Cedar Rapids Brain Injury Lawyer

Cedar Rapids Brain Injury Lawyer

There are many types of brain injury cases that can happen in Cedar Rapids. Car accidents, work injuries, medical errors, or even a fall at a nursing home can result in a brain injury. If you or someone you love has suffered a brain injury because of someone else’s fault, keep reading.

5 Steps to Take After Being Diagnosed with a Brain Injury

After you’ve suffered a brain injury, there are a few steps you need to take in order to protect yourself.

Rest

The first thing you must do is rest. Physical and mental rest is the best treatment after a concussion or serious TBI. While recovering, you should not do any physical or mental tasks that can strain your mind. This means no reading or crossword puzzles. You should also avoid exercise or other physical activity until you are cleared to do so by your doctor.

Instead, sleeping as much as you are able to will help heal your brain. Once your doctor has cleared you to heal, spend as much time sleeping as you can.

Avoid light and sound as much as possible

During the brain injury recovery process, you may find you’re sensitive to light or sound. Try to avoid watching a lot of TV, texting, listening to music, or being in the sunlight. Talk to your doctor about reintroducing these stimuli.

Journal

Keep a daily journal of any struggles or pain you’re having. Every time a symptom appears, or there are changes in your mood or behavior, write it down. You can also ask family or friends who know you well to write down changes they observe in your behavior. These notes can then be shared with your doctor to determine your progress in healing.

Avoid any medications without doctor approval

Speak to your doctor before you take any medications after a brain injury, even over-the-counter drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen. Certain medications can cause an increase in your traumatic brain injury symptoms, making it difficult to figure out if your symptoms are worsening on their own or because of the medication. Only take medication that your doctor has authorized you to take.

Do not participate in any activities that could give you another TBI before your first injury has healed

Endangering your brain before it has had time to fully heal from its injury must be avoided. Your resistance to injury is lessened after an initial TBI and the effects are multiplied until you are completely healed.

When you experience a second impact on your brain before the first injury is healed, this is known as “Second Impact Syndrome.” SIS is most often seen when children or teens return to a physical sport before a first brain injury has healed.

Those who have experienced a brain injury from a fall or car accident are also at risk of SIS. SIS can lead to permanent brain damage or, in severe cases, even death.

Even driving can be considered an at-risk activity for those still suffering from TBI symptoms. Although you may not be able to avoid riding in a car the entire time you’re in recovery, see if friends or family can give you a ride until you’re healed.

If you suffered a brain injury because of someone else’s fault, you can get a free, no-obligation case evaluation from our Cedar Rapids injury lawyers by calling 1-800-433-0283.

Common Questions About Traumatic Brain Injury Claims in Cedar Rapids

What Are the Most Common Causes of Brain Injuries in Cedar Rapids?

Brain injuries in Cedar Rapids most commonly result from motor vehicle accidents, including car crashes, motorcycle collisions, and pedestrian or bicycle accidents on busy roads like Interstate 380, Highway 30, and First Avenue. Slip and fall accidents on icy sidewalks during Iowa winters, in poorly maintained stores, or on uneven surfaces frequently cause traumatic brain injuries, especially among elderly residents. Workplace accidents in Cedar Rapids’s manufacturing and industrial facilities, including falls from heights, falling objects, and equipment malfunctions, can result in serious head trauma. Sports and recreational activities, particularly football, hockey, and activities at local parks and recreation facilities, contribute to concussions and more severe brain injuries. Assaults and violent crimes, construction site accidents, defective products that fail to provide adequate head protection, and medical malpractice during surgeries or childbirth can also cause brain damage.

How Do I Know If I Have a Traumatic Brain Injury After an Accident?

Traumatic brain injury symptoms can range from mild to severe and may not appear immediately after an accident, making it crucial to seek medical evaluation even if you feel fine initially. Common symptoms include persistent headaches, dizziness, confusion, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light or noise, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, and changes in sleep patterns. You may experience mood changes such as irritability, anxiety, or depression, along with slurred speech or difficulty finding words. More severe symptoms requiring immediate emergency care include loss of consciousness, seizures, repeated vomiting, clear fluid draining from the nose or ears, weakness or numbness in extremities, and worsening confusion or agitation. Some brain injury symptoms develop gradually over days or weeks following the accident, which is why follow-up medical care is essential even after an initial examination at a Cedar Rapids hospital like Mercy Medical Center or UnityPoint Health.

What Compensation Can I Recover for a Brain Injury in Cedar Rapids?

Brain injury victims in Cedar Rapids can recover substantial compensation for both economic and non-economic damages resulting from their injury. Economic damages include all past and future medical expenses such as emergency care, hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, occupational therapy, speech therapy, cognitive therapy, medications, assistive devices, and long-term care needs. You can recover lost wages from time missed at work and loss of earning capacity if your brain injury prevents you from returning to your previous employment or limits your ability to work. Non-economic damages compensate for pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of quality of life, cognitive impairments, personality changes, and loss of consortium affecting your relationships with family members. Brain injuries often result in lifelong complications requiring ongoing medical treatment and support, and your compensation should account for these future needs through life care plans developed by medical experts.

How Long Does a Brain Injury Case Take to Resolve in Cedar Rapids?

Brain injury cases in Cedar Rapids typically take longer to resolve than other personal injury claims because of their complexity and the need to fully understand the extent of injuries and long-term prognosis. Most cases take anywhere from several months to two or more years to settle or go to trial, depending on factors like the severity of your injury, whether liability is disputed, the number of parties involved, and the insurance company’s willingness to negotiate fairly. It’s often necessary to wait until you reach maximum medical improvement—the point where your condition has stabilized, and doctors can accurately predict future medical needs and disabilities—before settling your case to ensure you receive adequate compensation. Rushing to settle before understanding the full impact of your brain injury could leave you unable to cover future medical expenses and lost income. Your attorney will need time to gather extensive medical records, consult with neurologists and other specialists, document your cognitive and physical limitations, calculate future damages, and build a compelling case.

The 5 Most Common Misconceptions about Brain Injuries

“I can’t have a brain injury – I didn’t hit my head.”

A simple jolt of the body is enough to cause a traumatic brain injury. Remember – your brain, and not your head, is the issue. The brain can bounce around inside your skull, leading the brain to hit the sides of your head. This can then cause bruising and other damage.

Even if you were wearing a helmet, this only prevents your skull from being damaged. It will not protect your brain from knocking into the skull. We still recommend that you wear a helmet if you ride a bike or motorcycle – but understand its limitations.

“I didn’t lose consciousness.”

Only 10% of people who suffer a TBI lose consciousness during the brain injury. You also may not know or remember if you passed out.

Losing consciousness is not a necessary requirement to be considered a TBI. If you feel as though your head connected with another object or your body was jolted enough to whip your head back and forth or side to side, you should assume you have a brain injury and consult a doctor right away.

“It’s only a concussion.”

Concussions are considered traumatic brain injuries and should be treated as such. Just because something is labeled as a “concussion” does not mean it isn’t a serious injury that needs medical treatment.

“I should be healed by now.”

Due to the trauma experienced and the area of the brain affected, everyone heals from a brain injury at a different pace. Don’t think just because you’ve waited the “average” amount of time to heal that you are better. Only a doctor can medically clear you to resume normal activities.

If you have a traumatic brain injury, there may be lasting effects or unexpected complications. This is known as “post-concussion syndrome.” 10-15% of people may suffer for years or even permanently from this syndrome. If you continue suffering from symptoms after what is considered an “average” amount of healing time, speak with your doctor.

“It wasn’t that serious – I don’t need a lawyer.”

As we’ve already mentioned, brain injuries are serious and need to be treated as such. Because of a TBI, you may experience pain and suffering and lost wages from time off work. You may also not be able to work at the same job you could before you were injured.All of this means you need an experienced Cedar Rapids brain injury lawyer to look at your case. RSH Legal brain injury attorneys can fight for fairness for you. To schedule a free, no-obligation case evaluation, call 1-800-433-0283 today.

Tim Semelroth

Board-Certified Trial Attorney

Pressley Henningsen

AV-Rated Trial Attorney