What Damages Can Be Recovered After a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Colburn Law

Posted in Brain Injury on September 12, 2023

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have significant impacts on your life. In Washington state, you have the right to pursue legal action if someone else is responsible for your injuries. Knowing the kind of compensation you can seek is essential to protect your financial future and ensure that you receive the justice that you deserve.

Medical Expenses

After a TBI, medical expenses often pile up rapidly. By filing a lawsuit, you could recover compensation to help pay for your past and future medical expenses. 

These can range from immediate hospital bills, surgeries, and emergency care to longer-term costs like rehabilitation, therapy sessions, and follow-up appointments. Prescription medications, assistive devices, and any other necessary medical equipment or treatments can also be included in these damages. 

Disability Accommodations

Brain injuries can result in permanent disabilities, which often require modifications to a victim’s living and working environment. If you were impaired by a TBI, you could recover compensation for the costs associated with installing ramps, widening doorways, adapting vehicles, or acquiring special communication tools. 

Lost Wages and Future Earnings

The aftermath of a TBI can temporarily or permanently inhibit your ability to work. This means not only a loss of current income but, in severe cases, a reduction in future earning potential. 

In a brain injury lawsuit, you can secure compensation for lost wages if you have to spend time away from work to recover or receive treatment. If you are unable to return to your previous profession or have to settle for a lower-paying job due to your injuries, you have the right to secure a settlement for the loss of your future earnings.

Pain and Suffering 

TBIs not only cause physical pain and impairment, but emotional distress as well. You have the right to recover compensation for the physical and emotional suffering that you endured due to the at-fault party’s actions. Your settlement can recover a range of losses, including chronic pain, permanent disability, mental anguish, depression, and anxiety.

Property Damage

If your TBI resulted in an injury such as a car accident or a slip and fall, you might have sustained property damage. In your claim, you can recover compensation to repair or replace any items that were damaged or destroyed in the incident. 

How to Determine the Value of Your TBI Settlement

No two TBI settlements are the same. To determine the value of your potential award, you will need to thoroughly evaluate all potential avenues to compensation with the help of a Washington personal injury attorney.

Some costs, like medical bills, are straightforward, while others, such as future earnings or emotional distress, may require more careful consideration. The severity of your injury, the chances of recovery, and any potential complications could also influence the value of your award.

An attorney in Seattle who focuses on personal injury can provide valuable guidance and support during this process. Your lawyer can evaluate all pieces of evidence, consult with expert witnesses like medical professionals, and accurately calculate your potential award. Leveraging this information, he or she will advocate for your highest possible settlement during every stage of your case.

After your accident, seek medical attention immediately. Then, contact a Seattle traumatic brain injury lawyer to discuss your case and plan your next steps.