Did you or a loved one suffer a traumatic brain injury in Columbus, Ohio? Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers can help you pursue compensation for ongoing medical care, lost earning capacity, rehabilitation, and other long-term needs. Contact us at (614) 587-8423 for a free consultation with an experienced Columbus traumatic brain injury lawyer.
Our team has 70+ years of combined experience, and we’ve recovered $250 million for injured clients. We have the knowledge and resources to handle complex catastrophic injury cases involving TBIs and the significant medical, financial, and personal challenges they can create.
How Can Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers Help With a Traumatic Brain Injury Claim in Columbus, OH?
A traumatic brain injury claim may depend heavily on neurological evaluations, testimony from family members, and expert opinions about the victim’s future. Understanding the full extent of the injury can take time, particularly when cognitive or behavioral changes emerge gradually.
Our Columbus personal injury lawyers can help you by:
- Investigating how the brain injury occurred
- Obtaining medical records, imaging studies, and other documentation
- Identifying all individuals, businesses, or other parties that may share liability
- Consulting with neurologists, neuropsychologists, rehabilitation specialists, and other experts when appropriate
- Documenting changes in your ability to work, communicate, perform daily tasks, or live independently
- Evaluating the cost of future treatment and supportive care
- Negotiating with insurance companies and defense attorneys
- Taking your case to court if a fair settlement cannot be reached
A TBI may affect virtually every part of a person’s future, making it especially important to understand the full extent of your losses before resolving a claim. We can build your case around those individual circumstances while keeping you informed throughout the process. Call our experienced brain injury lawyers in Columbus, OH, today for assistance.
What Types of Accidents Can Cause Traumatic Brain Injuries in Columbus?
A TBI can occur when the head sustains a direct impact or when a sudden force causes the brain to move rapidly within the skull. From high-speed collisions on I-70 and I-71 to falls at workplaces or properties throughout Columbus, these injuries can happen in many different settings.
Common causes include:
- Car accidents
- Commercial truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Falls from heights
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Defective products
- Acts of violence
A person doesn’t necessarily have to strike their head against an object to sustain a TBI. Sudden acceleration and deceleration forces during a violent crash can also cause the brain to move inside the skull and become injured.
What Are the Different Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries?
Traumatic brain injuries can vary considerably in their severity, symptoms, and long-term effects. Some involve relatively brief disruptions in brain function, while others cause permanent damage that requires lifelong assistance.
Common types of TBIs include:
- Concussions: A concussion is a form of mild TBI that may cause headaches, dizziness, confusion, memory problems, sensitivity to light or noise, and other symptoms.
- Brain contusions: A contusion is bruising of brain tissue, which may involve bleeding and swelling inside the skull.
- Diffuse axonal injuries (DAIs): These injuries can occur when rapid movement causes nerve fibers in the brain to stretch or tear, potentially resulting in widespread brain damage.
- Penetrating brain injuries: An object that breaks through the skull and enters brain tissue can cause severe, localized damage and life-threatening complications.
Even an injury initially classified as “mild” can produce symptoms that interfere with work and everyday activities. Anyone who experiences symptoms of a head injury after an accident should seek prompt medical evaluation.
What Symptoms and Complications Can Follow a Serious TBI?
Brain injuries can affect people very differently. Some symptoms appear immediately, while others may not become apparent until hours or days after the injury.
Depending on the area of the brain affected and the severity of the trauma, a TBI may cause:
- Persistent headaches
- Memory loss
- Difficulty concentrating or processing information
- Dizziness and balance problems
- Vision problems
- Speech or communication difficulties
- Sleep disturbances
- Mood or personality changes
- Depression or anxiety
- Seizures
- Weakness or impaired coordination
- Difficulty performing everyday activities
Severe TBIs may also result in permanent cognitive impairment, loss of motor function, or a reduced ability to live independently. These consequences can affect not only the injured person but also family members who may take on caregiving responsibilities or make major changes to their own lives.
What Compensation Could Be Available to Traumatic Brain Injury Victims in Columbus?
The cost of a serious brain injury may continue accumulating for years after the initial hospitalization. A claim should account for those future needs rather than focusing only on expenses incurred immediately after the accident.
Economic damages address the financial costs associated with the TBI, which may include:
- Emergency medical treatment
- Hospitalization
- Neurological care
- Physical, occupational, or speech therapy
- Cognitive rehabilitation
- Prescription medications
- In-home assistance or long-term care
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Home or vehicle modifications
- Other injury-related expenses
Non-economic damages recognize the physical and personal consequences that cannot be measured by bills or receipts, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Cognitive impairment
- Permanent disability
- Loss of independence
- Loss of enjoyment of life
For someone with permanent neurological damage, the highest costs may still be years or even decades away. Carefully evaluating those needs can help prevent a claim from being resolved based on an incomplete picture of the victim’s future.
How Long Do I Have to File a Traumatic Brain Injury Lawsuit in Ohio?
Ohio law generally gives victims two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, exceptions and different filing requirements may apply based on how the TBI occurred and the parties involved.
A Columbus personal injury attorney can review the circumstances of your case and identify the deadline that applies. Starting the process early can also provide more time to preserve evidence and document how the TBI affects you as your recovery progresses.
Contact Our Columbus Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers for a Free Case Evaluation
A traumatic brain injury can create challenges that aren’t fully apparent in the first days or weeks after an accident. Changes in memory, cognition, mobility, personality, or independence may alter what an injured person and their family need for years to come.
Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers can evaluate your case and pursue a financial recovery that accounts for the lasting effects of your TBI. Contact our Columbus traumatic brain injury attorneys today to schedule a free initial consultation.