How Our Florida Brain Injury Attorneys Will Fight for You
When you meet with our personal injury attorneys for the first time to discuss the accident that caused your brain injury, we will map out a detailed legal strategy that is specifically tailored to your case. Our compassionate and attentive attorneys will take the time to thoroughly review every aspect of your case and answer any and all questions you may have.
You can trust that our attorneys will take a comprehensive approach to prepare the strongest case possible on your behalf. Some of the ways that we will build your argument for maximum compensation include:
- Collecting and reviewing all medical records related to your brain injury
- Gathering all evidence collected by law enforcement or insurance companies related to the accident that caused your brain injury
- Identifying every possible source of compensation, including your insurance, the at-fault party’s insurance, and other potentially liable parties
- Obtaining opinions from medical experts, financial planners, accident reconstruction specialists, and other qualified professionals to define the extent of your brain injury
Our comprehensive approach to preparing your case will lead to a stronger position in negotiations, and our skilled brain injury litigators will be prepared to take your case to trial if that is what is necessary to pursue maximum compensation. Overall, everything we do is driven by our commitment to demanding justice for you.
Long-Term Financial Planning After a Brain Injury
Although right now you are probably focused on just getting through the next few days, weeks, or months, brain injury experts recommend that you and your family take a step back at some point to discuss your needs in the long term. Brainline.org recommends talking to an experienced brain injury lawyer about:
Planning
your estate
Setting up
special-needs trusts
Creating trusts
and structured settlements
At Chiumento Dwyer Hertel Grant, our dedicated legal team can go over a long-term financial planning strategy and provide you with the resources your need to make informed decisions about your financial future after a brain injury.
Resources for Florida Brain Injury Victims
As you and your family cope with the stress of recovering from a brain injury, you can trust that our legal team is managing everything we can to take the pressure off of you as we pursue the compensation you need. Our compassionate brain injury attorneys also strive to connect you with additional resources in the community to make sure you are receiving the support you need.
This state program provides victims of brain injuries with important services such as:
- Case management
- Acute care
- Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation
- Transitional living
- Assistive technology
- Home and vehicle modifications
- Nursing home transition facilitation
- Long-term supports for survivors and families
Funding for this program comes from traffic-related fines, surcharges for driving under the influence or boating under the influence, and fees on temporary license tags and motorcycle specialty tags.
This statewide nonprofit organization is committed to informing, educating, supporting and advocating on behalf of survivors of traumatic brain injuries (TBI), their families, and caregivers. Resource coordinators for BIAF:
- Help families from the time the brain injury occurs throughout the recovery process
- Ensure survivors are connected with national, state, and local resources so they can live stable and productive lives
- Check to make sure that the referral resources are responsive and available to meet the brain injury survivor’s needs
- Organize an annual retreat and respite weekend for caregivers
- Maintain an online resource library on brain injury information
When you work with the Florida brain injury attorneys at Chiumento Dwyer Hertel Grant, we become part of your care team, fighting to provide the support you need and the compensation you deserve. Contact us now to schedule a time to discuss your brain injury and learn how we can help.
Putting Together a Comprehensive Care Team
For people who have suffered serious brain injuries, access to a team of qualified medical professionals, therapists, counselors, and lawyers is essential to reaching your goals for maximum medical improvement. Everyone on your comprehensive care team should share in that goal and provide the support you need to move forward with your life.
Your recovery will depend on the severity of your injury and what part of the brain was injured, according to The Mayo Clinic, but you may end up needing help from:
Surgeons:
You may need surgery to remove clotted blood (hematomas), repair skull fractures, remove pieces of skull from the brain, or open a window in the skull to relieve pressure.
Speech and language pathologists:
For patients who are having trouble with communication after a brain injury, these professionals help you improve communication skills and teach you to use assistive communication devices if needed.
Rehabilitation nurse and TBI nurse specialist:
These nurses work with the patients and families to ensure you know what to expect as you go through the recovery process, and the rehabilitative nurse helps with the transition out of the hospital or rehab facility.
Physiatrists:
This type of doctor, trained in physical medicine and rehabilitation, can oversee your rehabilitation process and prescribe medicine.
Neuropsychologists:
This professional will assess your cognitive impairment, teach you to manage behaviors, go over coping strategies, and offer psychotherapy services.
Brain injury lawyer and advocate:
As you work through the rehabilitative process, an experienced Florida brain injury lawyer can work toward recovering compensation from the party that caused your accident.
Recreational therapist and vocational counselor:
These professionals help you and your family transition into life post-injury. They assist in identifying your ability and opportunities to work, as well as helping you engage in leisure activities.
Social workers and case managers:
As a coordinator of services, these professionals play a very important role in helping you plan and get access to services. They will help your family stay organized in getting the help you need.
Occupational and physical therapists:
These professionals help you learn, relearn, or improve movement patterns, balance, and skills to perform normal activities.
The recovery process for a brain injury can be extremely challenging, but it is important that you stick with it, attending all of your doctor’s appointments and therapy sessions. Not only will this help in your physical recovery, but it will also help build your case for compensation.
Understanding the Common Types of Brain Injury
The brain is a complicated machine, so most injuries to it can be complicated as well. One way these types of injuries are categorized is as open head injuries or closed head injuries. Beyond that, you may hear doctors further define your brain injury in the following ways.
Open Head Injury
These types of injuries can be terrifying, as the skull is punctured and there is usually a lot of bleeding. If you are suffering from an open head injury, the Brain Injury Association of America describes the following terms that you may need to know:
- Depressed skull fracture, where a piece of skull bone moves toward the brain
- Compound skull fracture, where the scalp is cut and the skull is fractured
- Basilar skull fracture, which means the fracture is at the base of the skull
- Battle’s Sign, which means the fracture is at the ear’s petrous bone, causing marks below the ear and on the jaw and neck
- Raccoon Eyes, which indicate the skull is fractured in the anterior cranial fossa, causing marks around your eyes
- Cribriform plate fracture, which means the fracture occurred in the cribriform plate behind the nose
- Diastatic skull fracture, which occurs in children whose skulls have not completely solidified
Closed Head Injury
In a closed head injury, the skull is not fractured, meaning that when the brain swells, pressure can build and further injury can result. Brainline.org indicates that a closed head injury, although not as obvious from the outside as an open head injury, can be extremely serious and potentially worse that an open head injury. Some of the common types of closed head injuries include:
- Concussion, which is the most common type of traumatic brain injury overall and can be found in open head injuries as well
- Diffuse axonal injury, which occurs due to a strong rotation of the head, such as in an auto accident
- Contusion, which is a bruise on the brain
- Coup-contrecoup injury, in which an impact slams the brain from one side of the skull to the other, causing contusions on both sides
All of the medical terminology surrounding brain injuries can be confusing, especially as you are just trying to cope with the symptoms surrounding your injury. Our brain injury attorneys will work with your medical team to make sure detailed records are kept about your injury and the ways it is being treated.
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury
In our more than 40 years of fighting for the rights of Florida brain injury victims, our attorneys have worked with families who are reeling from all types of tragic accidents. In our experience, and according to the Mayo Clinic, common causes of traumatic brain injury include:
Falls:A person can be injured due to falling out of bed at a nursing home, slipping and falling on improperly maintained property, falling down steps, or falling off of ladders or scaffolding at a constructions site.
Auto accidents:Brain injuries are common in collisions involving cars, tractor-trailers, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians.
Acts of violence:Many people suffer traumatic brain injuries caused by gunshot wounds, domestic violence, or child abuse.
Sports injuries:Children and young people, in particular, are susceptible to traumatic brain injuries such as concussions due to sports such as soccer, football, baseball, lacrosse, skateboarding, hockey, and boxing.
Explosions and combat injuries:Tragically, those who serve and protect our country are particularly at risk for traumatic brain injuries due to explosions during combat.
As part of our independent investigation of your case, we will determine what exactly caused your brain injury and who is at fault, and therefore responsible for compensating you.
When You Need an Advocate, Our Florida Brain Injury Lawyers Are Here for You
At Chiumento Dwyer Hertel Grant, our Florida brain injury lawyers are committed to standing up for your rights and demanding the justice you deserve. In this difficult time, your focus should be on healing, rather than fighting with the negligent party that put you in this terrible position. Let us take that burden off of you and your family.
Our compassionate and highly skilled brain injury lawyers will fight ferociously for maximum compensation for you. Call or fill out our online form now to schedule a free consultation, and let us get started working on your case today.
