Brain Injury Attorneys Serving Santa Barbara
Traumatic brain injuries affect as many as 2.5 million people every year, resulting in 50,000 deaths and over 80,000 people with permanent disabilities. Most of us may think of a brain injury as severe. However, even mild brain trauma can completely derail your life.
If your traumatic brain injury was due to another person’s negligence, it’s important to remember that you have rights. Read on to learn more about traumatic brain injuries and how a Santa Barbara brain injury attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve from the liable party, and don’t hesitate to contact Frederick Law Firm today.
What Is a Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when there is damage to the brain or any alteration of brain function due to some external factor. Examples of external factors include blunt force, car accidents, or a slip-and-fall incident, to name a few. A TBI may result from a simple blow to the head or a more catastrophic event. More severe brain injuries may result in extensive medical interventions and rehabilitation, for which you deserve to recover compensation. The following list represents the most common types of brain injuries.
Concussion
A concussion occurs when the brain collides with the skull’s interior after a sudden change in momentum. Concussions are the most common type of brain injury. Despite their frequency, one should never take the seriousness of a concussion lightly. Even mild concussions require some form of recovery and may often create long-term symptoms that take months or even years to heal.
Hematoma
A hematoma occurs when blood vessels rupture inside the brain, causing blood to accumulate in brain tissue and empty spaces within the brain. Hematomas are usually caused by a blood clot somewhere in the brain.
Edema
Brain swelling, or edema, puts pressure on brain tissues as they expand and press against the skull. Untreated pressure leads to brain tissue damage and other serious consequences.
Skull Fracture
A skull fracture is a blow to the head, resulting in a piece of bone penetrating the brain and damaging different tissues. Skull fractures can be severe if the fracture occurs at the brain’s base resulting in cerebral spinal fluid leaking from the brain.
Penetration Injuries
In some catastrophic cases, an external object may break through the skull and get lodged in the brain. In some car accidents, pieces of metal or other debris may cause this devastating injury.
Coup-Contrecoup Injuries
Coup-contrecoup injuries describe a brain injury occurring when the brain slams from side to side inside the skull in a sudden impact causing severe damage to brain tissue and blood vessels. A coup-contrecoup injury may occur more commonly in car accidents when someone is hit when they don’t expect it, like a sideswipe accident or a rear-end collision.
Shear Injuries
Shear injuries occur when the brain is shaken or goes through a short rotation resulting in the tearing of the brain’s long connecting nerve fibers. These accidents also commonly occur in car accidents when the impact of a collision causes the head to twist suddenly.
Despite how serious or minor an injury seems, it’s impossible to diagnose a TBI based on symptoms, or a lack thereof, alone. You must seek prompt medical assistance, even if you don’t suspect you suffered an injury.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries
Many TBIs may be preventable, but the following list of common causes of brain injuries often supports legal action by the injured party.
Vehicle Accidents
Whether it be a car collision, motorcycle accident, truck accident, or pedestrian accident, motor vehicle collisions are responsible for many traumatic brain injuries every year. Personal injury cases like this are particularly complex and usually require an expert to substantiate the extent of your damage. Contact a Santa Barbara catastrophic brain injury lawyer to discuss your options if you suffered a TBI in a motor vehicle accident.
Premises Liability
Young children and the elderly are at higher risk for a TBI from a slip and fall injury. California law requires property owners and operators to maintain a safe environment for patrons and visitors to their property. Understanding the laws surrounding premises liability requires the legal representation of a brain injury attorney in Santa Barbara.
Medical Malpractice
A TBI from medical malpractice may occur when a doctor or healthcare professional negligently provides healthcare and makes a mistake. Medical malpractice may happen when the body is deprived of oxygen, from an error in administering anesthesia, or after a mistake in prescribing medication that results in a dangerous drug interaction.
What Can I Recover?
When someone else causes your TBI, whether due to negligence or an intentional act, you have a right to recover compensation from the liable party. California divides compensatory damages into economic and non-economic damages. Compensatory damages seek to make an injured victim “whole” again after their traumatic event. While your attorney understands that no amount of money could ever change your experience, it may help you and your family move forward in a positive direction.
Economic Damages
Economic damages include financial losses directly related to your injury and represent the following:
- Medical expenses,
- Lost wages,
- Future loss of earnings,
- Property damage.
Receipts, pay stubs, invoices, and other documentation support your demand for economic damages.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are much harder to quantify based on their subjective nature and include the following:
- Pain and suffering,
- Emotional distress,
- Loss of enjoyment of life,
- Loss of consortium,
- Permanent disability or disfigurement.
It may seem impossible to put a value on the negative, and sometimes permanent, effect your TBI has had on your life. However, your attorney understands how to calculate a value for these psychological and emotional losses.
Contact Us
The Frederick Law Firm is the solution you need when seeking a dedicated Santa Barbara brain injury lawyer to assist you in your case. With decades of litigation experience throughout California, our skilled attorneys ensure you are not taken advantage of by insurance companies or adversarial interests in your case. Our offices bring you the quality representation you would expect from a large firm but with the personal care and attention that only a smaller firm can provide. Contact us today for a free initial consultation. Our attorneys are available to meet you any time of the week.