Sacramento Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers

Traumatic brain injuries, which often occur in car crashes, slip and -falls and other serious accidents, require extensive medical care. Victims who sustain these injuries often experience lasting complications, sometimes to the point that it completely alters their lives. The amount of medical care often creates a significant financial burden, not just for the victims, but also their families.

At Arnold Law Firm, we are dedicated to holding at-fault parties accountable for the damages they cause. Our attorneys have been helping injured victims for over 40 years, with remarkable results. We have recovered more than $250,000,000 in compensation for our clients. Our success stories include a $2.6 million jury-awarded verdict for a brain injury victim.

Do you have legal questions or are you unsure if you have a case? Most injured individuals who call our law offices have questions. We provide answers in a free legal consultation and there are no upfront costs. Find out if you have legal options by calling our firm today. We are here to help you.

FREE initial case review. Call: (916) 777-7777

What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a very common injury that could occur in a collision or in other serious accidents, such as a slip and fall. Whether the individual struck his or her head on something hard, like a vehicle’s dashboard, or got hit by a blunt object during a car crash, it can result in serious long-term damage.

TBIs range from minor to severe, depending on the location and extent of the injury. In the worst cases, there could be permanent brain damage. Victims who recover may have lifelong complications and may never fully return to how they were before the injury occurred.

Who May Have a Valid Brain Injury Lawsuit?

Brain injuries are complex and challenging cases for many reasons. Initially, TBIs may not be apparent. Sometimes the symptoms do not present for days or weeks after the accident occurred. Even if you get examined in a nearby emergency room right away, which you definitely should do, it is hard to diagnose.

That said, seeking immediate medical care is still vital for two reasons. For one, it protects your health and that should be your priority. Diagnostic testing can show whether you sustained potentially life-threatening damage, such as a brain bleed, in your accident. Waiting to get examined gives any injuries time to worsen, and with a brain injury, time is often critical.

The second reason to get examined right away is that it creates documentation in your medical records, and these details can be vital evidence if you file a claim.

To determine whether you may have a valid brain injury lawsuit, we will need to establish negligence, which means proving the following:

• The party who caused the accident owes you a duty of care – such as a driver who has a duty to follow traffic laws and avoid reckless behavior.
• The legal duty was violated in some way – such as a driver who deliberately ran a red light.
• The breached duty of care resulted in the accident that injured you – but for the other party’s negligence, the accident would not have occurred and you would not have been injured.
• Real damages resulted from the accident, such as medical costs, lost wages, property damage and other losses.

If there is no negligence, then there is no case. However, if another party’s careless or reckless actions resulted in the accident that injured you, then you may have a case. In this situation, you should consider speaking with an experienced attorney as soon as your injuries have been stabilized.

How Much Could I Get For My Traumatic Brain Injury Lawsuit?

It is not possible to determine an accurate dollar amount for any case without knowing all the details. Each case is unique and comes with various contributing factors.

Our knowledgeable traumatic brain injury lawyers carefully review and consider many factors that could determine the value of your case.

In general, the types of compensation you might qualify for include:

• Emergency medical care right after the crash: ER care may include diagnostic testing, surgery or overnight hospital stays that you may require.
• Medical bills – Any reasonable and necessary medical costs related to the accident and your injury, including the costs of your follow-up treatment and doctor’s appointments.
• Mobility assistive devices: If needed, these covered devices could include things like wheelchairs or prosthetics.
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation therapy: If related to your accident, these costs may also be provided to aid your recovery.
• Lost wages and future earnings: If you are unable to work while recovering from your injuries or your TBI makes you unable to return to work.
• Lifelong care that may be needed: This level of care may be necessary for victims who sustained a severe TBI. This compensation may help with things like household tasks or personal hygiene.
• Pain and suffering: These are subjective losses you may be able to recover, such as for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and the real pain and suffering you experienced.

At Arnold Law Firm, we fight for maximum compensation. Call our law offices 24/7 for a FREE case review.

How Long Do I Have To File a Brain Injury Claim in Sacramento?

In Sacramento, as for all of California, victims injured by the negligence of others have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury claim. This date applies to a traumatic brain injury or any personal injury you suffer because of another party’s negligent or careless actions.

It is worth mentioning that the “clock” begins ticking on the initial date of your injury or on the date you discover the injury. For instance, you may not have been diagnosed with a TBI the day of your accident. Your symptoms might not have appeared for days or weeks. The date of discovery, in this situation, would be the date you are diagnosed.

We cannot stress enough, however, that it is imperative you get a full medical examination right after the accident that caused your injury. If you wait and there is a gap between when the accident occurred and when you went to the hospital, it could hurt your claim. The insurance company will have room to argue that something else could have caused your injury.

Why Should I Consider Hiring a Brain Injury Lawyer?

If you suffer any type of TBI because of another party’s negligence, the medical costs alone will be significant. Depending on the situation, you may be eligible to recover compensation for your damages. These costs are not something you should have to pay out of pocket. It is also not necessary to try to recover the damages on your own, something that can be extremely difficult if you do not understand the law.

Our attorneys at Arnold Law Firm have extensive experience managing injury claims, including those for brain injury victims. We are prepared to investigate your case, gather compelling evidence, negotiate the maximum possible compensation and more. If we cannot recover full compensation through a settlement, we are also prepared to take your case to trial.

What Are the Most Common Types of Brain Injuries?

Individuals could suffer a TBI by getting hit in the head, such as a blunt force trauma. If they are in a motor vehicle accident, a TBI could be the result of striking the steering wheel or other hard object inside the vehicle. However, an incident that causes violent shaking to the brain could also cause a TBI, as could a slip-and-fall accident.

Regardless of how the injury occurred, there are four types of traumatic brain injuries that can result in severe long-term damage.

Concussion

People often assume that you know when someone has a concussion because it will cause you to pass out. However, this is a myth. Individuals can have a concussion, even if they do not get knocked out or lose consciousness.

Hematomas

A hematoma may result from a contusion or bruising of the brain or if a blood vessel in the brain suddenly bursts or ruptures.

Hemorrhages

A hemorrhage is bleeding that pools or builds up on the surface of the brain or within the protective layers around your brain.

Diffuse Axonal Injuries

This type of brain injury causes severe tearing of nerve tissue in the brain. A violent car crash could cause this due to the extreme back and forth shaking that occurs during the impact.

Your health is never something to risk, which is why you should get a full and complete medical examination at a nearby hospital. Emergency rooms have the diagnostic equipment and 24/7 staff to determine what injuries you may have sustained in an accident. Even if you do not feel immediate pain, you should let the doctor know if you were in a violent accident, or if your head struck an object.

What Are the Symptoms of a TBI?

Common symptoms that may indicate a serious brain injury include:

• Sudden onset of a severe headache
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Memory loss
• Blurry vision
• Mild to severe mood changes
• Sensitivity to light
• Unexplained drowsiness or fatigue
• Seizures
• Fluid running from your ears or nose
• Difficulty walking
• Dilated pupils
• Feeling weak in your fingers or toes

While you may not have all of these symptoms, you could still have a TBI. If you experience even a few of these symptoms, you should immediately go to a nearby emergency room.

Contact Our Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers in Sacramento Today

If you or someone you love sustained a traumatic brain injury because of the negligence of another party, we encourage you to contact Arnold Law Firm today.

Clay Arnold, the firm’s founding partner, is an award-winning attorney who has been practicing law in California since 1975 and a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. This membership is extremely prestigious. Less than one percent of U.S. attorneys hold membership. It is only open to attorneys who have won million or multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements.

Our office is located in Sacramento. Conveniently, it is less than 10 miles from the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento.

Call to discuss your situation with one of our experienced attorneys. This initial consultation is confidential and completely free. If you have a case, you can choose our firm to represent you or walk away. The choice is yours. There are no upfront costs to pay to hire our services. We only get paid our fees if we win your case.

Need legal help? Arnold Law Firm is ready to fight for you. (916) 777-7777