Have you or a loved one experienced a brain injury in York, PA? If so, our York brain injury lawyers can help you get justice. You might be entitled to payment for your suffering and losses, including medical bills and lost income.
Marzzacco Niven & Associates have helped brain injury victims since 2008. We understand brain injuries and how to fight for the compensation you need to move forward. Call us to schedule a free consultation at (717) 995-8998 with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers.
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How Can Marzzacco Niven & Associates Help Me Recover Compensation After a Brain Injury in York, PA?
Marzzacco Niven & Associates will dedicate our collective 120 years of experience to fighting for your legal right to compensation. We have developed a proven strategy to help our clients get paid. We have recovered tens of millions of dollars for our clients since opening our practice.
When you hire us to litigate your brain injury claim in York, Pennsylvania, we will:
- Investigate the cause of your injury
- Find out who is responsible
- File and negotiate with insurance companies
- Speak with witnesses and consult experts on your case
- Examine your medical records
- Calculate your total damages
- Collect evidence to support your case
- File a personal injury claim and go to trial
Our York personal injury lawyers will do whatever it takes to help you become whole again. Don’t wait to contact us so that we can get started on your case as soon as possible.
How Do Brain Injuries Happen?
The term brain injury is a broad phrase that includes many different types of injuries. The types of brain injuries are extremely varied, as are the ways that brain injuries happen.
On a basic level, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) happens when someone experiences trauma to the head and brain. Depending on the type of trauma, it may cause a particular type of injury.
Most brain and head trauma can be classified into two different categories, penetrating and non-penetrating.
Penetrating TBI (Open Head Injuries)
A penetrating traumatic brain injury is also known as an open head injury. This type of injury happens when an object penetrates the skull and damages the brain tissue.
For example, a gunshot wound to the head may result in a bullet that penetrates both the skill and the brain.
Penetrating TBIs can be fatal and non-fatal, depending on where and how the brain is damaged. Sometimes the trauma is localized to a particular area of the brain, and the victim can survive with limited brain function or after extensive surgery.
Other times, however, the object damages a part of the brain necessary for survival. In these cases, the victim will likely die instantaneously or shortly after the trauma.
Non-Penetrating TBI (Closed Head Injuries)
A non-penetrating TBI, also known as a closed head injury, happens when an external force causes the brain to move within the skull. Unlike an open head injury, the skull remains entirely intact, and no external object punctures the brain.
Instead, the trauma and injury are caused by the impact of the brain hitting the skull. This form of brain injury is very common after falls, car accidents, sports injuries, or blunt-force trauma to the head. It can also happen if the brain swells in response to a toxin or medical condition.
A closed head injury is just as dangerous as an open head injury. Depending on how violently the brain is damaged within the skull, the victim may experience minor, major, or even fatal consequences.
What Are the Different Types of Brain Injuries?
Since the term brain injury is broad, there are many different diagnoses that can fit the category. Some brain injuries are mild, and others are severe. Our team is familiar with all types of brain injuries, including:
- Concussions
- Strokes
- Brain aneurysms
- Hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain)
- Brain tumors
- Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
- Hydrocephalus (fluid in the skull)
- Skull fractures
- Hypoxia (oxygen deprivation)
- Recurrent brain injuries (second impact syndrome)
- Shaken baby syndrome
- Penetrating injuries
Regardless of the type of injury, we always work with your doctors and review medical records to make sure that we fully understand the type of injury that you have experienced.
This includes a discussion of the symptoms, impact on your life, treatment, and also expected path to recovery. We know that brain injuries are different for everyone, and we never make assumptions until speaking with the experts.
What Types of Accidents Cause Brain Injuries in York, Pennsylvania?
The majority of brain injuries are caused by falls, guns, car crashes, and assaults. People over the age of 75 are more likely to suffer from a brain injury, as are men. However, many other types of accidents cause York residents to have brain injuries.
In our experience, brain injuries are common after:
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle crashes
- Sports injuries
- Slip and falls
- Truck accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Defective products
- Boating accidents
Many brain injuries are caused by negligence. Negligence is when someone fails to use reasonable care and hurts another person or their property.
How Common Are Brain Injuries in Pennsylvania?
According to data from the Pennsylvania Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board, brain injuries are very common in the commonwealth.
In 2021, 543,288 people were living in PA with brain-related disabilities, and 138,600 new injuries happen each year. Over 85% of all TBIs in Pennsylvania are caused by a lack of seatbelts, poorly fitting helmets, falls, or alcohol and drugs. The studies show that most of these injuries are preventable.
What Are the Symptoms of Brain Injuries in York, PA?
Some brain injuries may be immediately obvious, while others may not present symptoms until afterward. Sometimes the symptoms are difficult to identify and can be subtle, even if the injury is serious. Furthermore, minor brain injuries can become severe if the symptoms go unnoticed or untreated for too long.
If you or a loved one has experienced trauma to the head, you should look out for symptoms such as:
- Loss of consciousness
- Head wounds and bleeding
- Blurred vision
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Difficulty speaking
- Loss of balance
- Dizziness
- Seizures
- Changes in personality
- Tiredness
- Memory loss
Whenever you experience a head injury, like a fall or blow to the skull, you should always seek medical attention. Usually, you will undergo a period of observation to make sure that you don’t have an injury. You might also get an MRI or other scan to look for bleeding. A doctor can help you understand what to look for in the coming days, weeks, and months.
How Do I Calculate the Value of My York, PA Brain Injury Case?
Calculating the value of your brain injury case can be tricky. Many different factors may impact whether your case is worth more or less than another person’s. It’s not necessarily tied to the type of brain injury, but more to the recovery and overall effect on your life.
Some of the most important factors affecting the value of your case include:
- The severity of your brain injury and the required medical treatment
- The impact of the injury on your ability to earn income (past and future)
- The impact of the injury on your day-to-day activities and quality of life
- The emotional and psychological impact of the injury
You should thoroughly discuss the impact with your lawyer so that they can estimate your damages. The total of your damages is the value of your case. It is important to know the value before you negotiate with insurance companies or opposing counsel.
What Damages Can I Recover in a Brain Injury Case In York, Pennsylvania?
In York, PA, you can receive both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are monetary losses related to the injury. This may include:
- Medical bills
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Transportation to the doctor
- Cost of medicine
- Lost income
- Lost future earning capacity
Non-economic damages are non-monetary losses that happen because of an accident. These are harder to calculate because they aren’t directly tied to a dollar figure. Non-economic damages are more about your quality of life and the emotional or psychological impact of an accident. They often include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Permanent disability
A lawyer will help you determine the value of your non-economic damages. Then you will add up the total of all damages, and that is what you will demand in your case.
How Long Do I Have To File a Brain Injury Lawsuit in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, you have two years to file a brain injury lawsuit in most cases. If you file after the deadline, your case will be dismissed, and you will lose your legal right to pursue damages. However, there are exceptions to this deadline in some cases.
This means you don’t have any time to waste after an injury. By hiring a lawyer, you can rely on them to keep track of important deadlines while you focus on recovering.
Contact a York Brain Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
You should not hesitate to reach out to a York brain injury attorney in the wake of your injury. Marzzacco Niven & Associates is available to discuss your case during a free consultation.
Our services are billed on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don’t pay us anything unless and until we win you money. There’s no downside to sitting down and having a conversation about your legal rights and how we can help.