SAN DIEGO BRAIN INJURY ATTORNEY

In truth, there is no way to tell exactly. The estimated settlement for most brain injury cases starts at around $100,000, although TBI claims settlements can be more than several million dollars. When calculating the value of your settlement, you have to take into consideration economic and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages consist of the following:

• Lost wages or reduced earning capacity
• Property damages, vehicle repairs or replacement, etc.
• Medical expenses, assisted living expenses, medications, etc.

It is important to retain all financial documents related to your injury, including all receipts and bills. This will make calculating economic damages much easier. You can be reimbursed for what you lost financially due to the accident that caused your TBI.

Non-Economic Damages are not so straightforward and harder to calculate. Typically, non-economic damages include:

• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium
• Wrongful death
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish

Non-economic damages are difficult to assess because you have to put a price on things like pain and suffering or mental anguish. These can vary greatly from case to case. Putting a price on a lost life is harder still. There are several ways to calculate and value these damages, and an experienced San Diego brain injury lawyer can do that for you. Our brain injury attorneys will use trusted formulas to determine the value of your non-economic damages in your settlement.

As with other types of injuries, the long-lasting effects of a moderate or serious TBI will vary from one individual to the next. They can be long-lasting or even permanent. Although with rehabilitation, it is possible to recover from moderate to severe TBI, the vast majority of people will face life challenges that will require them to adapt and adjust to a new reality.

Moderate to severe TBI can cause not only cause permanent physical disability, but also mental disability. Many patients suffering from TBI are also suffering from additional disabilities as a result of other injuries, and even those who appear to recover fully may still have lingering long-term symptoms that might never go away.

Traumatic brain injuries are most commonly caused by motor vehicle accidents, falls, physical assaults, and sports-related accidents. Approximately 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries happen every year in the US, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and upwards of 5.3 million Americans have a disability caused by a traumatic brain injury. Some examples of traumatic brain injuries are:

• Concussion: Concussions are probably the most common traumatic brain injuries. They occur when an external force causes the brain to hit the internal walls of the skull and alters the brain’s function.
• Edema: An edema is the swelling of the brain, which can occur as a result of a traumatic brain injury. This puts pressure on the brain since the skull cannot expand to accommodate the swelling.
• Diffuse axonal injury: A diffuse axonal injury causes damage to the axons of brain cells and renders them unable to function. Bleeding does not occur with a diffuse axonal injury, however, swelling is possible. A diffuse axonal injury can lead to the loss of certain functions.
• Hematoma: A hematoma is a bad bruise resulting from an injury that ruptures a blood vessel and causes blood to collect and pool under the skin. An intracranial hematoma involves blood pooling in the brain or empty spaces around the brain when a blood vessel is ruptured. The type of hematoma varies depending on its location in the brain.
• Skull fracture: Skull fractures are rare, but when they occur, they can cause a change in brain function and possible infection. Medical professionals usually monitor thin fractures closely, while depressed fractures or fractures that are leaking cerebrospinal fluid require surgical intervention.