Award-Winning Chicago, IL Brain Injury Lawyers

Common Symptoms

• Headaches and pressure in the head
• Dizziness, balance problems, or nausea
• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Trouble concentrating or remembering
• Sleep disturbances and fatigue

Settlement Value Factors

• Duration of post-concussion symptoms
• Documented neuropsychological testing results
• Lost work days and reduced productivity
• Impact on school, parenting, or daily activities

Required Documentation

• ER records and any imaging
• Primary care and neurology follow-up notes
• Neuropsychological evaluation results
• Symptom journal kept over the recovery period

Claim Impact

Concussions often resolve in weeks but can produce post-concussion syndrome lasting months or longer, which significantly raises the value of the claim when properly documented.

Common Symptoms

• Loss of consciousness for minutes to hours
• Persistent confusion or disorientation
• Severe or worsening headache
• Repeated vomiting
• Seizures, slurred speech, or weakness on one side
• Personality and mood changes

Settlement Value Factors

• Glasgow Coma Scale score and length of impaired consciousness
• Imaging findings (contusions, hemorrhage, midline shift)
• Inpatient rehabilitation duration
• Long-term cognitive and vocational impact
• Need for attendant care and home modifications

Required Documentation

• Trauma center and ICU records
• CT, MRI, and follow-up imaging
• Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation notes
• Neuropsychological and vocational evaluations
• Life-care plan from a qualified planner

Claim Impact

Moderate to severe TBI cases routinely involve seven-figure exposure because of long-term care needs, lost earning capacity, and loss of normal life.

Common Symptoms

• Prolonged unconsciousness or coma
• Persistent vegetative or minimally conscious states
• Severe cognitive impairment
• Profound motor and sensory deficits

Settlement Value Factors

• Severity grade and depth of axonal damage
• Imaging evidence including DTI MRI
• Long-term care and supervision needs
• Family caregiver burden

Required Documentation

• Advanced MRI imaging and radiology reports
• Neurology and neuropsychology records
• Long-term care plans
• Treating physician declarations

Claim Impact

Diffuse axonal injury is among the most damaging TBI patterns and typically supports the highest-value brain injury claims.

Common Symptoms

• Worsening headache hours or days after impact
• Confusion, drowsiness, or loss of consciousness
• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
• Seizures
• Slurred speech

Settlement Value Factors

• Acute versus chronic presentation
• Need for craniotomy or burr hole evacuation
• Residual cognitive and motor deficits
• Medication and follow-up care needs

Required Documentation

• Trauma imaging (CT and MRI)
• Neurosurgical operative reports
• ICU and inpatient records
• Follow-up neurology and rehab notes

Claim Impact

Subdural hematomas often require neurosurgery and carry significant settlement value because of acute risk and long recovery.

Common Symptoms

• Brief loss of consciousness followed by a lucid interval
• Rapid neurological deterioration
• Severe headache
• Pupil changes on one side

Settlement Value Factors

• Time to diagnosis and surgical intervention
• Surgical complications and ICU stay
• Long-term cognitive deficits
• Vocational impact

Required Documentation

• Initial trauma imaging
• Neurosurgical operative reports
• Hospital and rehab records
• Treating physician opinions on prognosis

Claim Impact

Epidural bleeds are surgical emergencies and produce high-value claims when missed or delayed by initial providers.

Common Symptoms

• Localized headache and tenderness
• Focal neurological deficits
• Memory and concentration problems
• Mood changes

Settlement Value Factors

• Size and location of the contusion on imaging
• Presence of contrecoup injury
• Persistence of cognitive symptoms
• Treatment intensity and duration

Required Documentation

• CT and MRI imaging
• Neurology consult notes
• Neuropsychological testing
• Therapy and rehab records

Claim Impact

Contusions often produce measurable cognitive deficits that can support both economic and non-economic damages.

Common Symptoms

• Visible deformity or scalp laceration
• Bleeding from the nose or ears
• Bruising around the eyes or behind the ears
• Severe headache and neurological symptoms

Settlement Value Factors

• Type of fracture (linear, depressed, basilar)
• Associated brain injury
• Surgical intervention required
• Cosmetic and functional sequelae

Required Documentation

• CT imaging and radiology reports
• ER and trauma surgery records
• ENT or maxillofacial consults if relevant
• Photographs of injuries during recovery

Claim Impact

Skull fractures pair high evidentiary clarity with serious physical and cognitive consequences, supporting strong claim values.

Common Symptoms

• Persistent headaches lasting weeks or months
• Brain fog and concentration problems
• Sleep disruption
• Mood disturbance and irritability
• Light and noise sensitivity

Settlement Value Factors

• Duration of symptoms
• Impact on work, school, and family roles
• Response to treatment
• Documentation by neurology and neuropsychology

Required Documentation

• Treating provider notes over time
• Neuropsychological testing
• Symptom journal
• Employer documentation of work limitations

Claim Impact

Persistent post-concussion syndrome significantly increases claim value when documented through real-time records and qualified opinions.

Common Symptoms

• Persistent cognitive deficits
• Movement disorders
• Vision and hearing changes
• Mood and personality changes

Settlement Value Factors

• Duration of oxygen deprivation
• Imaging and EEG findings
• Long-term care needs
• Loss of independence

Required Documentation

• Hospital and ICU records
• Imaging and EEG reports
• Rehabilitation and neuropsych records
• Life-care plan

Claim Impact

Anoxic injuries frequently produce permanent disability and support high-value claims when liability is established.

Common Symptoms

• Sudden severe headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Loss of consciousness
• Weakness or paralysis
• Seizures

Settlement Value Factors

• Volume and location of bleed
• Surgical intervention required
• Residual neurological deficits
• Long-term medication needs

Required Documentation

• Trauma imaging
• Neurosurgical and neurology records
• Inpatient and outpatient rehab notes
• Medication records

Claim Impact

Hemorrhages usually require hospitalization and carry significant value because of acute risk and long recovery.

Common Symptoms

• Rapid neurological decline after a second head impact
• Loss of consciousness
• Severe brain swelling
• Catastrophic outcomes

Settlement Value Factors

• Documentation of the prior concussion
• Negligent return-to-play or return-to-activity decisions
• Severity of the second injury
• Long-term outcome

Required Documentation

• Records of the initial concussion
• Coaching and medical clearance records
• Return-to-play protocols followed (or not)
• Imaging of the second injury

Claim Impact

Second-impact syndrome is rare but devastating, and claims often involve multiple defendants including coaches, schools, or healthcare providers.

Common Symptoms

• Headache and confusion
• Memory and attention problems
• Coordination difficulties
• Vision changes

Settlement Value Factors

• Imaging evidence of injury at both impact sites
• Functional and cognitive deficits
• Treatment duration
• Vocational impact

Required Documentation

• CT and MRI imaging
• Neuropsychological testing
• Therapy records
• Symptom journal

Claim Impact

Coup-contrecoup injuries support strong claims when imaging confirms damage at both sites.

Common Symptoms

• Visible wound and skull penetration
• Severe neurological deficits
• Seizures
• Loss of consciousness

Settlement Value Factors

• Severity and depth of penetration
• Surgical intervention and complications
• Long-term deficits
• Cosmetic and functional outcomes

Required Documentation

• Trauma surgery records
• Imaging studies
• Long-term rehab and neurology records
• Photographs and operative reports

Claim Impact

These catastrophic injuries support some of the highest-value claims in personal injury law.

Common Symptoms

• Developmental regression
• Learning and behavioral changes
• Sleep and mood disruption
• Headaches and balance issues

Settlement Value Factors

• Age at injury and developmental stage
• Long-term educational impact
• Need for special education services
• Lifetime earning capacity projections

Required Documentation

• Pediatric neurology and neuropsychology records
• School and IEP records
• Therapy notes
• Parent journals tracking developmental milestones

Claim Impact

Pediatric TBIs often support high-value claims because of the lifetime horizon for treatment and lost earnings.