New Jersey Brain Injury Lawyer
Getting You Compensation for Brain Injuries in the Workplace
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that every year in the United States, up to 1.4 million people experience brain injuries. Many of these happen at work as a result of slips and falls, impact with heavy objects, defective equipment, and motor vehicle and construction accidents.
Brain injuries cause a host of physical and emotional problems, including diminished physical function, memory loss, and mood problems.
Because brain injuries are not always visible to the naked eye, they often go undiagnosed.
Any worker who suffers an injury to the head should seek medical attention as soon as possible and report the accident to their employer.
Severe job-related brain injuries prevent many employees from returning to work temporarily or permanently. These injured workers are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits to cover their medical expenses and lost wages while they are unable to work.
Concussion Symptoms
Concussions are the most common type of brain injury and are generally caused by a blow to the head that alters the normal function of the brain. For many individuals, concussion symptoms are delayed. Also, because concussion victims do not necessarily experience a loss of consciousness, injured workers may not even realize they have suffered a brain injury.
Common concussion symptoms include headaches, blurry vision, memory problems, mood changes, nausea or vomiting, and balance issues.
Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms
Workers who have suffered a more severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) may display some concussion symptoms, as well as also experience:
- Convulsions or seizures
- Dilated pupils
- Loss of consciousness
- Mental confusion or combativeness
- Persistent nausea and/or vomiting
- Weakness or numbness in extremities
Workers should know that many brain injuries ranging from mild to severe do not always present obvious physical signs. Any worker who has been hurt in a work accident involving an impact to the head should seek immediate medical attention to rule out a brain injury and receive the appropriate treatment before returning to work.
Brain Injuries and Workers’ Compensation
Brain injuries often have a lasting impact on a victim’s quality of life. Physical and emotional impairments caused by severe brain injuries can interfere with a person’s ability to work and live independently.
Under the law, injured workers are afforded some financial protection in the form of workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits are used to cover immediate and ongoing medical care including physical and cognitive therapy, as well as lost income, whether the victim is unable to work temporarily or permanently.
The first step to receiving workers’ compensation benefits is documenting brain injuries and establishing that they occurred during the course of performing work duties. Brain injuries are complex in that they do not always present obvious, physical signs of trauma.
To preserve crucial witness testimony and evidence related to a work accident, it is important to move forward with a workers’ compensation claim as quickly as possible.
Third-party Personal Injury Claims
In some cases, a worker’s brain injury happens as the result of a third-party’s negligence. Workers can be injured by faulty equipment or machinery, or somehow by another individual not employed by the company. Employees injured by a third-party may consider pursuing additional damages through a third-party claim.
A New Jersey Brain Injury Lawyer reviews the circumstances surrounding your accident to determine who is at fault and if a third-party claim is a viable option for you.
New Jersey Brain Injury Attorneys at Pietras Saracino Smith & Meeks LLP Advocate for Brain Injury Victims
Workers who suffer a brain injury at work are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits offer some financial peace of mind, allowing the worker to focus on their recovery. Our brain injury attorneys in New Jersey will investigate every aspect of your accident and medical care to establish the extent of your injuries and help to ensure a successful workers’ compensation claim.
Because there are time limits on your claim, you should not wait to schedule your free consultation. We will also determine if a third-party claim is an option based on the cause and nature of your injuries.
Call us today at 856-761-3773 or contact us online to get started. Located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, we represent clients throughout the Garden State including the City of Camden and all of South Jersey.
