be permanent and cause physical and mental impairments. A range of factors can contribute to a brain injury. Car accidents commonly lead to concussions when an occupant hits their head on the steering wheel or dashboard. Concussions can also result from trauma to the head after falling down the stairs or tripping on a hazard. Various symptoms can appear depending on the type and severity of the injury. Some start immediately, while others aren’t apparent until days or weeks later.

At House Packard McElderry, LLC, we understand a person’s challenges after a brain injury. The injury can interfere with every aspect of daily life and routine. For some accident victims, returning to work isn’t possible. Others require assistance performing routine tasks. The cost of medical bills can be expensive and lead to massive debt. Someone else is at fault for the incident and should be liable for your injury. You should not face the consequences of their wrongdoing. House Packard McElderry, LLC is ready to help you fight for the justice and compensation you deserve. We can handle every legal aspect of your case so you can focus on recovering. We will treat you as a priority and provide the guidance and support you need during this traumatic experience. Call House Packard McElderry, LLC at (816) 381-9105 today for your free consultation with one of our brain injury attorneys in Liberty, MO.

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Common Types of Brain Injuries

Certain brain injuries cause immediate symptoms. The symptoms start right after some sort of trauma to the head or body. Other types of injuries to the brain aren’t noticeable in the aftermath of an accident. It might take a few days or even weeks before symptoms appear. There are two primary types of brain injuries – non-traumatic and traumatic. External force doesn’t cause non-traumatic brain injuries. This type of injury typically results from factors such as:

  • Oxygen deprivation
  • Brain aneurysm
  • Drowning
  • Metabolic disorder
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Illness

Non-traumatic brain injuries fall under two classifications:

  • Anoxic injury

    Anoxia is a lack of oxygen to the brain that prevents normal functioning.

  • Hypoxic injury

    Hypoxia is reduced blood flow to the brain, causing the brain to receive less oxygen than it needs to function as usual.

brain injury

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) results from a violent jolt or blow to the head or penetrating injury. The classification a TBI falls under depends on the cause of the injury. The most common classifications include:

Coup-contrecoup

A coup-contrecoup injury damages the brain in two separate stages. The first stage happens when an external force causes the brain to impact the front of the skull. It rebounds and impacts the back of the skull in the second stage.

Diffuse Axonal Injury

A diffuse axonal injury occurs when the long connecting nerve fibers tear when the brain rotates and shifts inside the skull. The brain suffers microscopic changes that can cause a person to fall into a coma.

Penetrating Brain Injury

A penetrating brain injury results from an object penetrating the skull and entering the brain, causing damage. Penetrating injuries can lead to internal bleeding, swelling, and other complications.

Intracranial Hematoma

A hematoma is a collection of blood outside a blood vessel. When it happens to a vessel in the brain, blood can pool within the skull and place significant pressure on the brain.

Contusion

A contusion is a bruise. Swelling and bleeding near the site of the injury are common with brain contusions.

Concussion

Concussions result from a sudden or violent blow or movement to the head. A concussion affects brain function and can cause issues with coordination, memory, and concentration.

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If you sustained a brain injury, House Packard McElderry, LLC's Liberty personal injury lawyers can help you fight for the compensation you need.

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TBI symptoms depend on whether the injury is mild or severe. A mild TBI can happen when the head suffers a jolt, bump, or blow and causes rapid brain movement inside the skull. Symptoms often begin immediately following the injury but could take a few days or weeks. Brain damage is temporary for most people and typically doesn’t cause long-term complications. The most common signs of a mild traumatic brain injury include:

  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Headaches
  • Blurred vision
  • Drowsiness or fatigue
  • Changes in mood
  • Sensitivity to sound or light
  • Speech difficulties
  • Feeling anxious or depressed
  • Loss of consciousness from a few seconds to several minutes
  • Trouble with memory or concentration
  • Dizziness or loss of balance
  • Difficulty sleeping or sleeping more than usual

A severe traumatic brain injury results from a penetrating injury or bump, blow, or jolt to the brain or head. Symptoms can begin within a few hours or days of an accident. Damage to nerves, cells, and tissue can be permanent and lead to lifelong impairments or disability. The most common symptoms of a severe TBI include:

  • Dilated pupil in one or both eyes
  • Coma and other consciousness disorders
  • Slurred speech
  • Numbness or weakness in the fingers and toes
  • Seizures or convulsions
  • Loss of consciousness for a few minutes or hours
  • Profound confusion
  • Repeated nausea or vomiting
  • Combativeness, agitation, and other unusual behavioral changes
  • Inability to awaken from sleep
  • Loss of coordination
  • Worsening or persistent headaches

Some children exhibit unusual signs of a traumatic brain injury. They might not be apparent, especially if the child is too young to vocalize how they feel or understand what their symptoms mean. The most common symptoms of a TBI in young kids include:

  • Irritability
  • Changes in sleeping patterns
  • Persistent crying with an inability to be consoled
  • Drowsiness
  • Seizures
  • Changes in nursing or eating habits
  • Sad or depressed mood
  • Loss of interest in activities or toys usually favored
  • Reduced or loss of attentiveness

Diagnosing a traumatic brain injury requires a physical exam and various tests. A doctor can perform a CT scan to observe changes in the brain and locate the site of the brain damage. Imaging tests can also uncover complications of the injury, such as a brain bleed or swelling.

Common Causes of Brain Injuries

Various circumstances can lead to different types of brain injuries. A brain injury doesn’t necessarily have to result from some sort of physical trauma. Other factors, such as oxygen deprivation, can damage the brain and cause a range of symptoms. At House Packard McElderry, LLC, our brain injury attorneys in Liberty, MO, have experience representing clients in cases involving brain injuries, such as:

  • Nursing home abuse
  • Boating accidents
  • Construction accidents
  • Pedestrian accidents
  • Slip and falls
  • Wrongful death
  • Car accidents
  • Medical malpractice
  • Bicycle accidents
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Aviation accidents
  • Truck accidents

If your injury happened in any type of accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact House Packard McElderry, LLC to learn what we can do to help. Whether your injury is minor or severe, you likely need treatment to recover. The at-fault party should be financially responsible for those expenses, so you don’t have to pay out of pocket.

Compensation Available for a Brain Injury

You could pursue compensation for your brain injury from the at-fault party in a lawsuit or their liability insurance company. The money you recover might compensate you for injury-related losses, such as:

  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Permanent impairment and disability
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Pain and suffering
  • Out-of-pocket expenses
  • Property damage

You could also pursue punitive damages if you file a lawsuit against the negligent individual or company that caused your brain injury. You might receive this type of financial award if you can show clear and convincing evidence of the defendant’s deliberate and flagrant disregard for others’ safety or intentional harm without just cause.

Statute of Limitations for Lawsuits Involving Brain Injuries

If you suffered a brain injury during an incident someone else caused, you could sue them. However, you must follow a specific timeframe. Missouri’s statute of limitations allows five years for injury cases. That means you must file your lawsuit within five years of the date of the accident. You could toll the statute in either of these circumstances:

Mental Incapacity

The five-year timeframe will not start until you are no longer mentally incapacitated.

Under 21

If you are under 21 years old when the accident happens, you will have five years from the date you turn 21 to initiate your lawsuit.

If you are a surviving spouse, child, or another eligible party, you could pursue a wrongful death case if your loved one sustained a fatal brain injury due to someone’s negligence. The statute of limitations for wrongful death lawsuits allows three years. That timeframe starts on the date of the victim’s death. If the brain injury resulted from a healthcare professional’s error or omission, you must file your medical malpractice lawsuit within two years of the date the malpractice occurred. However, the discovery rule could apply if you don’t immediately realize your injury is due to medical malpractice. In that case, you would have two years from the date you discover your injury.

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House Packard McElderry, LLC is proud of the reputation we have built over the years. We’ve received multiple awards from prestigious organizations, including The National Trial Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and America’s Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys. We believe in representing clients injured by the wrongdoing of others. You can depend on our Liberty brain injury attorneys to fight by your side. If you suffered a brain injury due to someone else’s negligence, call House Packard McElderry, LLC at (816) 381-9105 today for your free consultation.