When working on a construction site, there are a number of risks that you face that could compromise your health and your ability to work. One of the most serious of these risks is an injury to your head or brain from falls or impact from other objects. Even with hard hats and other head protection, the possibility of serious injury is high if you’re hit your head. Although your brain is protected by the thick bone of your skull, this essential organ is still incredibly fragile. Serious head or brain injuries can prevent you from working for weeks or months while you recover, but in the worst cases, brain injuries can result in permanent disability or even death.
If you have experienced a serious head or brain injury, you are likely facing significant recovery time, medical bills, and other financial strain from the inability to work. You should not have to face these financial burdens on your own, especially when you were injured in the workplace. The Chicago head/brain injury attorneys at Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC are prepared to protect your rights and help you receive the compensation you need for your injuries.
Risks of Head / Brain Injuries
Head or brain injuries of any kind pose a significant risk to your overall health, as the brain controls the function of every part of your body. Although there are many different kinds of injuries to your head and brain, they fall into two distinct categories: closed or open. Closed head injuries do not break the skull but instead damage the surrounding tissue in some way. Open head injuries, on the other hand, break the bone of the skull and bone or another object penetrates the brain. Although the damage in an open head injury is often great, both open and closed head injuries can result in damage to the brain. The type of damage that may occur from a head injury varies widely but some of the most common include:
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): trauma that results from the brain hitting the walls of the skull and sustaining damage. May result in effects as minimal as concussion or as extensive as long-term brain damage
- Hematoma: a blood clot that forms in the brain, typically caused by blunt force trauma rather than brain penetration. The clot may result in increased pressure, which can cause loss of consciousness or stroke
- Hemorrhage: uncontrolled bleeding in the brain, either on the surface or deep within the brain. This may cause pressure within the brain or skull
- Edema: extensive swelling within the brain that compresses the brain within the skull. This may result in loss of blood supply which causes stroke
- Skull fracture: a break in the bone surrounding the brain. This is a severe head injury that can result in long-term damage.
- Bruising or lacerations: burst blood vessels and cuts on the head. Cuts and bruises can divert blood away from the brain and require immediate treatment.
The extent of the damage to the brain will vary depending on the severity of the injury and how long the injury goes untreated. Although recovery is typically possible from minor injuries, such as bruises, cuts, and concussions, there may be long term damages, such as impaired speech and motor skills, from more severe injuries.
Contact a Chicago Head / Brain Injury Attorney
When you are working on a job site, even if you protect yourself to the best of your ability, you may be at risk. You cannot always prevent dangerous situations and may still be injured on a construction site. Whether your head or brain injury resulted from an on-site accident or from the corporate negligence of the dangers, you are protected under workers compensation and have a right to receive benefits. A Chicago head/brain injury attorney at Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC are knowledgeable in personal injury law and can help you navigate this complex topic. To discuss the specifics of your case, contact us at 312-346-8620 today.