Head injuries can transform lives without warning. At West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers, our Summerville traumatic brain injury lawyers recognize the overwhelming challenges TBI survivors and their families face. Since 1945, our family-owned practice has stood beside Lowcountry residents during their most difficult moments. Our deep local roots and specialized experience make us uniquely qualified to help you secure the compensation needed for recovery and adaptation after a serious brain injury.
What Makes Traumatic Brain Injuries Different
Traumatic brain injuries differ fundamentally from other injuries. While a broken bone has a clear healing timeline, brain injuries often involve invisible damage with unpredictable outcomes. Many TBI survivors appear physically normal while struggling with serious cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges that might last weeks, years, or even a lifetime.
The brain controls everything we do, from breathing and walking to thinking and feeling. When injured, these functions can become impaired in ways that medical scans might not fully detect. This invisibility factor often complicates treatment, recovery predictions, and legal claims.
Our Summerville TBI attorneys work closely with medical experts to document all aspects of your injury, ensuring insurance companies and juries recognize the full impact of your brain injury beyond what might be immediately obvious.
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Summerville
The Summerville area sees traumatic brain injuries resulting from numerous scenarios:
- Motor vehicle accidents: Car crashes along busy roads like Highway 17-A and Interstate 26 remain a leading cause of TBIs in our region. The violent forces involved can cause the brain to collide with the skull, resulting in serious damage even without a direct head impact.
- Slip and fall incidents: Falls on wet floors at local businesses, poorly maintained properties, or construction sites frequently cause TBIs, particularly among elderly residents.
- Workplace accidents: Industrial facilities, construction projects, and even office environments in Summerville present risks for head injuries that can permanently affect earning capacity.
- Sports injuries: Youth and adult sports activities throughout Berkeley and Dorchester counties sometimes result in concussions and other brain trauma that may have lasting effects.
- Violent acts: Assault cases resulting in head trauma require specialized legal approaches that consider both criminal and civil dimensions.
Our Summerville traumatic brain injury attorneys investigate each case thoroughly to identify all responsible parties and applicable insurance coverage.
The Real-Life Impact of Brain Injuries
Brain injuries affect more than physical health; they influence every aspect of daily life. Many TBI survivors face:
- Medical challenges: Treatment often requires specialized neurological care, rehabilitation therapy, medication, and adaptive equipment. Some patients need ongoing care for years.
- Cognitive changes: Memory problems, difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking, and challenges with organization and problem-solving can make returning to work or school impossible.
- Emotional struggles: Personality changes, mood swings, depression, anxiety, and irritability commonly follow brain injuries, straining relationships with family and friends.
- Financial pressures: Medical bills accumulate while earning ability decreases, creating serious financial strain for families already dealing with trauma.
The Summerville traumatic brain injury attorneys at West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers consider all these impacts when calculating fair compensation for TBI victims in Summerville.
Legal Time Limits for Brain Injury Claims in South Carolina
South Carolina law strictly limits the time available to file brain injury claims. Most personal injury cases, including TBIs, must be filed within three years of the injury date. However, certain circumstances might shorten or extend this period:
- Claims against government entities: If your injury involved a government agency or employee, special notice requirements apply, and deadlines can be as short as 180 days.
- Injuries to children: Different rules may apply when the injured person is under 18.
- Discovery rule: In rare cases where an injury was not immediately apparent, the clock might start running when the injury was discovered or should have been discovered.
Missing these deadlines typically means losing all rights to compensation, regardless of case strength. Our Summerville traumatic brain injury lawyers ensure all paperwork is properly filed within the required timeframes.
Compensation Available for TBI Victims
Brain injury cases often result in significant compensation due to their life-altering nature. Damages potentially available include:
- Medical expenses: Covering emergency care, hospital stays, specialist visits, rehabilitation services, medication, and future treatment needs.
- Lost income: Compensation for wages already lost and reduced earning capacity going forward if you cannot return to your previous job.
- Pain and suffering: Monetary recognition of physical pain and emotional distress caused by the injury.
- Life quality changes: Damages addressing the loss of enjoyment in activities and relationships that enriched your life before the injury.
- Home modifications: Funds for adapting living spaces to accommodate new physical limitations.
Our experienced Summerville traumatic brain injury attorneys calculate damages based not just on current expenses but on projected lifetime needs, ensuring clients receive fair compensation that truly addresses their situation.
Taking the Next Step
Living with a traumatic brain injury creates enough challenges without adding complex legal battles. Let our experienced Summerville traumatic brain injury lawyers shoulder that burden while you concentrate on healing. Contact West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers today for a consultation about your Summerville traumatic brain injury case. Your initial conversation with us is completely confidential and comes with no pressure or obligation.