Northern California Brain Injury Lawyer

Know Your Legal Options After an Accident

At the Law Offices of Larry S. Buckley, we understand the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury, including the long-term extended care required by individuals who have suffered brain injury. This insight allows us to maximize recovery for victims and their families, and we routinely take traumatic brain injury cases that other Northern California brain injury attorneys will not.

The team at our firm - located in Chico, Roseville, Sacramento, and Redding - can help if you or a loved one has suffered a permanent injury as a result of another party's negligence. We handle cases in State and Federal Court, statewide, and work tirelessly on behalf of our clients. To arrange a free consultation with a brain injury attorney, please contact our law firm today.

What Are Some Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries?

A brain injury is often one of the most devastating injuries a person can suffer. When the brain is hurt, it can affect the individual's speech, motor functions, mobility, and other bodily functions. Depending on the brain injury, the damage may take intense therapy to heal or may not heal at all. This can irrevocably change a person's life, which is why brain injury lawyers are utilized to help victims recover compensation for those injuries. Here are a few of the common causes of brain injury our law firm has encountered:

• Falls
• Vehicle collisions
• violence
• Sports injuries
• Combat injuries

Who Is Eligible for a Traumatic Brain Injury Claim?

Damages and Eligibility

In nearly all cases, individuals who suffer traumatic brain injury become dependent on others for care or require extended medical care; in all cases, their lives become irrevocably changed. Because many traumatic brain injury victims are unable to file suit on their own, the family of the victim can usually file suit on his or her behalf for damages. If it can be shown that the victim suffered injury due to another party's negligence, as a result of medical malpractice, or due to a dangerous premises or product, we can assist the victim's family in filing a claim to recover damages.

Though each case is unique, the traumatic brain injury attorneys in Northern California working from our offices typically try to obtain compensation for medical bills, future long-term extended care expenses, loss of wages, loss of future long-term income, and pain and suffering, both on behalf of the victim and his or her family. At the Law Offices of Larry S. Buckley, we are dedicated to customer service, and will work vigorously on your behalf to help ensure we obtain the best possible recovery.

How Can a Brain Injury Law Firm Help Accident Victims?

After suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in an accident, victims and their families may feel overwhelmed by the physical, financial, and emotional toll of such an injury. Fortunately, there is help available from experienced California brain injury attorneys at law firms specializing in TBI cases. These attorneys can provide invaluable assistance to those affected by TBIs by helping them understand their legal rights and options for seeking compensation for damages due to another party's negligence or recklessness. With the support of a knowledgeable lawyer on your side, you can rest assured that your case will be handled with care as you pursue justice and seek maximum recovery for all losses associated with your traumatic brain injury.

A brain injury lawyer near you can help:

• Assess the strength of a case involving traumatic brain injury due to another party's negligence
• Identify legally responsible parties and possible sources of compensation
• Advise clients on their legal rights and options for seeking compensation
• Collect evidence such as medical records, accident reports, witness statements, etc., to support the client’s claim
• Calculate potential damages owed by all liable parties
• Work with experts such as doctors and economists to evaluate more complex claims
• Negotiate settlements directly with insurance companies or take a case to court if needed
• Represent clients in mediations, arbitrations, trials or other proceedings related to traumatic brain injuries caused by someone else’s negligence
• Assist families in navigating through life after a TBI diagnosis and provide emotional support during this difficult time
• Provide guidance throughout each step of the legal process

Establishing Liability for a Traumatic Brain Injury Lawsuit

To successfully recover damages, there must first be an establishment of fault. At our law firm, we work with experts in the field of medicine, engineering, and forensics to approach fault from an analytic and scientific perspective. This allows us to determine fault beyond doubt and establish the liable party or parties.

Our experience with brain injury cases makes our firm uniquely capable of taking on such claims. There are many different causes of traumatic brain injury and defendants in cases involving brain injury can vary widely, from individuals to corporations.

Establishing liability is the first step in preparing a personal injury claim, and we will call upon all of our resources and experience to ensure this step is completed.

Traumatic Brain Injury Victims' Rights

If an individual can be held accountable for your injury or that of a loved one, insurance coverage typically represents the avenue of recovery. If there are any third party defendants that can be held accountable for injuries, we will also pursue those options to help ensure that you are justly and fairly compensated for your suffering. In the event a large corporation is liable, you can rest assured that we have the resources, tools, and experience necessary to bring your claim to court and protect your rights - the right to financial compensation for qualitative and quantitative damages.

Defendant's Duty

Though the type of defendant can vary greatly in a brain injury case, in almost all cases there is some duty owed. In the case of a defective product or dangerous premises, there exists a duty on the part of the defendant to the customer or invitee to provide a safe product or premises; in medical malpractice cases, the defendant is typically a doctor or other healthcare professional who has a duty to abide by the accepted standard of care; and defendants in motor vehicle accidents have a duty to follow traffic laws and drive in a reasonable manner. Quite simply, if there is a duty owed and the defendant fails to abide by it, then the potential for legal accountability exists.

Contact Our Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys at (530) 413-0245

Our philosophy is focused on helping our clients in any way possible. Many of our clients are unable to afford their medical expenses following their injuries, so we work with a network of area doctors and medical professionals to ensure that they receive the treatment they need while deferring their payments until after a settlement or verdict has been reached. We do this because we truly, genuinely want to help. You are not a case to us, you are a person, and we empathize with your suffering.

Brain Injury FAQ

• What are the four types of brain injuries? 
  Severe brain injuries can be categorized in one of four ways:
  • Closed: Usually caused by blunt force or a concussive blast, a closed brain injury harms the brain without necessarily damaging the skull.
  • Penetrating: When the skull is damaged and the brain is exposed or wounded, it is a penetrating brain injury.
  • Anoxic: A lack of oxygen that kills or damages brain cells caused an anoxic brain injury.
  • Toxic: An unsafe level of blood toxicity can cause a toxic brain injury, which harms or kills brain cells as blood passes through the area.
• Is there such a thing as a “mild” brain injury? 
  Some brain injuries are called “mild” in medical contexts, but this is only in comparison to other brain injuries. Medical providers consider all brain injuries as serious, so the term mild is a bit misleading. For example, a concussion can be called a mild traumatic brain injury or mTBI, but it still needs ample treatment and can be life-changing.
• What are the common symptoms of brain injuries? 
  A brain injury can cause all sorts of symptoms, which will vary from case to case. The causes of the variance are that different lobes of the brain primarily manage different functions and that everyone’s neurons are “wired” uniquely to them.

However, some common brain injury symptoms among all TBI patients include:

• Memory issues
• Chronic pain
• Insomnia
• Mood swings
• Motor control loss
• Speech impediments
• What are cognitive problems after a brain injury? 
  A cognitive problem caused by a brain injury is an issue that specifically affects the way they think and behave without any outward symptoms. Depression, anxiety, overstimulation, and learning difficulties are all cognitive problems that can be the end result of a brain injury.
• Should you see a doctor whenever you hit your head? 
  Not all head injuries will manifest symptoms immediately or even near-immediately. You might get into an accident and feel “fine,” but not realize you have a serious underlying brain injury. After an accident that might have hurt your head, you should see a doctor no matter what. They can do a preliminary checkup to look for signs of trouble, like checking your eyes for dilation.
• Are all brain injury claims valuable? 
  The value or worth of a brain injury claim changes from case to case. It is the end result of totaling all experienced damages, which can be economic (medical bills, lost wages, etc.) and non-economic (pain, suffering, disability, etc.). Because brain injuries are prone to causing life-changing and catastrophic consequences, the related damages are often significant, like a lifetime of rehabilitative care. With this said, your brain injury claim could be quite valuable, but you need to know how to fight for every penny. Hiring a brain injury attorney is highly recommended.
• Will a person with a brain injury ever recover? 
  Brain injuries are harrowing because they are so difficult to treat and rarely heal fully. The brain is made of cells and tissues that regenerate incredibly slowly. As such, many brain injuries are “progressive” because they will worsen with time. The brain heals at one rate, and the injury worsens at the same rate or one that is faster, making it so many brain injury patients will not recover or return to how they were pre-injury. The permanence of a brain injury should be reflected in the value of the patient’s injury claim against the liable party.
• What is the typical process of brain injury recovery? 
  The first step of brain injury recovery is the emergency care needed immediately after an accident, which could include neurosurgery. Afterward, the patient will need extended hospitalization and monitoring. When they are stabilized and no longer at risk of worsening their brain injury, rehabilitative treatments can begin, like physical therapy and speech therapy. Aftercare upon release from the hospital will usually include continued therapies and prescription medicines.

Related Articles:

• The Causes of Severe Brain Injuries
• Types of Brain Injury
• Common Causes of Head and Brain Injuries
• Different Potential Causes of Head Injuries
• How PTSD is Caused by TBI