Why I am So Passionate about Helping People with Brain Injuries

Posted By: Tony Baratta | July 13th, 2020

I’m Tony Baratta. Today, I wanted to explain why I am so passionate about helping people with brain injuries.

 

A client story

About twelve years ago, I got a call from a family. Their mother had been on their way to her job as a housekeeper. She was walking across the street, and she was hit by a bus that was turning left and had not seen her.

She was unconscious. She was rushed to the hospital. Her C.T. scan revealed that her brain was swelling dangerously and a portion of her skull had to be removed, called a craniectomy, to allow for the brain to swell and continue to swell without killing her. And the family called me for help.

 

A lot of things had to be done

There were a lot of things that had to be done initially. I had to set up a guardianship for her and her children. She hadn’t established a power of attorney. So we had to ask the courts to enter a guardianship for her to help her.

That allowed her family to be able to make medical decisions, to pay her bills and to engage legal counsel to do an investigation and pursue a legal claim.

 

I got to see the progress she made

Over the years of my representation, I became very close to her and her family. I got to see the progress she made from this completely unconscious person with half of her skull removed to allow for her brain to swell. And I saw her return to the beautiful, caring, loving mother that the family had lost for a long period of time.

Great medical care and rehabilitation

It was a result of great medical care that she first received at Jefferson University Hospital and then at Magee Rehabilitation, where she was in inpatient rehab for about six weeks. And then, when she was discharged to go home, she had intensive outpatient rehabilitation through Magee Rehabilitation for another six months.

 

A yearly celebration

And that really changed the trajectory of her recovery, so much so that I continued to remain close with this family. And once every year, we get together to celebrate this great success that this brain injured survivor and her family have achieved.

And through that experience, I became passionate about trying to help other people who have suffered a brain injury.

My name is Tony Baratta and I hope this has been helpful.

 

About the Author

Anthony J. Baratta (Tony) is a trial attorney. He has tried more than 50 cases to Juries in State and Federal Courts and has litigated thousands of personal injury and medical malpractice cases in his 30-year career. Tony is the founding partner of Baratta, Russell, & Baratta and an active board member of the Pennsylvania Brain Injury Association (BPIA). Tony is also on the board for the Philadelphia VIP and performs pro bono work for the Laurel House, a non-profit for victims of domestic abuse. In addition, Tony is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum for trial attorneys, voted one of Philadelphia’s Super Lawyers for the past 14 years, and a 2018 recipient of the First Judicial District Pro Bono Award for the Civil Trial Division.

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