Greenville Brain Injury Lawyer

Feel Safe With An Experienced Brain Injury Lawyer In Your Corner

Paul Hammack is an aggressive Greenville brain injury attorney with more than 19 years of experience in complex and high-stakes litigation. He understands how challenging these experiences are, and he knows how to make a difference in the claims process – a reflection of his experience on both sides of these claims (plaintiff advocacy and insurance defense).

Paul and the Hammack Law Firm are here to fight for you.

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Have You or Your Loved One Suffered a
Brain Injury Due to a Fall or an Accident?

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, with 1.7 million Americans suffering these types of injuries each year.

A TBI can happen almost anywhere. A fall at work, a slip at home, a car accident on the way to work; these are all common situations in which a TBI can occur.

What makes brain injuries so scary is that, in some cases, the effects won’t manifest until days later. But it isn’t unusual for them to manifest even weeks to months after the TBI accident occurred. That is why it is so crucial to seek out medical attention immediately after sustaining a TBI, as timely treatment can stave off lasting damage – or even death.

Then, once you have gotten checked out and cleared by a doctor, you need to seek out an experienced legal team that is familiar with handling TBI cases. If a negligent party caused your TBI, then they must be held accountable for the actions that put your life at risk.

If you or someone you love was involved in an accident that caused a traumatic brain injury, contact our Greenville, SC, brain injury attorneys right now at (864) 326-3333(864) 326-3333. We are ready to hear your story.

What Is a Brain Injury?

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a brain injury (or a traumatic brain injury) is defined as a form of brain injury that is sustained from sudden trauma. For example, a sudden blow to the head, such as what occurs in sports-related injuries, can result in a TBI.

Several factors can attribute to how severe the injury is:

1. Age
2. Gender
3. Genetics
4. Time it took to get medical attention

Getting a proper diagnosis by a medical professional is crucial in determining how severe your TBI is and to stop any additional damages that can take place. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) helps doctors do just that by categorizing the severity of your TBI as follows:

1. Mild – Confusion and/or loss of consciousness, disorientation that lasts less than 30 minutes.
2. Moderate – A loss of consciousness between 20 minutes to 6 hours.
3. Severe – A loss of consciousness greater than 6 hours.

Keep in mind, however, that the severity of a TBI is not a good indicator of what type of health concerns may come down the line for a victim. A victim that suffers from a “Severe” TBI may not have lasting effects on his or her brain, while an individual that succumbed to a “Mild” TBI may.

What Are the Causes of TBIs?

As stated earlier, a TBI can almost occur anywhere and at any time. We must remain vigilant in our everyday activities to avoid these costly injuries that can greatly affect our quality of life or the quality of life of our loved ones.

The following are all common causes of TBIs:

• Falls – Falls account for roughly 40 percent of all TBIs.
• Unintentional Trauma – This cause generally includes being struck by, or against, an object.
• Motor Vehicle Accidents – Motor vehicle accidents are the 3rd most common cause of TBIs.
• Violence Trauma – As the name suggests, this type of trauma occurs from physical violence or physical abuse.
• Sports-Related Injury – Sports like football, basketball, soccer, and bicycling all carry risks of sustaining a TBI.
• Work-Related Accidents – Twenty percent of all work-related TBIs can be attributed to slip and falls.
• Combat-Related TBIs – Blast trauma sustained while enlisted in the military is a common cause of a TBI.
• While the above are all common ways in which a TBI can occur, it doesn’t mean that the victim is always at fault. A few examples of how negligence can play a part in victims sustaining a TBI include:
  • A wet floor that lacked adequate warning at a place of business can cause someone to slip and fall, and sustain a TBI. This could mean that the business is liable for what happened.
  • A child can sustain a TBI while playing football with defective protection at school. The equipment manufacturer may be held liable for the injury.
  • A drunk driver slammed into your vehicle which caused you to sustain a TBI. The drunk driver was acting negligently when he or she decided to drink and drive, putting your life at risk.

Negligence can—and often does—play a large part in why people sustain TBIs. If negligence or malicious intent was a factor in your particular brain injury accident, you are entitled to seek out justice and financial recovery for the pain you have suffered.

What are the Common Symptoms of a TBI?

If you or a loved one have suffered a jarring hit to the head, keep an eye out for the following symptoms which may be signs of a brain injury:

• Headaches
• Vision problems
• Ringing in ears
• Convulsions or seizures
• Nausea
• Physical weakness
• Irritability
• Sleep problems
• Vomiting
• Sensitivity to light
• Loss of consciousness
• Communication problems
• Confusion
• Slurred speech
• Motor skill issues
• Partial or full paralysis

Cognitive, behavioral, and emotional changes are also common in individuals that suffer from TBIs, and can manifest alongside any of the physical symptoms mentioned above. The following cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes can range from temporary to lifelong depending on the severity of the TBI:

• Memory issues
• Changes in temperament
• Aggressiveness
• Poor judgment
• Social skill difficulties
• Problem-solving issues
• Depression
• Learning challenges
• Inappropriate behavior
• Cognitive issues
• Mood swings
• Lack of motivation

It is important to be especially mindful if the victim of the traumatic brain injury is a child as they may have difficulty articulating any pain or difference that they may be feeling. As parents, it is up to us to monitor them closely for any behavioral changes, especially at playtime, nap time, and dinner time. We must also keep a look out for any changes in their motor skills, sleep patterns, and toilet training.

While the above list shows many symptoms to look out for, it isn’t a complete list.

If you believe you or a loved one have suffered a TBI please seek out medical treatment immediately. Failing to obtain a diagnosis can be the difference between life and death.

What Are the Health Concerns Created by TBIs?

Various symptoms can be expected for sufferers of TBI. Individuals that have sustained traumatic brain injury may have short or long-term physical and mental complications.

Complications caused by TBIs may include:

• Seizures
• Hemorrhaging
• Hydrocephalus
• Blood vessel damage
• Nerve damage
• Coma
• Vegetative state
• Persistent vegetative state
• Severely altered consciousness
• Brain death

If you have sustained a TBI from an accident that was caused by negligence and have endured any of the above health concerns, contact our Greenville brain injury lawyers today at (864) 326-3333(864) 326-3333 for a FREE case evaluation.

What You Should Do If You Have Sustained a TBI

Just because a TBI can take a while to manifest doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go to the hospital immediately. You may be feeling fine now, but things can take a turn for the worse quickly. Should you sustain a brain injury, have someone drive you to the hospital.

If you are the victim, take a loved one along with you so that they can explain what happened to the medical professional that you are seeing. You or your loved one may have to stay in the hospital for a few days while doctors and nurses monitor your status. While you are at the hospital, you may have to fill out an incident report. Fill that out to the best of your knowledge, as this document can help you in your brain injury case.

Once you have been cleared by the hospital, get in touch with a brain injury lawyer like the one at Hammack Law Firm as soon as possible. The sooner you reach out, the quicker we can begin investigating your claim and securing the evidence needed to develop a strong claim.

Why Choose Hammack Law Firm to Represent Your Brain Injury Claim

For over 19 years, our Greenville, SC, law firm has sought to provide personal injury victims with the legal care, dedication, and counseling they need. For far too long, negligent and malicious parties have gotten away without paying what is owed to their victims, and our brain injury attorneys are looking to right these wrongs.

Whatever the situation was that caused your TBI, our attorneys can help you fight for the compensation you need.

Together with a supporting team of medical experts, research specialists, accident reconstruction experts, and other legal professionals, we can best understand your situation and develop the strongest claim possible for you.

With our insider knowledge of insurance law, we can fight diligently on your behalf to ensure you get everything that is rightfully yours – and not a penny less.

Traumatic brain injuries can be a frightening ordeal to overcome, not only for victims but for their loved ones as well. With the help of our dedicated Greenville brain injury attorneys at Hammack Law Firm, you’ll have a legal team that can help you recover from the negligent actions that caused your injury.

• Right to our respect, courtesy, compassion and empathy
• Right to talk with us within 24 hours of your call
• Right to timely updates on your case progress