Head And Brain Injury
Each year over 1 million people attend hospital with head injuries ranging from those of a minor nature to those of the utmost severity. When a person suffers a brain injury it can be life changing and can have a devastating effect on friends and family around them Between 40% and 50% of all head injuries (including the most serious) are caused by Road Traffic Accidents although industrial accidents, sporting injury and criminal injuries are some of the other main causes.
What is a head injury?
The brain consists of billions of microscopic nerve cells that control all human activity, including emotions, thinking, action and movement. These nerve cells altogether form a fragile mass, the brain, which sits inside the skull. The brain is protected by the skull, and also by a cushion of fluid called cerebrospinal fluid.
Trauma to the head shakes the brain around inside the skull. Depending on the degree and direction of the forces applied, the brain can be damaged in many different ways.
There are three main areas of the brain, the brainstem, forefront and rear. The brainstem is the most crucial part of the brain as it controls your basic vital functions such as regulation of breathing, swallowing, heart rate and body temperature. Often if there is brainstem damage, the long-term prognosis for recovery is poor. The rear part of the brain is responsible for vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch. Finally, the front of the brain is responsible for coordinating all of this information and making decisions to do things.
What are the symptoms of a brain injury?
The brain is extremely complex and each person's response to brain injury can be different. Recovery will depend on many factors, including the extent of injury, pre-injury personality and learning style, abilities prior to injury, age and amount of time that has passed since the injury occurred.
Symptoms of a brain injury can include:
- Cognitive impairments – short or long term memory problems, concentration difficulties, slow thinking, limited attention span, impairments of perception, communication, reading and writing skills, planning, sequencing, and judgment. This may not be immediately apparent, but may become obvious when attempting to complete a simple household task, which requires co-ordination.
- Physical impairments – speech, vision, hearing and other sensory deficiencies, headaches, spasticity of muscles, paralysis of one or both sides, seizures, balance problems, and other walking difficulties.
- Psychosocial behavioral emotional problems - fatigue, mood swings, denial, anxiety, depression, lowered self-esteem, sexual dysfunction, restlessness, lack of motivation, unstable emotions, inability to cope, agitation, excessive laughing or crying, and difficulty relating to others.
How can Ashton Lake Solicitors help?
Head injury claims are complex and it is advised that you speak to an expert solicitor. Ashton Lake Solicitors are specialists in bringing claims of this nature. Our aim is to get to the truth of how and why the accident occurred and to obtain the maximum compensation possible. We pride ourselves in high levels of client care and will always progress your claim with sensitivity at every stage of the process.
It is essential that when handling a compensation claim of this nature your solicitor assesses the current and future requirements, which may well be life long taking into consideration every possible aspect.
A compensation claim of this nature must address many factors. These are just some of the areas which we will be address when dealing with your claim:
- Rehabilitation and treatment
- New housing and possible adaptions to current housing
- Care support immediate and future
- Aids and equipment
- Transport requirements and adaptions
- Re-education and re-training
- Case management current and future
- Community care and mental health
- Immediate interim payments for any of the above purposes
We place active rehabilitation as a priority. For some, rehabilitation is an effective method of reaching the best possible function that they are able to for the injury they have sustained. We understand that this rehabilitation is essential in the early stages of brain injury as research indicates this is when the most progress is made. We aim to ensure that this is provided without delay and that the individual is provided with an experienced rehabilitation case manager throughout this process.
To obtain expert specialist advice, please complete the online enquiry form or call us on 01509 262621 to speak to a brain injury solicitor. We offer a wide choice of funding arrangements including a no win no fee agreement with no deductions from your compensation.
