Palm Harbor Brain Injury Lawyer
It’s often referred to as a “silent epidemic” and for good reason. Traumatic brain injuries can profoundly impact your life and this form of injury is now a leading cause of both death and disability in the U.S. Researchers are still learning more about these types of injuries, the suffering they cause and the potential for recovery and rehabilitation, especially in older adults. Brain injuries can range from relatively mild to catastrophic. They may occur as a result of automobile accidents, falls, birth injuries, or even violence resulting in spinal and head injury. Brain and spinal cord injuries bring some very unique challenges from a medical perspective.
The Mayo Clinic defines a traumatic brain injury as an injury that occurs “when an external mechanical force causes brain dysfunction.” Usually, these types of injuries are a result of a violent blow to the head or body. Gunshot victims and other victims of violence have injuries similar to these types of trauma, as do victims of domestic violence and/or child abuse. Milder brain injuries can cause temporary “dysfunction of brain cells” while more serious injuries cause bruising, torn tissues, bleeding, excruciating pain and other damage to the brain. Even birth injuries and incidents involving medical malpractice can result in brain injuries, which hold the power to change someone’s entire personality and can result long-term complications or premature death of injury victims. A successful lawsuit can help alleviate many of the stressful worries families endure. Palm Harbor brain injury lawyer Jeffrey Hensley and his team have successfully guided many families through the complex legalities of these types of cases.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke lists symptoms of TBI. Those symptoms can include “headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue or lethargy, a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes, and trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking”. Further, for those with moderate or severe TBI, some of the same symptoms may be present, along with a worsening headache that does not go away, repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures, an inability to awaken from sleep, dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, loss of coordination, and increased confusion, restlessness or agitation.
Choose Carefully Your Legal Representation
Most attorneys devote the majority of their career to a specific legal sector, whether it’s employment law, criminal law or in Jeff’s case, personal injury law. He is one of the leading national authorities on traumatic brain injury and has spent much of his career helping families as they move through the legal system. This particular area of the law specific to head trauma and brain injuries are complex and require specific medical and legal knowledge.
Because Jeff handles each case personally, he has that rare insight that others miss. As a litigator, he has aggressively pursued fair compensation for victims and their families who have watched helplessly as a loved one suffers from a traumatic brain injury, or TBI.
Unfortunately, too many times, someone chooses an inexperienced lawyer who fails to see the proverbial “big picture”. Scenarios like these often play out:
A client falls from a horse and while he’s had a headache since it happened, for the most part, he’s walked away from the fall with just a few bumps and bruises. A week later, though, he begins to worry about the consistent headache that won’t go away. A physician reassures the client that all’s well and he should return to normal soon but in the meantime, take ibuprofen until the pain subsides. Within a couple of months, the client’s missing work because of the pain and decides he perhaps should see a personal injury lawyer. The lawyer meets with him and is certain the case is worth $100,000. The client is happy with that and indeed, the client sees a $100,000 award. He pays the attorney $35,000, he covers the expenses advanced by the attorney, which come to around $1,000 and he pays the medical bills, which come to approximately $30,000. He now has right at $35,000, which is less than a year’s salary, but the client is satisfied with that, at least initially. Six months later, the client is still having problems and his “occasional missed work days” have become one or two days a week because of the pain. He’s fallen behind on his financial obligations and he’s spending more time at the doctor’s office, pharmacies and his own home in the middle of the workday. Had he chosen an experienced litigator, his future wouldn’t be so uncertain now. The $35,000 is gone and he may now have no further legal options.
What Kind of Damages are Awarded?
By far, the most common type of financial damages awarded to clients is loss of earning capacity. Because head trauma and brain injuries are so varied and unexpected in the kind of pain and loss they cause, it’s impossible to accurately predict one’s future earning capacity – or the loss. These types of cases demand experience, otherwise, victims feel as though they’re reliving the trauma again and the whole purpose of pursuing legal avenues is moot.
Jeff Hensley’s remarkable abilities in handling these types of injury cases is sought after by families in every part of Florida. In fact, many lawyers find this type of litigation confusing and difficult. A former Board Member, Jeff continues as a long-time member of the Brain Injury Association of Florida and frequently provides lectures and educational presentations to members of the Brain Injury Association. It’s more than a legal avenue, it’s something that he is deeply committed to pursuing.
His extensive experience with complex medical evidence required in serious injury cases makes him a go-to source for other legal advocates. With more than one hundred disability-related cases to his credit, many of these cases have resulted in multi-million dollar awards, providing funds that can be used for rehabilitation, home care costs, adaptive equipment and beyond. He has helped clients suffering from many different degrees of spinal and head injury, from skull fractures from a car accident, to brain injuries from an accident that led to oxygen deprivation and even spinal cord and brain injuries stemming from medical malpractice or trauma. Whatever the case, our Palm Harbor, Florida law firm is committed to providing you with the representation and resources you need to recoup some of your financial losses and get compensation for damages.
We invite you to contact our offices today to learn more about the options available for you and your family. We don’t promise an overnight solution, but we do assure our clients of a committed team that works with you as you recover medically and financially from a traumatic injury. There’s simply not better Palm Harbor car accident lawyer to have on your side as you begin and continue the recovery process associated with these types of injuries.
