Compared to other body parts, the human brain is uniquely sensitive to sustaining permanent harm when damaged due to external trauma or an internal medical problem. This is especially true of brain damage caused by the brain being deprived of oxygen for a prolonged period of time, which often stems from a physician’s failure to identify and address serious medical conditions.
When you suffer a hypoxic brain injury because of another person’s negligence, speaking with a capable traumatic brain injury attorney about legal options should be a priority. The effects of this injury can linger for years, even in the best-case scenario, and a Smyrna hypoxic brain injury lawyer could help ensure anyone who causes such an injury through careless misconduct pays for all its negative impacts.
Hypoxic brain injuries are not the same as traumatic brain injuries since they do not stem from a sudden violent impact to the head, neck, or skull. Instead, they involve part or all of the brain not receiving fresh oxygen through normal blood circulation, resulting in brain cells dying more quickly than they can be naturally replaced, also known as apoptosis.
Hypoxia can stem from oxygenated blood being unable to reach the brain, a lack of oxygen in the air, or a problem with red blood cells being unable to carry oxygen from the lungs around the body. Regardless of its cause, hypoxia can have devastating consequences after just a few seconds and deadly ones after a few minutes. Even comparatively “minor” hypoxic brain injuries can cause lasting problems with memory retention, loss of sensation in extremities, headaches, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating.
More serious injuries of this nature can cause permanent loss of motor function, difficulty speaking, dramatic personality changes, and cortical blindness, among other debilitating and often permanent effects. Whatever specific symptoms a hypoxic brain injury has, a seasoned attorney in Smyrna could help demand fair restitution from the person or people responsible for causing it.
A comprehensive lawsuit or settlement demand built around a hypoxic brain injury should include past, future, economic, and non-economic repercussions of the injury, often including:
Most hypoxic brain injury claims are subject to the same two-year filing deadline established under the Official Code of Georgia § 9-3-33 as virtually any other personal injury case. Failing to retain a skilled attorney quickly after sustaining hypoxic brain damage in Smyrna could lead to a time-barred claim and no compensation being available.
Brain damage has the potential to cause excruciating and possibly life-changing harm, especially when it stems from a lack of oxygen inside the brain. Unfortunately, these injuries are often directly caused or made unnecessarily worse by negligence from people who had a duty to act responsibly.
Under circumstances like this, guidance from a compassionate Smyrna hypoxic brain injury lawyer could make all the difference in your odds of protecting your best interests through a favorable case result. Call today to schedule a meeting.
