Experienced Concussion Injury Lawyers Serving Houston

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury. External trauma causes the brain to move around inside the skull. This type of movement is dangerous. The brain is complex, and everything must work together to function normally. When the brain jiggles or shakes inside the skull, some parts are damaged, and neurological signals are disrupted. They will remain disrupted until the brain heals from the trauma suffered.

Anyone suffering a concussion might also suffer other brain injuries, including intracranial hemorrhage or brain lesions. The key is to go to the hospital after an accident if you bump your head or feel intense headaches.

Concussions Symptoms

One clear sign is that you lost consciousness after an accident, even if only for a few brief seconds. Of course, not everyone with a concussion passes out. You can still have a concussion even if you remain conscious after an accident.

Over time, other symptoms will slowly emerge, including:

• Intense headaches
• Loss of memory
• Confusion
• Physical disabilities, such as inability to stand or walk
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Slurred speech
• Double vision
• Ringing in the ears
• Sleep disruption
• Mood swings

These symptoms could last for months, even years, depending on the severity. Doctors call this “post concussions syndrome.” Contact our Houston concussion injury attorneys if you have experienced these from an accident.

What Accidents Cause the Most Concussions?

People suffer a concussion when they hit their head on something or their head violently shakes. According to the most recent  report from the Centers for Disease Control, the most common causes include:

• Falls. Accidental falls made up almost 30% of TBI-related deaths. When a person falls, they can bump their head on the ground, which causes brain injury. The elderly were the most likely to fall, but anyone could slip or trip on a hazard.
• Motor vehicle accidents. These accidents made up roughly 17% of TBI-related deaths. Motorists can suffer a TBI when they strike their head on something (like the steering wheel) or when their head violently shakes back and forth.
• Violent attacks. Assaults are a common cause of moderate or severe TBIs. Someone could punch or even shoot someone in the head, or else a person could fall backwards after being assaulted.

Our Houston concussion injury lawyers have also seen people suffer concussions in premises liability accidents and from defective products. These are common injuries.

Medical Treatment for a Concussion

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to treat a concussion. Doctors can help manage symptoms like sleeplessness, pain, or anxiety by prescribing appropriate medications. But there is no single pill which will magically make a concussion go away. Instead, patients need to rest for a considerable amount of time to allow their brains to slowly heal.

Many doctors recommend avoiding any bright light, including light from electronic devices. Concussion victims often struggle to focus their attention, so they should probably avoid working on a computer or even watching television.

Victims also need to worry about not suffering a second concussion. Research has shown that a second concussion can be much harder to recover from than the first.

Ongoing Disabilities

Concussions vary in severity. A mild concussion might cause post-concussion syndrome for months but eventually heal. At that point, many of our clients can return to work or school and will wean themselves off medication.

A moderate or severe TBI will probably leave someone with permanent disabilities. Five years after an injury, the CDC found:

• 57% of victims were moderately or severely disabled
• 55% remained unemployed
• 33% needed someone to help them with daily activities like bathing, cooking, or getting dressed
• 29% were dissatisfied with life
• 12% were living in a nursing home or other assisted living facility

More serious brain injuries could lead to permanent disruption in your life. Some people will be unable to return to work.

Compensation & Your Concussion Injury

Concussions are an expensive injury. Severe TBIs might send someone to the Intensive Care Unit where doctors will monitor their vital signs 24/7 until they are out of the woods. But even milder concussions will cost the average person thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses.

Our Houston concussion injury attorneys can request compensation for your:

• Medical treatment—Your bills can include the cost of prescription medication, doctor’s visits, MRIs or other diagnostic tests, and hospital stays. Many serious concussions require physical, speech, or occupational therapy.
• Future medical expenses—Serious brain injuries require ongoing care, such as residence in a nursing home or the employment of an at-home attendant.
• Lost income—Our clients need to miss work to recover from even the mildest concussion. In fact, rushing back to work can delay recovery.
• Loss of earning capacity—Serious brain injuries can prevent someone from ever going back to work, or they must accept a less demanding job.
• Pain and suffering—Concussions increase dissatisfaction with life, with clients struggling from pain, sleeplessness, and anxiety.
• Property damage—If your car was damaged in a crash, you can seek compensation to repair it.

Call the Houston concussion injury lawyers at The Stano Law Firm to get an individualized assessment of your case. There is no “average” settlement which works for everybody.

Get Help from Our Houston Concussion Injury Lawyers Today

Our Houston concussion injury attorneys are prepared to begin building a case for compensation if you reach out to us. In a consultation, we can review the facts of your accident: what happened and when. Ultimately, we need to show that the person who injured you did so intentionally, recklessly, or negligently. Then we will analyze how much compensation would be fair considering your injuries and any continuing disabilities. Call our Houston concussion injury lawyers to get started.