Brain Injury Victims in the News

Two brain injury victims have been in the news recently, showing signs of recovery.

Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head at an event outside a Tucson supermarket in January, appeared on the floor of Congress for the first time since the shooting to vote on the federal debt ceiling.

Paramedic and Giants fan Brian Stow, who suffered brain damage and was in a coma after being brutally beaten at the Los Angeles Dodgers’ opening home game, had his condition upgraded from critical to serious. Doctors reported that he has opened his eyes and moved one of his arms and can respond to basic commands.

A brain injury caused by an external force, as in the examples above, is called a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or an intracranial injury. Traumatic brain injuries can be caused by rapid acceleration or deceleration, as in an automobile accident, impact with a hard object or surface, a blast from an explosion, or a projectile like a bullet.

The most common causes of TBI include violence, sports activities, transportation accidents, and construction or industrial accidents. For children, falls, including bicycle and skateboard accidents, are a common source of TBI.

When you’ve been in an accident or suffered an attack that caused a brain injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Brain injuries can range from mild and temporary to serious and long-lasting. They can affect your ability to work and play, your emotions, and even your relations with family and friends. You may need months or years of rehabilitation to “retrain” your brain and body and teach you how to compensate for the injury. If you’re unable to work or to work at the same job, you may be entitled to recover your lost wages, including lost future wages.

If your child was born with a brain injury in New Jersey, perhaps due to lack of oxygen during delivery, you may be entitled to bring a malpractice claim against the doctors and hospital involved.

If you or someone you love has suffered a brain injury and you want to discuss the unique circumstances of your case, please contact our law offices. We offer free initial consultations and can be contacted at (201) 834-7043 or via our online contact form.