If you are struggling with the effects of a head injury after a car accident, you may be able to seek compensation for medical bills from the person who caused the collision.
You may require long-term medical care after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). It’s vital to seek maximum compensation for rehabilitation services, which can cost upwards of $37,164 per year for severe TBIs.
However, recovering damages for a head injury can be complicated, requiring you to navigate insurance claims and personal injury law. Contact a skilled brain injury lawyer at Nessler & Associates for legal guidance if you sustain a head injury in a vehicle accident.
The personal injury lawyers from Nessler & Associates are experienced in handling brain injury cases. We can guide you through your brain injury lawsuit, ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve.
What Are Your Legal Options After a Head Injury?
The legal processes associated with a head injury after a collision can be extensive, depending on the circumstances of the car accident and the injury. Recovering damages starts with hiring legal counsel.
Your attorney can inform you of your legal options, which typically include filing a claim with the negligent party’s insurer seeking a settlement. Illinois is an at-fault state, which means the other driver is responsible for damages caused due to their negligent behavior.
If they don’t carry the required minimum insurance, you may file a claim through your under or uninsured motorists policy if you have one.
If the insurance company refuses to give you fair compensation, your lawyer may recommend filing a personal injury lawsuit for damages in court.
How Does Your Attorney Help You Gain Compensation After a TBI?
The extent of your injury must be represented accurately in a claim, which can be difficult due to the complicated nature of TBIs. Some TBI symptoms don’t show up for days or weeks after an accident, and many are hard to prove without the appropriate medical tests.
Your brain injury lawyer can assist you with several tasks to determine the full extent of your injury and to estimate and seek damages you are owed. Your attorney will:
- Analyze the accident report provided by the police
- Examine your medical records, including MRI or X-ray scans
- Gather witness statements from the accident
- Speak with TBI specialists to determine the severity of your injury and the impact it may have on your quality of life
- Conduct interviews with people who knew you before and after the accident
This thorough process is necessary to ensure that insurance companies cannot claim that your injury is less severe than it is. It will also be the responsibility of your brain injury lawyer to prove liability, calculate a settlement, handle insurance company negotiations and, if needed, take the lawsuit before a judge.
Receiving Proper Medical Care for a TBI
After suffering a head injury, the necessary medical attention can leave victims struggling with medical bills. Traumatic brain injuries can lead to short-term and long-term problems that can affect a victim’s cognitive function and day-to-day life.
Brain injuries are complicated because medical tests alone will not always accurately determine the extent of the damage. Neurological damage can manifest as personality and behavioral changes that negatively affect your interpersonal and professional relationships. This causes emotional distress and pain and suffering that isn’t outwardly visible to others.
There is also a level of uncertainty with brain injuries because victims may not know how long it will take them to recover. They also may not know if they will be able to recover fully or what functions they will recover.
For example, the CDC reports five-year outcomes of people who suffered moderate to severe TBIs. Of the data explained, only 26% of TBI patients improved; however, 22% died, and 30% worsened over time.
It is essential to have an attorney that can consider this uncertainty when advocating for a brain injury victim. Nessler & Associates have the skills to navigate medical examinations, communicate with medical professionals, and understand insurance policies.
What Compensation Can I Pursue?
A head injury can affect many facets of your life for which you can seek a settlement. When filing a claim for compensation, your head injury attorney in Illinois can help you pursue economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are calculable damages that correlate with monetary loss. They can include:
- Medical bills
- Long-term care
- Lost wages
- Inability to return to work
Non-economic damages are not as easily determined because they are not based on an objective monetary loss. These damages can include:
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Cognitive issues
- Memory loss
- Personality change
Punitive damages may also be appropriate if the responsible party:
- Demonstrated gross negligence
- Demonstrated intentional misconduct
Your head injury lawyer will assist you in determining what damages are related to your injury case and how to receive the maximum compensation for your injury.
Why Should I Seek Legal Representation for My Case?
There are many risks to handling an injury case on your own. You may miss important information by not understanding the process of filing claims, examining insurance policies, or negotiating to receive maximum compensation. Often, a rushed settlement negotiation with an insurance company will leave a victim with less compensation than they could have received with the help of an attorney.
An experienced attorney will handle negotiations and prevent oversights. The legal process of recovering compensation after an auto accident is difficult to navigate without proper guidance.
Schedule Your Free Consultation With Nessler & Associates
If you or a family member suffered a brain injury due to another driver’s negligence, contact the law firm of Nessler & Associates. For more than four decades, our experienced brain injury attorneys have helped TBI victims in Illinois, Florida, Texas, and Colorado receive compensation to help pay for their life-altering injuries.
We work on a contingency fee basis, allowing you to retain skilled legal representation without worrying about lawyers’ fees upfront. Our goal is to help you get maximum compensation to help you rebuild your life after suffering a TBI.
Call a head injury attorney from Nessler & Associates at (800) 727-8010 as soon as possible after your brain injury to start your case toward receiving maximum compensation for your injury case.