Florida Brain Injury Attorney
Medically-Trained Legal Help for Florida Accidents Involving Brain Injuries
When a serious accident or medical mistake causes an injury to the brain, the effects can be catastrophic, life-threatening, and permanent. Having an understanding of the nature and extent of a brain injury and its causes, as well as the lifetime expenses and challenges that go along with living with a brain injury, are critical to establishing the liability of the responsible party and recovering the maximum amount of compensation which will be needed. As a nurse-attorney, Marjorie Chalfant has extensive and unique experience as a trial attorney combined with her background as a former critical care nurse. Marjorie Chalfant is well-qualified to battle insurance companies and medical experts in settlement negotiations or in court rooms throughout Florida.
Brain damage can manifest in many different ways, including temporary or permanent impairments to cognition, speaking and communication, sensory processing, personality, behavior and mood. A brain injury may or may not involve loss of consciousness, which may be only temporary or lead to coma, persistent vegetative state, or brain death. Read on to learn more about the major types of brain injury and the situations in which they most commonly occur and contact the experienced Florida brain damage attorney any time.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, can occur from a blunt trauma to the head by an outside physical force, or in a whiplash situation where the brain strikes the inside of the skull. A whiplash or shaking injury can also cause a shearing of the blood vessels in the head which supply blood to the brain, leading to a buildup of fluid which can cause swelling or bruising on the brain. A comminuted or depressed skull fracture can also cause bleeding in the brain, swelling, bruising, or bone splinters in the brain causing serious brain injury. The situations most likely to cause a TBI, outside of assaults or sporting activities, include auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, falls in a nursing home, and a slip and fall on dangerous or unsafe premises.
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
Not all brain damage comes from a physical trauma such as a blow to the head. A brain injury can also be acquired by a prolonged lack of oxygen to the brain, known as hypoxia. Surgical errors and other medical mistakes are a common source of acquired brain injuries. For instance, if anesthesia is administered improperly during a surgery or medical procedure, brain damage can result. Also, a traumatic birth can result in brain damage if the baby spends too much time in the birth canal, if forceps are misapplied, or if other conditions during pregnancy, labor or delivery deprive the baby of oxygen. Another instance of medical malpractice causing brain damage occurs when doctors fail to properly diagnose a blood clot or pulmonary embolism which blocks an adequate blood supply to the brain.
Brain injuries cause additional medical problems
When evaluating a patient for a brain injury, the timing of the diagnosis and the selection of diagnostic testing are critical. Testing too early or too often, or applying the wrong test, can lead to a misdiagnosis or an incorrect prognosis that can vastly affect the quality of care and rehabilitation the patient receives. Brain injury diagnostics may include physical tests such as MRIs, CTs or CAT scans; functional tests such as EEGs or PET scans; spinal taps or lumbar punctures; or neuropsychological tests. It is crucial that a qualified professional performs the right tests at the right times. As a former Critical Care Registered Nurse with over a decade of experience working in hospitals in Florida and Washington State (before, during and after law school at Seattle University), nurse-attorney Marjorie Chalfant and her law firm at The Nurse Attorney, PLLC has a keen insight into determining whether a brain injury has been properly diagnosed and treated, and whether negligence caused the brain injury.
Get the Help You Need after a Brain Injury by Contacting The Nurse Attorney, PLLC in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
If you or a loved one suffered brain damage as a result of another party’s negligence, make sure you get the full amount of compensation available, by contacting The Nurse Attorney, PLLC in Lakewood Ranch, Florida (Sarasota / Bradenton area) for a free consultation.