Des Moines Brain Injury Attorneys

We Help Catastrophic Injury Victims Get the Care They Need

A person does not have to be involved in a catastrophic accident to suffer a brain injury. A person may suffer a non-traumatic brain injury and still have many difficult consequences to deal with as a result. A non-traumatic brain injury is when brain damage is caused by a nonviolent incident. These incidents can occur due to another party’s intentional wrongdoing or because another party acted carelessly. If the injury is the result of another person’s actions or negligence, the victim may be entitled to compensation.

If you or a loved one has suffered a non-traumatic brain injury through no fault of your own, you should contact the experienced and compassionate attorneys at LaMarca Law Group, P.C. by calling (515) 705-0233 today. We are here to help.

At LaMarca Law Group, P.C., we understand that dealing with the aftermath of a non-traumatic brain injury can be incredibly stressful. Non-traumatic brain injuries can place a significant strain on the financial, physical, and emotional well-being of you and your family. During a time when you should be focused on healing, you do not need to worry about how you are going to get the medical attention you need and how you will manage to fulfill your financial obligations. That’s why the highly qualified and aggressive attorneys at LaMarca Law Group, P.C. are here for you in your time of need.

At LaMarca Law Group, P.C., our Des Moines brain injury attorneys provide non-traumatic brain injury victims with exceptional legal services. We can help you pursue compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, and other losses related to your injury. With over 25 years of personal injury experience in the Des Moines area, we know how to get results for our clients.

Understanding the Differences Between Traumatic Brain Injury, Non-Traumatic Brain Injury and Seeking Compensation

What Is Traumatic Brain Injury?

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) refers to head injuries caused by sudden jolts, blows, or forces to the head. These incidents can lead to damage to brain cells, resulting in long-term physical, psychological, and cognitive impairments. TBI can occur from falls, motor vehicle accidents, physical assaults, or any other event causing sudden trauma to the head.

What Are the Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury?

The symptoms of TBI can vary in severity including:

• Dizziness
• Loss of consciousness
• Headaches
• Confusion
• Memory loss
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mood changes (such as depression or irritability)
• Impaired coordination
• Speech
• Language comprehension difficulties
• Increased seizure susceptibility
• Vision or hearing problems

Long Term Effects of a TBI

Long-term effects may include:

• Decreased cognitive abilities
• Problem-solving difficulties
• Personality changes
• Difficulties with memory
• Difficulties information processing.

Recognizing these symptoms and understanding their potential long-term impact is crucial in seeking proper medical care and support for individuals who have suffered a traumatic brain injury. If you or someone you know experiences these symptoms after a head injury, it is essential to consult with a healthcare professional for a comprehensive evaluation and appropriate treatment.

How Much Compensation Do You Get for Traumatic Brain Injury?

For individuals who have experienced TBI, seeking compensation for damages caused by accidents or negligence is important. A traumatic brain injury victim will need compensation in order to cover the costs of medical bills, lost wages, and other damages associated with their injury. In Iowa, the amount of compensation an individual can receive depends on the specifics of their case, including how severe the injury is and how much negligence or fault was involved.

What Is Non-Traumatic Brain Injury?

While traumatic brain injuries occur more frequently, with approximately 1,700,000 people suffering from new traumatic brain injuries each year, non-traumatic brain injuries are also occurring at an alarming rate, with an estimated 917,000 individuals suffering from new non-traumatic brain injuries each year. Like a traumatic brain injury, a non-traumatic brain injury is very serious and needs to be treated by a medical professional promptly.

Unlike a traumatic brain injury, which is caused by an impact to the head such as that which often occurs in an automobile accident, non-traumatic brain injury is caused by a nonviolent incident such as the following:

• Illness: A common illness that causes a non-traumatic brain injury is meningitis. This is an infection that spreads to the brain through blood, causing brain tissue damage and thereby undermining the health and function of the brain. Other infections may also cause swelling of the brain tissue, which can impair brain health and function. Additionally, autoimmune issues, cancer, and allergic reactions can all cause brain swelling. The result of these illnesses is often a non-traumatic brain injury.
• Oxygen Deprivation: Minor brain damage can begin with as little as 1 minute of oxygen deprivation to the brain. Lasting and more serious brain damage occurs with as little as 4 minutes of oxygen deprivation. After 4 to 6 minutes, oxygen deprivation becomes fatal.
• Some of the reasons a person’s brain may be deprived of oxygen are:
  • Choking
  • Drowning
  • Anaphylactic shock
  • Drug and alcohol overdoses
  • Physical assault
  • Strokes
  • Allergic reactions to substances
• Cardiac Arrest: When a person experiences cardiac arrest, their blood stops flowing properly and deprives the brain of oxygen.
• Metabolic Disorder: This disorder causes substances in cells to be processed poorly. As a result, enzyme levels are off, causing waste to accumulate. When waste accumulates in the brain, cells die, causing a non-traumatic brain injury.
• Aneurysm: When an aneurysm occurs, there is uncontrolled bleeding in the brain. When this bleeding spreads, it can cause a loss of oxygen to some parts of the brain, thereby damaging that part of the brain. The damage in these cases can be permanent and may even result in death if medical attention is not sought immediately.
• Poisoning: In the instance of poisoning, the brain may swell, cutting off oxygen to some parts of the brain and resulting in damage to the brain tissue in that region.
• Tumor: A brain tumor does not have to be cancerous to cause harm. Any brain tumor pushes on the brain and causes oxygen deprivation to that part of the brain. A tumor can be removed or treated by other medical procedures. In some instances, however, the brain damage may already have been inflicted.
• Stroke: This is a cardiovascular event that cuts off the blood supply to the brain, thereby cutting off the brain’s oxygen supply. As a result of a stroke, some people experience what is called lock-in syndrome. This occurs when a person cannot move or speak but is fully conscious. A doctor needs to examine a patient in this state very carefully and not assume that the patient has lost consciousness, as the treatments are vastly different, and misdiagnosis may cause more harm or cost someone their life.
• Surgical Procedure: Sometimes, when there is an error in a surgical procedure to remove a tumor, stop a hemorrhage, or fix an aneurysm, the brain can be deprived of oxygen, causing a non-traumatic brain injury.

While these are some of the more common causes of non-traumatic brain injuries, they can also be caused by a seizure, diabetes, other endocrine disorders, reactions to medical procedures or prescription drugs, and asphyxiation.

Some of the symptoms of a non-traumatic brain injury include the following:

• Diminished memory
• Impaired muscle coordination
• Kidney failure
• Speech and sensory problems
• Emotional and psychological distress
• Cognitive impairment
• Headaches
• Seizures
• Personality changes
• Blurred vision or milder vision problems
• Changes in sensory perception, such as taste or smell

A non-traumatic brain injury is a very serious event and needs to be treated quickly with medical attention. If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

Contact a Brain Injury Attorney Today

If you or a loved one has suffered a non-traumatic brain injury, a Des Moines brain injury lawyer at LaMarca Law Group, P.C. can help. Serving the Des Moines, Iowa area, our firm provides exceptional services to brain injury victims. We understand that a non-traumatic brain injury can leave you and your family dealing with difficult and often life-changing consequences. Our attorneys have the skill and experience to pursue compensation for your injury-related expenses.

Contact LaMarca Law Group, P.C.today at (515) 705-0233 to schedule a complimentary case evaluation.