McAllen Brain Injury Attorneys

A traumatic brain injury or TBI is a common injury and may be missed initially when the medical team is focused on saving the individual’s life. A brain injury can be classified as ‘mild’ if loss of consciousness and/or confusion and disorientation is briefer than 30 minutes. While MRI and CAT scans are often normal, the individual has cognitive problems such as headache, difficulty thinking, memory problems, attention deficits, mood swings and frustration. These injuries are commonly overlooked. Even though this type of TBI is called “mild,” the effect on the family and the injured person can be devastating to the victim’s life and those around him. Severe brain injury occurs when the loss of consciousness is for more than 30 minutes and memory loss after the injury, or penetrating skull injury longer than 24 hours. The damages can range from impairment of higher-level cognitive functions to comatose states. Victims who survive may have limited function of arms or legs, abnormal speech or language, loss of thinking ability or emotional problems.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

The location of the injury along the spinal cord determines what parts of the body are affected. Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Affects vertebrae C1-C8 and causes paralysis or weakness in both arms and legs. This is also known as quadriplegia or tetraplegia. Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury Affects vertebrae T1-T12. These injuries can cause paralysis or weakness of the legs along with loss of physical sensation, bowel, bladder and sexual function. Lumbar Spinal Cord Injury Affects vertebrae L1-L5 and result in weakness or paralysis of the legs. This is also known as paraplegia. Sacral Spinal Cord Injury Affects vertebrae S1-S5. Sacral level injuries mainly cause loss of bowel and bladder function as well as sexual dysfunction. They can also cause weakness or paralysis of the hips and legs.

Effects of TBI

The effects of TBI can be profound. Individuals with extremely severe injuries can be left in long-term unresponsive states. For many, long-term rehabilitation is often necessary to maximize function and independence. Even with mild TBI, the consequences to a person’s life can be dramatic. Change in brain function can have a dramatic impact on family, job, social and community interaction.

Protect Your Rights

The McAllen brain injury attorneys at the Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia can help answer all of your legal questions. We recognize that everyone is an individual and that not every case is the same. We start by listening, gathering evidence and fighting hard to make sure our clients obtain the justice they deserve so that they can get back to feeling a sense of normalcy and get back to living their lives. If you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury as the result of another person or party’s negligence, please contact our McAllen brain injury attorneys here at the Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia to schedule a free consultation. We will sit down with you and discuss the particulars of your individual case, and help you determine what is the next, best step for you and your family.