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Utica Brain Injury Lawyer

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Utica Brain Injury Lawyer

Did you or a family member sustain a brain injury in Utica, New York? Serious brain injuries can impact your life in dramatic and unexpected ways. Recovering compensation from the at-fault party can be critical to your future. An experienced Utica brain injury lawyer at Passalacqua & Associates, LLC can help you fight for compensation to cover medical costs, loss of earnings, pain, trauma, and more.

With over 50 years of combined experience, you can count on our team to fight for every dollar you deserve. Our track record of success includes millions of dollars recovered on behalf of injury victims and their families.

If someone else caused your injuries, you deserve compensation to help you move on with your life. To learn more about how our lawyers can help, contact us at (315) 500-6425 to schedule a free consultation with Passalacqua & Associates, LLC.

How Passalacqua & Associates, LLC Can Help With a Brain Injury Claim in Utica, NY

How Passalacqua & Associates, LLC Can Help With a Brain Injury Claim in Utica, NY

Brain injuries can impact a victim’s life in the most dramatic ways imaginable. Even if you’re expected to make a full recovery, you could be left struggling with unmanageable expenses and loss of income. 

Our Utica personal injury attorneys at Passalacqua & Associates, LLC are prepared to help you take on the insurance companies and their defense teams. 

We have decades of experience advocating for clients like you by:

  • Launching our own investigation into the circumstances
  • Digging deep to locate evidence to establish liability and causation
  • Working with leading experts as needed to prove your case
  • Determining how much the insurance company really owes you
  • Defending against allegations that you share fault
  • Handling all paperwork and legal filings so you don’t leave money on the table
  • Negotiating for a full and fair settlement

Our Utica personal injury lawyers are passionate about helping clients like you get justice. We won’t give up until we obtain the money you need. Contact us today to start building your case.

Overview of Traumatic Brain Injuries

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury that impacts how the brain functions.

Traumatic brain injuries are classified into two key categories: open-head injuries and closed-head injuries. Either type of injury can cause significant brain damage.

Open-head injuries occur when an object penetrates the skull and harms the brain tissue beneath. Closed-head brain injuries don’t involve skull penetration. Instead, they happen when some trauma or blow to the head causes the brain to move violently within the skull.

Our Attorneys in Utica Handle All Types of Brain Injury Claims

At Passalacqua & Associates, LLC, we’re prepared to handle any type of brain injury case, including cases where the victim has suffered:

  • Concussions
  • Contusions, which result in bruising of the brain tissue
  • Focal injuries, which are localized injuries to one part of the brain
  • Diffuse axonal injuries (DAI), which can be incredibly dangerous and happen when the brain is twisted or rotated, resulting in damage to two sides of the brain
  • Birth injuries
  • Hemorrhaging, which is severe bleeding in the brain
  • Intracranial hematomas, where blood clots form in the brain
  • Edema, or a swelling within the brain
  • Hypoxia, which is caused by oxygen deprivation
  • Coup-contrecoup brain injuries, where injury occurs both at the site of an impact and on the other side of the brain, typically where the brain tissue is jolted against the skull
  • Skull fractures

No two brain injury cases are exactly the same. Even when you’ve suffered injuries that are similar to someone else’s, your recovery could be much different. That’s one reason why it’s important to hire an attorney with experience handling a range of brain injury cases.

How Common Are Brain Injuries?

Brain injuries are a major cause of disability in the U.S. According to the CDC, 214,110 people were hospitalized with TBI-related injuries in a recent year. In another one-year period, 69,473 TBI-related deaths were reported.

The highest numbers and rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths were found in people aged 75 years and older. This age group accounted for approximately 32% of hospitalizations and 28% of deaths related to TBIs.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Brain Injuries?

While it’s always important to pay attention to the symptoms of an injury, that’s especially true in brain injury cases. Head trauma can result in an injury that isn’t immediately obvious. Recognizing the symptoms can be key to getting the treatment you need.

Some examples of brain injury symptoms include:

  • Loss of consciousness, even if only for a moment
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea 
  • Vomiting
  • Blurred vision
  • Sensitivity to light or sound
  • Confusion 
  • Memory loss
  • Difficulty focusing
  • Ringing in the ears
  • A persistent headache
  • Changes in behavior or personality
  • Feeling unusual, unexplained fatigue 
  • Having difficulty sleeping
  • Problems with balance or walking
  • Weakness or numbness in the fingers and toes
  • Dilated pupils
  • Slurred speech
  • Seizures

These symptoms can occur in the hours or even days after a traumatic event. The sooner you seek medical care, the better. If you were involved in an accident, it’s always a good idea to get checked out even if you don’t think you’ve been severely injured.

What are Some of the Possible Long-Term Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injuries?

Victims of brain injuries can suffer a wide range of long-term impacts, including:

  • Memory loss
  • Cognitive disabilities
  • Loss of mobility
  • Vision loss
  • Loss of the ability to speak or understand speech
  • Paralysis 
  • Blood clots
  • Stroke 
  • Wrongful death

After all, the brain is a complicated organ. It controls the rest of the body’s functions. Often, the damage manifests in a different part of the body.

What Are the Leading Causes of Brain Injuries?

Our attorneys in Utica know that brain injuries can happen in many different scenarios.

Some of the most common causes of brain injuries include:

  • Slip and fall accidents, which cause nearly half of all TBI-related hospitalizations
  • Dangerous property conditions, based on premises liability
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Car accidents
  • Gun violence and other types of assault
  • Pedestrian accidents
  • Bicycle accidents
  • Truck accidents
  • Bus accidents
  • Uber or Lyft accidents
  • Exposure to toxic substances
  • Boating accidents
  • Construction accidents, including scaffolding, roof, and ladder falls 
  • Workplace accidents
  • Defective products
  • Medical malpractice
  • Nursing home abuse

Our lawyers have experience handling all different types of personal injury cases in Utica. If you were injured due to someone else’s acts, we know how to help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

What is My Utica Brain Injury Case Worth?

Brain injuries can be shockingly expensive to treat. Your case value will ultimately depend on the losses you’ve suffered and how the injury impacts your life.

Key factors to consider include:

  • How severe was the damage?
  • Will you suffer a long-term or permanent disability?
  • What are your medical treatment costs?
  • How much will any ongoing medical care or rehabilitation cost?
  • How have your earnings been impacted?
  • How long will it take to reach maximum medical improvement (MMI)?
  • Will your earnings remain impaired after reaching MMI?
  • How has your quality of life changed?

To get a fair compensation award, it’s critical to understand how much you deserve. 

How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in New York State?

Like most personal injury law firms in New York, our team at Passalacqua & Associates, LLC works on a contingency fee basis. We don’t charge an upfront fee to hire us. You’ll instead agree to pay us a percentage of the compensation we recover in your case.

What Types of Compensation Can I Recover for My Brain Injuries in Utica, New York?

New York personal injury laws give victims the right to demand compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages.

Common examples include:

  • Medical bills
  • Rehabilitation and therapy
  • Lost wages
  • Future medical expenses
  • Lost future earning capacity
  • In-home assistance
  • Nursing care
  • Long-term care
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental trauma
  • Depression 
  • Reduced quality of life
  • Loss of independence
  • Loss of consortium and other damages for wrongful death

You deserve to have a lawyer in your corner who will fight for every dollar you deserve. We know how to help, so call our Utica brain injury attorneys for a free case evaluation today.

What Happens to My Right to Recover Damages if I’m Blamed for Causing My Own Brain Injury in New York?

Your damages will be reduced if you share any blame for your own injuries. New York follows a pure contributory negligence law. Victims don’t lose their right to compensation if they share some blame. Instead, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. 

For example, if you are 20% responsible for your injuries, and your damages are $100,000, then you will be able to recover $80,000.

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Brain Injury in New York?

The statute of limitations is a deadline for taking legal action after an injury. Most personal injury cases in New York have a three-year deadline. If you don’t file your lawsuit before the three-year period expires, you lose your right to damages.

The deadline in your case will ultimately depend on how your injuries occurred. You may have more–or even less–time to file a lawsuit. 

Contact a Leading Utica Brain Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation Today

Don’t wait to seek legal help if you or a loved one suffered a brain injury in Utica. Call an experienced Utica brain injury attorney at Passalacqua & Associates, LLC today. We’ll listen to your story, explain your rights, and help you fight for every dollar you deserve.

About Us

Passalacqua & Associates, LLC provides legal representation for individuals facing personal injuries and criminal charges. Our attorneys offer compassionate guidance and aggressive strategies, and we’re committed to achieving the best possible outcomes. We’ll protect your rights and navigate legal complexities on your behalf.

Areas We Serve

Passalacqua & Associates, LLC proudly serves clients in Utica, Syracuse, and the surrounding upstate New York communities. We are dedicated to providing accessible and effective legal services to those in need of experienced personal injury and criminal defense representation within these regions.

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