Undoubtedly, brain injuries are some of the most devastating. A brain injury can turn your life upside down physically, emotionally, and financially. When you pursue damages for the harm you suffered, you do not want to settle for less than what you deserve. Instead, you want to maximize your compensation. At Frederick Law Firm, we can help you do just that to ensure finances are one less thing you and your family have to worry about while navigating your new normal. Let our California brain injury lawyer assist you.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Most brain injuries caused by accident are traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that occur because an external force damages the brain.
TBIs can be non-penetrating or penetrating. Penetrating TBIs happen when an object pierces through the skull and into the brain. A non-penetrating TBI is caused by trauma such as a blow or jolt to the head, causing the brain to shake violently in the skull. Both are devastating, but non-penetrating TBIs can be particularly dangerous because they are invisible to the naked eye. It can make detecting, diagnosing, and treating the injury challenging. If you were involved in an accident and hit your head in any manner, you should seek immediate.
While TBIs tend to be more severe and debilitating, other non-traumatic brain injuries can also be serious and life-altering, including concussions, skull fractures, and hematomas. All brain injuries can result in permanent brain damage, physical and mental disabilities, and impairment causing:
- Learning disabilities,
- Memory loss,
- Loss of motor functions, and
- Inability to speak.
The negative impact can extend beyond the victims and leave a family in turmoil. It is crucial to consult a California brain injury lawyer to discuss your rights and legal options.
How Can an Attorney Help Maximize My Compensation?
Insurance companies and defendants want to pay as little as possible to accident victims. Because brain injuries have the potential for significant damage and lifelong consequences, a lot is on the line. A California brain injury attorney can help you gather evidence to build a strong case and negotiate on your behalf. This may be your only interaction with the judicial system, but we handle personal injury cases daily at Frederick Law. You should focus on rebuilding your life; let us investigate, negotiate, and litigate your case to help maximize your recovery. Importantly, you typically only have two years to initiate your claim, so you should contact a California brain injury attorney immediately.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries
Brain injuries can happen in catastrophic accidents or simple mishaps.
Examples of common causes of brain injuries include the following:
- Motor vehicle accidents,
- Sports injuries,
- Slip and falls,
- Bicycle accidents,
- Pedestrian versus car accidents,
- Construction site accidents, and
- Physical violence.
No matter the cause, our California brain injury lawyers can help you seek the justice and compensation you deserve.
Symptoms of Brain Injuries
Because brain injuries can manifest slowly and initially go undetected and undiagnosed, it is essential to spot the symptoms if you were recently in an accident. Further complicating matters, brain injury symptoms can look similar to an array of other conditions.
Common brain injury symptoms can include;
- Severe and persistent headaches,
- Vomiting and nausea,
- Confusion and brain fog,
- Memory loss,
- Slurred speech,
- Vision problems,
- Loss of consciousness,
- Abrupt changes to your eating and sleeping patterns,
- Personality change,
- Seizures, and
- Loss of coordination.
If you recently hit your head in an accident and start experiencing any of these symptoms or others that may be alarming, you should see a doctor immediately.
Types of Damages in a Brain Injury Case
Successful brain injury cases can result in significant compensation in the form of three types of damages: economic, noneconomic, and punitive.
Economic Damages
Economic damages compensate a brain injury victim for past and anticipated financial losses.
These include:
- Medical expenses,
- Home or vehicle modifications,
- Property damage; and
- Lost wages and future earning capacity.
Determining economic damages is relatively straightforward. You can add receipts, paystubs, bills, and estimates.
Noneconomic Damages
Noneconomic damages also compensate brain injury victims for their losses, but they pay for intangible damages instead of actual calculable costs.
Noneconomic damages include:
- Pain and suffering,
- Loss of enjoyment of life,
- Emotional distress,
- Loss of parental guidance,
- Loss of companionship,
- Mental anguish and
- Loss of consortium.
Noneconomic damages can be substantial and often more than economic damages. However, assigning a dollar value can be difficult because it is subjective to the individual. Your pain and suffering may be drastically different from someone else’s, even with similar injuries. Insurance companies and defendants will try to minimize your noneconomic losses, so it is imperative to have a sharp attorney advocating for you.
Punitive Damages
In cases of particularly atrocious conduct by the defendant, the court may award a plaintiff punitive damages. Unlike economic and noneconomic damages, which compensate a victim, punitive damages punish defendants for their grossly negligent behavior.
Brain Injury Attorneys, California
At Frederick Law Firm, we are a small team providing aggressive representation to our clients. Here, you are given personalized, individual attention to your case.
Contact us today to see how we can help you and your family maximize the compensation you deserve for the harm you endured.
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