Long Beach Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney

The brain is arguably one of the most important organs in the body. Any brain injury can dramatically alter a person’s personality, mood, and physical abilities while taking months and even years to heal. Injured victims often struggle to leave the house or take care of themselves without assistance. If you or a loved one were hurt in an accident and suffered a TBI, contact the Long Beach brain injury lawyers at El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers. Our legal team can review evidence to determine the full scope of your legal rights and help you properly file your injury claim.

Most Common Brain Injuries

The skull provides excellent protection for the brain, but millions of people nonetheless suffer serious injuries. Our clients often struggle with the following:

• Open brain injuries. Something penetrates the skull and usually damages brain tissue directly. Think of someone shot in the head with a bullet. There is a high risk of infection and permanent impairment.
• Closed brain injuries. With a closed injury, the skull remains in one piece. Nonetheless, violent shaking can tear axons and damage brain matter. The neural signals are disrupted in the brain. Other closed injuries stem from the brain rubbing against the inside of the skull.
• Traumatic brain injuries. TBIs are caused by an external force on the body. This force cracks the skull or forces the brain to slide around or jiggle. Car accidents cause many TBIs.
• Anoxic-hypoxic brain injuries. The brain needs oxygen, delivered by blood, to function properly. When oxygen or blood is disrupted, brain cells will die. Brain injuries of this type are usually permanent.
• Intracranial hemorrhage. Any bleeding in the brain can be fatal. As blood pools up, it has nowhere to go, and it puts pressure on the brain. Ultimately, the blood can cut off circulation to the brain.

Some brain injuries require an immediate medical response. Any bleeding can be fatal if not corrected promptly. A TBI, however, usually requires prolonged rest for the brain to slowly heal.

Brain Injury Symptoms

You might not immediately know if you were injured, especially if your skull isn’t cracked. Pay attention to the following symptoms after any type of accident or blow to the head:

• Dizziness
• Loss of balance
• Muscle weakness
• Coordination problems
• Disrupted sleep schedules (too much or too little sleep)
• Intense headaches
• Memory loss
• Convulsions

Some people do not experience any symptoms for days while bleeding in the brain can lead to a “thunderclap” headache. Treat all symptoms seriously and call emergency services, if necessary.

What Causes Brain Injuries?

Brain injuries often are the result of:

• Car accidents. TBIs and other brain injuries are common with rear-end collisions, but any collision could lead to a head injury.
• Truck accidents. Lighter vehicles are useless to protect occupants from heavy commercial trucks. Many motorists suffer serious brain injuries in a collision.
• Motorcycle accidents. Motorcyclists are vulnerable in a collision, often being thrown from their bike. A helmet can reduce the odds of a serious brain injury but not completely eliminate the risk.
• Pedestrian crashes. Pedestrians are totally helpless in any type of collision with a motor vehicle. Pedestrians might strike their head on the ground or suffer whiplash when impacted by a speeding car.
• Slip and falls. Property defects cause many visitors to take a tumble. A person can slip on trash, ice, spilled water, slippery carpets, or other hazards that are created by the owner, or which the owner failed to fix. Call our firm to see if you can bring a claim against the property owner.
• Swimming pool or near-drowning accidents. A person who almost drowns can suffer an anoxic brain injury due to oxygen loss.

How Brain Injuries Disrupt Your Life

The brain is critically involved in all daily activities. When the brain is injured, a person can struggle with:

• Daily activities and self-care. A brain injury victim might be unable to bathe, get dressed, cook, or clean. They need at-home assistance for all daily tasks because the injury impairs their movement and balance.
• Personality changes. A brain injury can make a mild-mannered person aggressive, or lead to depression or anxiety. The risk of schizophrenia and other mental illnesses increases following a serious brain injury.
• Impaired concentration. Problems focusing on tasks is a hallmark of a brain injury. Consequently, some victims cannot work for months or years because they can’t read or focus on problem solving. Others cannot drive, so they are housebound.
• Financial stress. Being unable to work can distress anyone’s finances. Other expenses include medical care and at-home help. At least 50% of those with a moderate TBI cannot work after 5 years.

Who You Can Hold Liable for a Brain Injury

Because of the expense, any brain injury victims should consider possible compensation. At our firm, we analyze all the facts to identify who you can sue. Typically, the defendant will depend on the accident which injured you:

• Negligent motorists who were driving while fatigued, distracted, or intoxicated
• Reckless drivers who speed, make illegal turns or run a red light
• Truck drivers who make some mistake behind the wheel and get into an accident
• Property owners who fail to fix a defect or warn a visitor of it

Call El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers. Our firm can sift through the evidence to identify fault. Under California law, your own negligence could possibly reduce the compensation you receive. For example, a pedestrian who jumped into traffic is partly to blame for a crash, as is a swimmer who ignores signs around a swimming pool. We can identify what happened and pull together evidence to use when negotiating a settlement.

Speak with a Long Beach Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney Free of Charge!

Were you injured in a serious accident? Obtaining compensation in a settlement is much harder than people realize. Defendants usually fight vigorously to reduce the amount they must pay, and some of them employ large law firms to fight off legal liability. You need an experienced and aggressive lawyer to represent you. Call our firm at (213) 985-1120 to schedule an initial consultation with a member of our legal team.