If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, you should speak with a lawyer about your legal rights. If the actions of another person led to your injury, it may be possible to secure financial compensation for brain injuries sustained due to a wide variety of causes. Marc Brown represents brain injury victims throughout South Carolina. And if you have a claim, he can seek maximum compensation for your injury-related losses.
Why Choose Us as Your Brain Injury Law Firm In Columbia?
The compassionate attorneys at Marc Brown Law Firm have a deep commitment to advocating for Columbia injury victims against negligent or wrongful defendants and their powerful insurance companies. With Marc Brown Law Firm, you can expect the following.
- An experienced attorney who will tailor a personal legal strategy with the goal of obtaining the maximum compensation available to you in your case
- An open-communication policy and dedicated legal representation, so you are involved and included throughout every step of your claim
- A trial-ready attorney on your side, with access to medical experts, occupational therapists, and other resources to support your claim
- A history of success and results for clients to put a powerful voice on your side
We do not charge injury victims upfront fees. Instead, we offer a free evaluation of your case and charge no fees unless and until we’ve recovered compensation for you in your brain injury claim.
What Is A Columbia Brain Injury Case?
Brain injury cases present the same challenges as other types of personal injury claims. You must be able to prove that someone else was at fault in the accident, and you must have a thorough understanding of the long-term effects of your (or your loved one’s) injury so that you do not settle for far too little. However, brain injury cases present some unique challenges as well. The medical science around concussions and other brain injuries is still developing, and the substantial effects of brain injuries mean that insurers and other companies will fight vigorously to avoid paying full compensation to victims and their families.
Types Of Brain Injuries
Although concussions are by far the most common form of brain injury, there are many other types of traumatic brain injuries. While some brain injury victims may fully recover over time, others, including many diagnosed with concussions, will experience lifelong effects, and a car crash lawyer in Columbia can help. With offices in Columbia and Sumter, attorney Marc Brown represents clients across South Carolina who have been diagnosed with:
- Anoxia and Hypoxia
- Anoxia and hypoxia are conditions that result in the brain receiving an inadequate supply of oxygen. If not treated promptly, this can lead to severe complications.
- Concussions
- Although concussions are rated on a scale from “minor” to “severe,” recent medical research has proven that all concussions have the potential to cause lasting effects
- Contusions
- Contusions, or bruises, on the brain can also lead to severe complications. While some contusions will subside without invasive treatment, in some cases, patients will require surgery
- Coup-Contrecoup Injuries
- A coup-contrecoup injury occurs when the brain makes impact with the skull and then bounces back and impacts the skull on the reverse side, resulting in a secondary injury
- Diffuse axonal injury
- Diffuse axonal injuries are characterized by damage to multiple areas of the brain. They are frequently the result of vehicle collisions and other accidents that result in severe and violent shaking of the head.
- Hematomas
- Epidural, intracerebral, subarachnoid, and subdural hematomas are brain injuries that involve bleeding and blood clotting at various levels within the brain. Similar to other types of brain injuries, they are often the result of violent shaking or blunt force trauma to the head.
- Open Head Injuries
- Open head injuries occur when an object pierces the skull or when blunt force trauma is substantial enough to crack or crush the skull. These are among the most severe forms of traumatic brain injuries, and emergency medical treatment is often required.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries In Columbia, SC
The brain is the body’s control center, making brain injuries among the most life-altering conditions, with impacts on the victims life that range from mild to catastrophic. Although a brain injury can occur from metabolic diseases and medical events, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one that results from outside forces, such as an accident. The most common causes of brain injuries include the following:
- Slips and falls
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Car accidents
- Physical assault
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Scooter accidents
- Workplace injuries
- Contact sports injuries
- Defective products
It’s crucial to seek emergency medical care after suffering trauma to the head. TBIs may occur from a blow to the head or from the rapid back-and-forth motion of a strong jar or shake that causes the brain to bump or twist against the inside of the skull. Despite the bony protection of the skull and a cushioning layer of fluid, the sensitive nerves inside the brain can become damaged by bleeding or inflammation inside the brain.
Symptoms Of A Traumatic Brain Injury
If you were recently involved in an accident or assaulted and you have not yet seen your doctor, you must do so as soon as possible. The following are all common symptoms of traumatic brain injuries:
- Headaches
- Anxiety or depression
- Blurred vision, light sensitivity, or other visual impairments
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty remembering
- Difficulty sleeping or unusual fatigue
- Dilated pupils
- Feeling confused, dazed, disoriented, or dizzy
- Loss of balance
- Loss of consciousness for any amount of time
- Mood swings
- Ringing in the ears
- Slurred speech or difficulty forming words
What to Do After a Brain Injury
After a fall, car accident, or any injury with trauma to the head, it’s crucial to have an experienced medical evaluation to assess for brain injuries. As a head injury victim, you should seek emergency medical care. If you are with an accident victim and suspect they have a head injury, take the following steps:
- First, support the person’s head and neck to stabilize them while awaiting help. Their head and shoulders should be in a slightly elevated position
- Call 911 to request an ambulance
- Apply firm pressure with a clean cloth to any open wound
- Watch for changes in alertness, such as loss of consciousness, confusion, lethargy, or memory loss
- Look for physical symptoms, such as bruising below the eyes or behind the ears, dilated or uneven pupils, or clear fluid dripping from the nose
Once the paramedics have arrived, report the cause of the accident and your observations about the injury victim’s symptoms and behavior after the accident.
A person with a suspected brain injury should have a full medical assessment by emergency medical providers. Then, ask for a detailed medical report and carefully follow the doctor’s treatment recommendations.
How Long Do You Have to File a Brain Injury Claim In South Carolina?
When someone else’s carelessness, recklessness, or wrongdoing causes a brain injury, they are liable for the damages, which may range from a simple emergency room bill and a few days of lost pay to lifelong permanent disability. A successful brain injury claim must be filed within the state’s statute of limitations for personal injuries.
Under S.C. Code § 15-3-530(5) (2024), a brain injury victim has up to three years from the date the injury occurred to file a claim against the at-fault party. Compensation in brain injury claims typically comes from the appropriate insurance policy, such as a careless driver’s auto insurance or a negligent store owner’s commercial liability insurance. If a case requires court, the injury victim or their representative must file a lawsuit within three years of the injury date.
Timing a claim is a crucial aspect of the case. Only under the following limited circumstances does the court consider extending (tolling) a brain injury claim:
- If the injury victim was comatose or incapacitated for a significant period, the statute of limitations begins on the date they recover cognitive ability
- If a brain injury happens to a minor, they have up to one year after their 18th birthday to file a claim
- If the injury victim discovers the brain injury days or weeks after the injury, the time limit begins on the date of discovery under the delayed discovery rule
During your initial free consultation, your brain injury lawyer will evaluate your case and determine how the statute of limitations impacts your claim.
What Can I Recover In a Columbia Brain Injury Claim?
When someone else’s actions caused you harm, you have the right to demand financial accountability. When the harm is a brain injury, the damage is often extensive, sometimes including life-altering disability. The amount recovered in a claim depends on the unique circumstances of the accident and the severity of the injury. Common damages recovered in Columbia brain injury cases include the following:
- Reimbursement for medical expenses
- Future medical care costs
- Out-of-pocket costs, such as for traveling to see specialists, home health aid, home services, and adaptive equipment
- Lost earnings
- Future income loss
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Catastrophic injury compensation for permanent harm, such as disability, impairment, or diminished quality of life
An experienced brain injury lawyer consults with medical experts, occupational therapists, and other expert witnesses to carefully calculate past and future damages.
What If a Loved One Died From a Brain Injury In Columbia?
If your close family member suffered a fatal brain injury, the representative of their estate may file a Columbia wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family. Although nothing can bring the deceased loved one back, a wrongful death claim brings the close surviving family members financial compensation and a sense of justice for their grievous loss.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation at the Marc Brown Law Firm
In addition to seeing your doctor, as we mentioned above, you should also discuss your legal rights with an injury attorney in Columbia. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a Columbia brain injury lawyer, call us or request an appointment.
- used, dazed, disoriented, or dizzy
- Loss of balance
- Loss of consciousness for any amount of time
- Mood swings
- Ringing in the ears
- Slurred speech or difficulty forming words
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation at the Marc Brown Law Firm
In addition to seeing your doctor, as we mentioned above, you should also discuss your legal rights with an injury attorney in Columbia. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a Columbia brain injury lawyer, call us or request an appointment online today.