Atlanta Brain Injury Attorney
In cases involving traumatic brain injuries, immediate action is required to stabilize the patient and minimize the potential for permanent damage. Medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, are specifically trained to treat these injuries in the early stages, so that permanent damage does not occur.
In cases where a medical professional’s negligence allowed an otherwise treatable brain injury to result in permanent brain damage, the victim may have a claim to seek damages for medical malpractice. At the law firm of Hilley & Frieder, P.C., we represent clients throughout Atlanta and the surrounding areas of Georgia in traumatic brain injury cases that were aggravated due to the negligence of the attending doctor or nurse.
Call for a free consultation about your traumatic brain injury. Contact our office at (404) 795-6099 now to speak with an experienced Atlanta brain injury attorney.
Why Choose Us?
- We are caring and compassionate medical malpractice lawyers who will do what we can to give you peace of mind during this difficult time.
- Our attorneys have decades of experience with both brain injury and medical malpractice claims. We know what these cases entail and how to properly manage them.
- Our law firm has a reputation for high-value settlements and judgment awards. Our case results speak to our ability to achieve optimal outcomes for clients.
Why You Should Hire A Brain Injury Lawyer
The law surrounding medical malpractice claims can be extremely complex and the cases difficult to prove. If you or a loved one has suffered permanent injury because your doctor or nurse failed to take appropriate measures to treat your condition, we will pursue maximum compensation for your additional medical expenses, loss of enjoyment of life and other considerations.
Many people are hesitant to pursue claims against hospitals because they are too big and powerful to beat. For over 35 years, our law firm has been fighting hospitals and other health care organizations. No one is above the law, and no one should get away with negligence that causes serious harm to patients entrusted to their care. We are ready to fight for your rights. Are you ready to seek justice?
What Are Common Causes Of Brain Injuries?
The average skull is only about 6.5 to 7 millimeters thick. If anything impacts the skull, it can cause a head or brain injury. The blow may damage the brain and cause a traumatic brain injury through blunt force impact. This type of injury can occur with or without a skull fracture. A brain injury can also occur if the brain is jostled or bounces around inside of the skull, such as from the gravitational forces of a car accident. Finally, the brain can suffer an acquired brain injury if it loses its source of blood or oxygen. Examples of common incidents that cause brain injuries in Georgia include:
- Bumps or blows to the head
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Falls
- Sports injuries
- Struck-by falling or flying objects
- Acts of violence or assault crimes
- Drowning
- Strangulation or suffocation
- Medical malpractice
If your head or brain was involved in any type of incident in Atlanta, you should see a doctor or go to a hospital right away. Brain injuries may not show immediate symptoms but can cause irreversible damage even before presenting noticeable signs. The physician who treats you should carefully assess for signs of a brain injury. Then, if a brain injury is diagnosed, the physician should take immediate action to treat the injury for the best chances of preventing permanent brain damage.
Symptoms Of A Traumatic Brain Injury
One of the most common examples of medical malpractice regarding brain injuries is a failure to diagnose. Failure to diagnose means that a doctor failed to come to a correct and timely diagnosis based on the facts presented, when another doctor using an ordinary degree of care would have. When making a brain injury diagnosis, a doctor should listen to the patient’s symptoms or complaints, conduct a physical examination, schedule the correct types of tests and x-rays, and recommend a specialist, if appropriate.
The most common signs and symptoms of a traumatic brain injury include:
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sensitivity to noise and sound
- Dizziness
- Loss of balance or equilibrium
- Blurred vision or vision loss
- Ringing in the ears
- Confusion or disorientation
- Slurred speech
- Trouble communicating
- Sleep troubles
- Difficulty concentrating
- Behavior or personality changes
- Memory loss
- Loss of consciousness
Keep in mind that the symptoms of a brain injury may not appear for hours, days or even weeks after your accident. In addition, each patient is unique. Some may exhibit one or more of these symptoms, while others may not notice any. This is why it is extremely important for a doctor to take his or her time when determining if a patient has a traumatic brain injury. If a doctor negligently overlooks the symptoms of a brain injury or mistakenly attributes them to something else, such as stress or hyperactivity, this can lead to a harmful failure to treat.
What Is The Proper Way To Treat A Brain Injury?
A medical malpractice claim for a traumatic brain injury that was aggravated or exacerbated due to the negligence of a doctor or health care center (the defendant) relies on the argument that the defendant failed to adhere to the proper standards of care when treating the patient. Brain injuries are notoriously complicated and challenging to diagnose. However, there is a set of guidelines that a doctor should use to detect and diagnose brain injuries in patients:
- Look for evidence of head trauma, such as high blood pressure, unilateral pupil dilation, confusion and neurological deficits.
- Evaluate mental status using the Glasgow Coma Scale. This is a scale used to measure a patient’s eye opening, verbal and motor responses.
- Collect details about the accident and patient. The doctor should assess if the mechanism of injury could possibly cause a brain bleed, as well as if the patient is taking anything that could increase the risk of subdural hematoma (such as blood thinners).
- Order a CT scan of the brain. If there are signs of a possible brain injury or bleeding in the brain, the doctor should order a CT scan to get a clearer picture of the brain.
- Treat the injury promptly. If the patient is diagnosed with a brain injury, the physician should immediately take steps to treat the injury and stabilize the patient. This may include emergency surgery, medications and monitoring.
Failing to treat a brain injury such as a bleed in the brain (acute subdural hematoma) can cause the damage from the injury to exponentially increase. If the brain is bleeding or swelling due to an injury, immediate medical intervention is critical to stop the bleeding or relieve pressure from the brain. Negligent patient care, resulting in an undiagnosed or untreated brain injury, can lead to further damage caused to the brain and its cells – possibly leading to permanent brain damage that could have been prevented with proper medical care.
Compensation For Brain Injury Damages
If you suffered a brain injury in an accident in Atlanta and then the injury was exacerbated by a negligent health care practitioner, you may be entitled to financial compensation from multiple parties. You may be able to name the person who caused your brain injury as a defendant in an accident case, as well as your doctor for delaying proper medical treatment. A successful medical malpractice claim regarding a traumatic brain injury could result in compensation for the following losses:
- Medical bills (present and future)
- Disability-related expenses
- Home or vehicle modifications
- Travel/transportation costs
- Lost wages and capacity to earn in the future
- Legal expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Lost quality or enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish or emotional distress
- Wrongful death damages
Discuss the potential value of your brain injury medical malpractice claim with our attorneys at Hilley & Frieder, P.C., for more information. We can evaluate how much your case is worth. Then, we can go up against one or more defendants to demand maximum financial compensation on your behalf. We will devise a strategy that is created to achieve your goals from the very beginning. Our medical malpractice lawyers in Atlanta are prepared to go to trial for optimal results, if necessary.
Schedule Your Free Consultation
To schedule a free initial consultation with an Atlanta brain injury attorney, please contact us today.
Mia Frieder was the contributing attorney to this content.
