St. Petersburg Brain Injury Lawyer
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers has fought for the rights of injured victims and their families since 1986. We have won hundreds of millions for our clients in jury verdicts and settlements. If you sustained a brain injury, an experienced St. Petersburg brain injury lawyer can help you seek fair compensation for damages. Contact our law firm today at (727) 787-2500 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney. We are available 24/7 to discuss your case with you.
Brain injuries are often referred to as catastrophic injuries because they can cause long-term impairments and disabilities. Even mild TBIs or concussions can increase a person’s risk of repeated brain injuries. With more than 75 years of combined experience in personal injury law, our attorneys are equipped to handle the most complex brain injury cases.
How Our St. Petersburg Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You With a Brain Injury Claim in Florida
All head injuries should be taken seriously. It does not take much force to cause some types of brain injuries. Prompt medical care can reduce the risk of complications and impairments.
If another party caused your injury because of negligence, intentional torts, or other wrongdoing, you can seek compensation for your medical bills, loss of income, and other damages. However, obtaining a fair settlement is not easy. The insurance company and at-fault party may dispute liability and damages.
Working with an experienced injury attorney gives you the best chance of receiving the compensation you deserve. When you hire our St. Petersburg personal injury lawyers, we will:
- Investigate the cause of your brain injury to gather evidence supporting your claim
- Work with leading medical specialists and expert witnesses to strengthen the evidence for your claim
- Identify all parties who could be liable for your damages and pursue claims against each party
- Fight allegations of blame and contributory fault
- Analyze your damages to assess how much your brain injury case is worth
- Negotiate fair insurance and injury settlements
- Take your case to trial if necessary
Our founding attorney, Mark Roman, is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, a qualification that less than 2% of attorneys in Florida possess. The law firm’s attorneys have top ratings and recognition from numerous legal organizations, including Martindale-Hubbell, Avvo, Expertise.com, Super Lawyers, Tampa Bay’s Trial Lawyers, Elite Lawyers, and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Contact Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers to discuss how to protect your right to fair compensation for a brain injury claim.
Common Types of Brain Injuries
Millions of people in the United States are treated each year for brain injuries. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of disability and death. A brain injury disrupts the normal functions of the brain. It can cause short-term and long-term impairments.
Brain injuries are classified as penetrating head injuries and closed head injuries. A penetrating head injury occurs when an object fractures the skull and enters the brain. A gunshot to the head or sharp object thrust into the head could cause a penetrating head injury.
Closed head injuries cause brain damage when the brain shifts suddenly, hitting the skull in one or more places. Each time the brain strikes the skull, it can result in damage to brain tissue. A strong jolt or blow to the body or head can cause a closed head injury.
Examples of brain injuries include:
- Contusions
- Brain hemorrhages
- Basilar, depressed, diastatic, and linear skull fractures
- Diffuse axonal injury
- Intracranial hematomas
- Cerebral edema (swelling of the brain)
- Strokes
- Hypoxia (oxygen deprivation)
- Coup-contrecoup brain injuries
It is crucial to seek immediate medical treatment after a head injury. Any head injury or strong jolt to the body could result in a brain injury. Doctors may perform one or more diagnostic tests to determine the type and severity of the brain injury. A prompt diagnosis allows you to receive treatment that could prevent a more serious condition.
Know the Symptoms of a Brain Injury
Brain injury symptoms may not appear for several hours or days after an accident. The symptoms may be subtle but increase in severity over time. Any signs of a brain injury should prompt immediate medical attention.
Signs of a brain injury include, but are not limited to:
- Altered state of consciousness
- Ringing in the ears
- Memory loss
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Persistent headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Seizures
- Personality changes and/or irritability
- Changes in taste or smell
- Difficulty sleeping or waking
- Sensitivity to sound or light
- Weakness in the legs or arms
- Problems with concentration and focus
Brain injuries can result in long-term consequences that impact your entire body. For example, you may experience permanent memory loss, paralysis, cognitive changes, vision loss, seizure disorders, and hearing loss. The longer you go without treatment, the more of a risk you have of developing long-term impairments and disabilities.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries in St. Petersburg, FL
Accidents are among the most common causes of brain injury. However, a brain injury may result from intentional acts and negligence. Our attorneys represent clients who sustained brain injuries from all types of accidents and situations, including, but not limited to:
- Car accidents
- Defective products
- Construction accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Truck accidents
- Playground and school accidents
- Dog bites and animal attacks
- Motorcycle accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Boating accidents
- Swimming pool accidents and drownings
- Assaults and other acts of violence
- Recreational activities and sports
- Medical malpractice
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
One or more parties may be liable for your injuries. Our legal team pursues all claims to maximize the amount you receive for damages.
What Damages Are Available for a Brain Injury Case in St. Petersburg, FL?
Damages represent the losses and harm caused by another party’s actions. Florida personal injury laws allow for compensatory damages in the form of economic damages (financial losses) and non-economic damages (pain and suffering).
Examples of the damages in a brain injury case include:
- The cost of past and future medical treatment
- Physical, occupational, and other rehabilitative therapies
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Lost wages and benefits
- Property damages
- Reductions in future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Impairments and disabilities
- Diminished quality of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
The amount you receive for damages depends on the facts of your case. Severe cases of traumatic brain injury may require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. Therefore, the medical bills and lost wages may be significant.
If the person sustains a permanent impairment, they may require long-term care. Long-term nursing and/or personal care costs can total millions over a person’s lifetime.
Our legal team hires expert witnesses to assist in valuing damages. We carefully analyze all factors in your case to determine the extent of your losses and injuries. This information helps support our claim for maximum compensation.
Can I Receive Damages for a Brain Injury if I’m Partially to Blame for Causing My Injury?
Florida recently changed the laws for contributory fault. For cases occurring on or after March 24, 2023, a modified comparative fault rule is applied if the victim is partially to blame for causing their brain injury. If you are more than 50% to blame for your injury, you cannot recover damages.
However, if you are less than 50% at fault, you can receive a portion of your damages. The court reduces the damages awarded by the percentage of fault assigned to you by the jury. Therefore, if the jury assigns you 10% of the blame, the court reduces your damages by 10 percent.
The 50% bar may not apply to accidents that occurred before March 24, 2023, so be sure to consult an attorney.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Filing Brain Injury Lawsuits in St. Petersburg, FL?
Florida also changed the statute of limitations for general negligence claims. Cases that occurred before March 24, 2023, had a four-year statute of limitations. After that date, the deadline to file a lawsuit is reduced to two years. The statute of limitations for wrongful death claims has always been two years from the date of death.
Exceptions to the statute of limitations and circumstances in your case could change the deadline to file a brain injury lawsuit. Therefore, seeking legal advice as soon as possible is in your best interest. Our attorneys can determine the deadline for filing lawsuits during a free consultation.
What Does It Cost to Hire a Brain Injury Lawyer in St. Petersburg, FL?
We understand that the cost of hiring a law firm can be daunting for many people. That is why our attorneys at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers take brain injury claims for a contingency fee. This arrangement means that we are not paid for our services until and unless we win your case. You do not pay any money upfront to hire our lawyers. Our fees are deducted from the proceeds of a settlement or jury verdict.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our St. Petersburg Brain Injury Attorneys
Your consultation is free and confidential, so there is no risk in talking with a lawyer about your case. Call us today at (727) 787-2500 to schedule a free consultation with a St. Petersburg brain injury attorney. Let us handle your case while you recover from your injury.