Durham Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer: Fighting for Justice and Compensation for You

After an accident, the full extent of an injury is not always immediately clear, especially with a head injury. If you or a loved one has endured a traumatic brain injury (TBI) because of someone else’s negligence, you may be facing a challenging road ahead.

A Durham traumatic brain injury lawyer can help you understand your legal options and fight for the compensation you may deserve. These cases can be complicated, involving long-term medical needs and significant financial costs.

At the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, we understand the profound impact a TBI can have on your life and your family. We are dedicated to helping injured people seek justice – and compensation.

Why Choose the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin for Your Durham Traumatic Brain Injury Case?

When you are dealing with the effects of a serious head injury, choosing a law firm to represent you is a critical decision. At the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, we put our clients first, and our track record demonstrates our commitment. We have recovered over $2 billion total for over 78,000 clients since 1997. And counting.¹

Our approach is built on a foundation of experience, dedication, and extensive resources.

• A Formidable Team: We have a large team of attorneys, several of whom are North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialists in their fields. We also have former insurance industry professionals on our team, giving us insight into how the other side operates.
• A Client-First Philosophy: We listen to you, answer your questions, and keep you updated on the progress of your case. Your peace of mind is one of our top priorities.
• No Fee Unless We Win: We operate on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no fee unless we recover for you.² This reduces the financial risk for our clients.

We know how to build compelling cases and fight for our clients’ rights. And we will take your case only if we believe we can get you a better result than you would get on your own.

Understanding Traumatic Brain Injuries

A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, occurs when an external force injures the brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), TBIs are a major cause of death and disability in the United States. They can range from mild concussions, which may have temporary effects, to severe injuries that result in long-term complications or death.

The brain is a soft organ protected by the hard skull. When the head is hit with force, the brain can move violently, striking the inside of the skull. This can cause bruising, bleeding, and tearing of nerve fibers.

Common symptoms of a TBI can be physical, cognitive, or emotional.

• Physical Symptoms: Headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, sensitivity to light or sound, and problems with balance
• Cognitive Symptoms: Difficulty with memory or concentration, confusion, slowed thinking, and trouble speaking
• Emotional Symptoms: Irritability, mood swings, anxiety, and depression

These symptoms might not appear immediately after the incident. Sometimes, they develop over days or weeks, which is why seeking a medical evaluation is so important after any accident involving a blow to the head. A Durham TBI attorney can provide guidance to you on the critical steps to take after you have suffered a severe brain injury caused by another’s negligence.

Common Causes of TBIs in the Durham Area

Traumatic brain injuries can happen in many different types of accidents. In a bustling area like Durham, with major highways like I-85 and the Durham Freeway (NC-147) and busy local streets around Duke University and Research Triangle Park, serious accidents unfortunately occur.

A Durham traumatic brain injury lawyer regularly handles cases resulting from:

• Car Accidents: A sudden stop or collision can cause a person’s head to strike the steering wheel, dashboard, or window, leading to a TBI.
• Truck Accidents: The immense size and weight of commercial trucks mean that collisions often result in catastrophic injuries, including severe TBIs.
• Motorcycle Accidents: Even with a helmet, motorcyclists are highly vulnerable to head injuries in a crash.
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents: People on foot or on a bike have little protection and can easily sustain a TBI if struck by a vehicle.
• Falls: Slips, trips, and falls, whether on a construction site or in a poorly maintained store, are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries.

No matter the cause, if another party’s carelessness led to the injury, they may be held responsible for the consequences.

Why Establishing Fault Is Critical in a North Carolina TBI Case

North Carolina has very strict laws when it comes to proving fault in a personal injury case. Unlike many other states, if an injured person is found to be even slightly at fault for the accident that caused their injury, they may be barred from recovering any compensation at all. This legal doctrine is known as contributory negligence. Insurance companies know this and often try to use it to their advantage by trying to shift even a small amount of blame onto the injured party.

This is why having a skilled legal advocate is so important. An experienced traumatic brain injury lawyer can investigate the accident to seek evidence of the other party’s negligence. This involves establishing:

1. What happened and how the injury occurred
2. Who may be legally responsible for the incident
3. What harms and losses resulted from the injury

We fight to build a strong case that tries to clearly show the at-fault party’s responsibility and counters any attempts by the insurance company to unfairly assign blame to you. Let us evaluate the complex issues of fault for you.

How a Durham Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney Can Build Your Case

When you hire the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, we take on the burden of managing your case so you can focus on your health and recovery. Our goal is to fight for maximum compensation as quickly as possible. Here is how we can help:

• We Manage the Details: A TBI case involves complex paperwork, strict deadlines, and specific legal procedures. We handle these details to try to ensure everything is done correctly.
• We Build Your Case: Our team gathers and examines critical evidence. This can include police reports, medical records, and witness statements. If needed, we may work with investigators to reconstruct accident scenes or consult with medical experts to fully understand the long-term impact of your TBI.
• We Handle the Insurance Company: We take over communication with the insurance company about your injury claim. Their goal is often to pay out as little as possible. We counter any lowball tactics and negotiate on your behalf.
• We Fight for Maximum Compensation: We work to identify all possible sources of compensation and calculate the full potential value of your harms and losses.

Our team uses proprietary software and streamlined processes to keep cases moving forward, fighting back against insurance company delays.

Calculating the Full Value of a TBI Claim

A traumatic brain injury can lead to a lifetime of challenges and expenses. A mild concussion might resolve in weeks, but a moderate or severe TBI can require ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, and assistive devices. We try to prove the total impact of the injury, which can include:

• Current and future medical bills
• Physical, occupational, and speech therapy costs
• Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity
• Costs for in-home care or modifications to a home
• Pain and emotional distress

We consult with medical and financial experts when needed to help us project these future costs and build a case that reflects the true value of your claim.

Potential Compensation in a TBI Claim

Every TBI case is different, and the amount of potential compensation depends on many factors, including the severity of the injury and the clarity of fault. In a successful claim, an injured person might be able to recover compensation for a variety of damages.

These damages generally fall into two categories:

• Economic Damages: These are the measurable financial losses associated with the injury. They can include medical bills, lost income from being unable to work, and the cost of any necessary future care.
• Non-Economic Damages: These damages are for harms that do not have a specific price tag. They can include pain and emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and compensation for permanent disability or disfigurement.

An experienced attorney can help you try to identify all the ways the TBI has affected your life and fight for a result that addresses these harms and losses.