Motorcycle accidents quite often generate traumatic brain injuries (TBI). TBI is classified as primary and secondary injury. Primary injury occurs right after your accident and secondary comes into play hours, days to months later. If your TBI is severe, you will have permanent brain damage and could possibly pass away. Permanent brain damage will require continued medical care and rehabilitation, which can be very expensive. This is why you need to consult with a motorcycle injury lawyer who is familiar with accident brain injuries to see if you qualify for a personal injury settlement. At Chester Law Group, we are experienced in motorcycle accidents and brain injury cases, and understand current Ohio laws to walk you through the necessary steps to receive compensation.
If you believe you have a wrongful death claim, contact the Chester Law Group today at 800-218-4243 and let us discuss your legal options.
Seeking Compensation for Traumatic Brain Injuries After an Accident
If you have been in an auto or motorcycle accident, you might have experienced traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI can be mild, serious, or possibly deadly. The simplest way to classify TBI is primary and secondary forms. Primary TBI happens during the initial accident and results from the movement of the physical parts of the brain. Secondary TBI occurs gradually and involves a number of cellular and molecular processes. If you have experienced TBI from a serious motorcycle accident, you need to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Quite often these accidents require long-term rehabilitation that is not covered by your insurance.
Common Damages for Traumatic Brain Injuries
Primary traumatic brain injuries occur immediately after the initial trauma. Damage that can occur to the brain within minutes to an hour.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Contusions: Blood vessels that are damaged in the skin leak blood and form a bruise on your face and/or scalp
- Vessel Damage: General blood vessel damage inside the brain – stretched, compressed, broken or torn – get inflammation and neuronal cell death
- Axonal Shearing: These are the fibers of neurons that send action potentials – they can be stretched or torn and won’t be able to send signals
- Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) Damage: This allows the immune system to enter the brain attacking brain cells and destroying them
- Damage to the Meninges: These are membranes that cover the surface of the brain – you get bleeding and inflammation
Secondary TBI results from processes initiated by the primary or initial trauma. This occurs in the hours, days, and months following the initial insult and plays a great role in the actual brain damage and cell death that occurs after the primary TBI. Most people don’t die of a TBI right away but rather weeks to months later and progressively deteriorate. This is due to secondary injury where damage spreads to initially undamaged areas of the brain. Much of this comes from internal bleeding and increased intracranial pressure.
Secondary Brain Injury Contributing Factors
Suffering from brain injuries after an accident that wasn’t your fault? The Chester Law Group can help.
- Ischemia: Not enough blood flow to the brain due to blood vessel constriction or blockage
- Hypoxia: Not enough oxygen in the brain
- Hypotension: Low blood pressure
- Edema: Swelling, inflammation
- Increased Intracranial Pressure: Due to inflammation – if this becomes excessive you end up with brain herniation – parts of the brain ooze out of holes in the skull
- Hypercapnia: Too much carbon dioxide in the blood
- Acidosis: Blood becomes acidic which indicates a disease state
- Excitotoxicity: Excess release of neurotransmitters that overexcite neurons leading to cell death
- Further breakdown of the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB): The immune system invades the brain and destroys neurons and other cells.
Consult with an Experienced Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer Today
If you have been seriously hurt in a truck or motorcycle accident and experienced a traumatic brain injury, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost wages. These types of accidents often involve long-term medical care and severe pain, so you need to consider seeking compensation with the help of a local attorney that is familiar with accidents involving brain injuries.
At Chester Law Group, we specialize in truck and motorcycle accident personal injury lawsuits involving brain and spinal injuries and can help guide you through a personal injury settlement. If you feel that seeking compensation in court or through a settlement is the right decision for you, then you should consult with a brain injury lawyer before you attend a Defense Medical Exam (DME) and don’t ask the defense doctor for advice. Make sure you get copies of all your medical records as they will serve as evidence in you case.
For more information about this subject, request a copy of our free book entitled The Insider’s Guide to Handling Ohio Accident Claims. Also, request a free DVD entitled What You Should Know About Motor Vehicle Injury Claims. Both the free book and free DVD describe in more detail what you need to know to protect your rights now.
Call the attorneys at Chester Law Group today at 800-218-4243 to get the help you want from people that you can trust.