Santa Ana Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

Santa Ana Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney

Brain injuries can have devastating consequences, leaving injury victims unable to regain the same level of cognition and functioning they had before their accidents. A skilled Santa Ana traumatic brain injury lawyer can take on these complex, often high-value, cases, providing you with the legal services and representation you need to hold the liable party accountable and get compensated for your losses.

You Can Trust Easton & Easton

Our family-owned firm and dedicated Santa Ana personal injury attorney team has been working with local professionals in the area to help them recover their lives and maintain their lifestyles after serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).

We have a proven process in place for handling negotiations, and it’s led to one out of every three of our settlements being for $100,000 or more. Whether we’re able to come to a strategic settlement or must litigate your case in court, we’re prepared to do what it takes to get you the compensation you deserve.

Reasons to Hire a Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

In 2023, there were 22,019 TBI-related emergency department visits, 24,021 hospitalizations, and 2,942 fatalities among Californians ages 55 and up. In total, there are around 350,000 TBI survivors in the Golden State. The cost to provide initial in-hospital care for a single TBI patient averages $57,366.05.

When you combine that with missed work, lost future earning potential, and the cost of updating your home and paying for ongoing care, it’s clear that TBI recovery can be very expensive. The good news is that you can hire a traumatic brain injury lawyer to help you recover these and other costs. Your lawyer can:

• Identify the liable party or parties.
• Collect evidence to support your claim.
• Help fill out the paperwork and file your initial claim.
• Review your medical records.
• Hire expert witnesses, if needed, to testify to the severity of your injuries.
• Negotiate a fair settlement with the liable party’s insurance company.
• Litigate your case in court, should it be necessary.

Hiring a Santa Ana traumatic brain injury attorney is a great way to take some of the stress off your plate during this difficult time while simultaneously improving your odds of receiving a fair settlement for your injuries that covers 100% of your damages.

What Is a TBI?

A TBI occurs when a victim’s head is suddenly hit, pierced, or moved by an external force. Some brain injuries are open, meaning they involve skull fractures, while others are closed. The primary types of TBIs include:

• Open-wound head injuries. These can involve puncture wounds or blunt-force bone fractures.
• Diffuse axonal injuries. These occur when the head is shaken or rotated rapidly.
• Concussions. These are relatively mild and typically resolve on their own with minimal medical intervention.
• Hematomas or hemorrhage. Bleeding in or around the brain can lead to further injury.
• Cerebral hypoxia or anoxia. When the brain is deprived of oxygen, it can cause cellular death.

All forms of TBIs can result in physical pain and enduring cognitive problems for the person who suffered the blow to the head.

Common Causes of TBIs

Some of the most common causes of TBIs include:

• Car, truck, motorcycle, and pedestrian accidents
• Slip-and-fall incidents
• Struck-by incidents at unsecured construction sites
• Assault and battery
• Medical malpractice
• Sports injuries

In many cases, another person’s negligence or intentional act contributes to the accident victim receiving a TBI. This would be the case if a negligent driver hit your car while you were on the road and you suffered a brain injury in the resulting crash, for example. In that case, the car’s driver may be liable for your damages. Our trusted Santa Ana car accident attorney team at Easton & Easton can help gather critical evidence to establish driver liability.

Symptoms and Effects of TBIs

Whether you acquired your brain injury during an accident on the I-5 or a fight in Downtown Santa Ana, you can expect some parts of your brain to experience altered functionality. The exact symptoms and effects you experience may depend on what part of your brain sustained injuries and how severe they were. Symptoms might include:

• Loss of consciousness. TBI victims can lose consciousness briefly or even go into a coma.
• Memory loss. It’s often hard for TBI victims to remember things, especially the time surrounding the event that caused their injury.
• Mood swings. People who have suffered TBIs can have significant mood swings, sometimes without any external cause.
• Depression or anxiety. It’s common for people to develop new mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, following a serious brain injury.
• Numbness. If the parts of the brain that process sensations sustain damage, you may experience numbness.
• Paralysis. Those who have suffered severe TBIs may become paralyzed.
• Impairment. Even if TBI victims do not become paralyzed, they may have a hard time speaking, thinking, and moving.
• Personality changes. If the part of the brain that controls your personality were damaged, you may experience changes in your general demeanor.

Keep a log of what you have experienced in the way of symptoms and how they have impacted your daily life. It could be helpful when it comes time to file your TBI claim.

The Importance of Following Medical Advice

TBI cases are always medical emergencies, so you should head to a local hospital right away. A doctor can perform scans and other tests to determine the extent of the damage and decide whether brain surgery is urgently needed. They can also explain options for further medical treatment, which can include cognitive testing, physical therapy, and counseling.

The expenses associated with seeking medical care for brain injuries can add up fast, but you shouldn’t skip any of the essential care that your doctors recommend. Follow their instructions as closely as possible. You may be able to seek compensation for any associated costs through a legal claim.

Legal Options for Seeking Compensation

When brain injuries occur as a result of other people’s negligence, TBI laws allow injury victims to seek compensation in negotiations with the liable party’s insurance company or in court. The type of claim you file may depend on how you acquired the brain injury. Car accident claims and premises liability cases are both relatively common in this field.

Compensation for TBI victims is often substantial because brain injuries can lead to lifelong disability and a need for ongoing medical care. You may be able to recover many different types of damages, including:

• Medical bills
• Future medical care
• Modifications to your home
• Lost wages
• Loss of future income
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of quality of life

Your TBI attorney can help you identify all of your damages so that you can get fully compensated for all of the harm you have suffered. In fatal cases, surviving family members can work with our reliable Santa Ana wrongful death lawyer team to pursue complete financial recovery. In some cases, courts also award punitive damages. Though punitive damages are designed to punish wrongdoers for malicious behavior or egregious negligence, not to compensate victims, they can still increase the value of your TBI claim substantially.

To find out what your claim may be worth, schedule a consultation with one of our dedicated TBI attorneys.

FAQs

Is There an Average Settlement for a Traumatic Brain Injury?

There is no such thing as an average settlement for a traumatic brain injury. Every case is different, and so is every settlement. Your final award amount could depend on factors such as the severity of your injuries, whether you are expected to experience lasting disability, whether you held any liability for the accident that caused your TBI, and how skilled your attorney is at negotiating with insurance companies.

What Should You Not Say to Someone With a Brain Injury?

Things you should not say to someone with a brain injury include remarks that minimize their symptoms, such as “you look fine” or “I forget things too.” Brain injuries are invisible disabilities, but they can dramatically alter the course of people’s lives. Instead, validate the person’s struggles and let them know that you plan to be there for them.

How Do You Test for TBI Years Later?

Your doctor can use various tests for TBI years later. Determining whether you’ve suffered a TBI requires a combination of neurological exams, neuropsychological testing, advanced imaging, and comprehensive medical histories. The doctor must also conduct a full interview to determine how the specific symptoms you are experiencing are impacting your daily life.

What’s the Priority When Treating a Head Injury?

The priority when treating a head injury is to stabilize life-saving functions by making sure the airway is clear, the patient is breathing adequately, and blood is circulating to the area. People providing emergency care should assume that there is a spinal injury present and keep the head, neck, and back as still and aligned as possible.

Your Santa Ana Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

If you’ve sustained an injury to your head due to another person’s negligence, a Santa Ana traumatic brain injury lawyer can help you recover compensation. At Easton & Easton, we know how seriously a TBI can impact your personal and professional life and are prepared to protect you and your family when this serious injury disrupts your career and financial stability.

We’ve recovered over $2 billion for our clients; however, past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits. We can help you, too. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.

Santa Ana, CA Traumatic Brain Injury Legal Resources

• Brain Injury Association of America – Resources & Support Services
• California Department of Motor Vehicles – Financial Responsibility & Accident Reporting (Form SR-1)
• California Civil Code – Personal Injury & Negligence Standards (Cal. Civ. Code § 1714)
• Santa Ana Police Department – Collision Reports & Traffic Division