Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney Fort Worth Arlington

Traumatic brain injury is defined as sudden physical damage to the brain. It does not include brain injuries received from birth trauma, toxic substances, disease-producing organisms, or brain injuries that are hereditary, congenital, or degenerative.

The main cause of traumatic brain damage is from the head forcefully hitting an object, such as a windshield or dashboard of a vehicle during an accident. This example is called a closed head injury. It also can be caused when the brain undergoes a severe forward, backward, or twisting motion, such as shaken baby syndrome or whiplash.

If something passes through the head, such as a bullet or knife, the damage is called a penetrating head injury. Although a closed head injury is much less "messy" and often leaves no obvious external signs, it involves the brain banging against the skull and can cause more widespread damage.

CAT scans, MRIs, or other imaging devices that visualize the structure of the brain may be run on the patient. However, physical medical testing does not tap into the portion of the brain dealing with functioning, nor does it identify the malfunctioning cognitive, behavioral, or emotional aspects of the injury.

A person who has experienced either mild or severe brain injury may physically appear fine, and yet have sustained a brain injury that affects their ability to live a normal life.

The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine stated these as the markers for brain injury:

* Loss of consciousness
* Memory loss of events immediately before or after the accident
* Alteration in mental state at the time of accident, such as feeling dazed, disoriented, or confused
* Posttraumatic amnesia not greater than 24 hours and other focal neurological deficits

The damages awarded for such an injury is based on the nature and extent of the injury. Factors include pain and suffering, loss of earnings, impairment of earnings capacity, disfigurement or deformity, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and whether the injury is temporary or permanent.

Nursing Home Negligence Attorney Arlington Fort Worth

Recent developments in the nursing home industry have resulted in health care conglomerates buying up nursing homes that were once locally owned and operated. Like HMOs these corporations are focused on generating profits, often at the expense of the health and safety of the patients. Family members may suspect that their loved ones are receiving substandard care but may be uncomfortable asking questions until it is too late.

Some of the signs of neglect are:

* Soiled bed sheets
* Bad odors
* Presence of decubitus ulcers (sometimes called pressure sores or bed sores)

These sores are usually not visible as they are most common on the back, buttocks, heel, and back of the thigh.

Nursing homes sometimes go to great lengths to conceal these bed sores because they realize that it is the most recognizable sign of neglect. These sores occur when patients are left in one position for an extended period of time. The skin, and later the muscle, actually breaks down and becomes an ulcer. These sores are extremely painful and if left untreated can be life threatening.

Motorcycle Accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says motorcyclists are eight times more likely to be injured and 32 times more likely to die in a crash than other motor vehicle accident victims.

Most cyclists are safe drivers, but sometimes automobile drivers are careless around motorcyles and scooters. Motorcycle accident victims have high medical bills and sometimes limited insurance coverage. Sometimes insurance companies will contact a victim through an adjuster who attempts to limit the amount of money a victim may be entitled to.

Motorcycle riders enjoy freedoms that come with riding two-wheelers, but they are also left exposed to dangers that automobile and truck drivers are not. The lack of any protective barriers between motorcycle and road, as well as the difficulty that other motorists may have in seeing and anticipating a motorcycle, expose riders to a significant amount of personal injury.

In most motorcycle accidents involving other vehicles, the driver of the other vehicle is at fault. If you, a family member, or friend are involved in a motorcycle accident, be sure to contact a qualified personal injury lawyer at Ted Machi & Associates, P.C.

Automobile Accidents Attorneys Arlington Fort Worth

Millions of auto accidents wreck vehicles, property, and lives each year.

If the accident is minor, the parties can exchange insurance information, file a police report, and get on with their lives. But in a serious accident where personal injury occurs, loss of mobility, loss of income, medical expenses, rehabilitation, and mental suffering can follow.

Victims are entitled to money to cover their losses. But they're also possibly entitled to compensatory damages and, in extreme cases, punitive damages if the accident was caused by someone else's recklessness.

Insurance companies want you to settle your case as soon as possible, but you may not be finished with medical care and rehabilitation. If you retain a lawyer after the accident, you'll receive all the medical attention you need and won't have to pay your medical bills until the case is settled.

You may also be entitled to lost wages from the defendant's insurance company due to your injuries. Your employer or human resources department must document your lost wages, and a doctor must be able to state that you couldn't work as a result of the accident.

After an accident, it's important to notify your insurance company, irrespective of fault. The company may want to retain a lawyer for itself and participate in the settlement and litigation of any claims made against you by third parties.

Wrongful Death Attorneys in Fort Worth Arlington Texas

When the negligence of others causes the death of a loved one, it also causes grief, suffering, medical expenses, loss of income, and a shattered life for those left behind.

A wrongful death claim alleges that the deceased person was killed because of the defendant's negligence, and the surviving dependents or beneficiaries are entitled to monetary compensation because of the defendant's conduct.

Family members couldn't make this type of claim in the past because the claim died with the victim, or so it was believed. But today, individual states have wrongful death statutes to give the survivors recourse for their loss.

Those who can pursue a wrongful death claim are spouses, children (with a court-approved guardian), and parents. Some states allow grandparents, legal dependants, and members of the extended family to file a claim, too. However, a family member cannot sue another member of the family for wrongful death.

The kinds of damages that may be recoverable in a wrongful death claim are:

* Immediate expenses associated with the death, such as medical and funeral expenses
* Loss of the victim's anticipated earnings in the future until the time of retirement
* The pain, suffering, and mental anguish of the survivors
* Loss of inheritance caused by the untimely death
* Loss of benefits caused by the victim's death, such as a pension and medical coverage
* Loss of care, protection, and companionship for the survivors
* General and punitive damages