Los Angeles Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers

Los Angeles Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers

Aggressive representation for California TBI victims and their families

Brain injuries come in all forms and can impact every aspect of your life – physically, emotionally, and cognitively. Victims may face a lifetime of financial, physical, and emotional struggles. A catastrophic brain injury presents a host of challenges that make it difficult to sustain the quality of life the individual had prior to the accident.

McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP is prepared to fight for your future. Our Los Angeles brain injury attorneys have earned a reputation for our willingness to take on giant corporations and national insurance companies to ensure successful resolutions for our clients. We have been winning cases for over 30 years, and have repeatedly secured multimillion-dollar verdicts for our clients, including:

$ million
for a 26-year-old passenger in a single-vehicle accident
$ million
for a truck driver injured as a result of a defective truck part
$ million
for a victim of a T-bone collision
$ million
for a young man who fell and suffered a brain bleed

The physical and emotional trauma associated with brain injuries can be extreme and unlike any other injury. The experienced team at McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP is here to prevent further suffering and hold responsible parties accountable.

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Class action settlement on behalf of consumers against Epson America, Inc. for installation of a “smart chip” in its printers that shut down when there was still a substantial amount of ink left on the cartridge.

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Quick Questions

What is a traumatic brain injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is any contact with the head that results in a disruption of normal brain function. This can range from a concussion to a coma. Generally, TBIs are the result of:

  • Penetrating injuries, or open TBIs, which occur when an object penetrates brain tissue.
  • Non-penetrating injuries, or closed TBIs, which occur when an external force causes the brain to move within the skull.

While a concussion is the most common form of traumatic brain injury, it is by no means the only type. TBIs typically may involve:

  • Contusions
  • Skull fractures
  • Diffuse axonal injury
  • Shaken baby syndrome
  • Hematomas
  • Lesions
  • Hemorrhage

TBIs are classified as:

  • Mild. Your doctors will review the physical pain you have and will also likely examine whether you have any learning, memory, concentration, or problem-solving difficulties.
  • Moderate to severe. Per the CDC, “Moderate or severe TBI may lead to long-term or life-long health problems that may affect all aspects of a person’s life. These health problems have been described as being similar to the effects of a chronic disease.”

How common are traumatic brain injuries?

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

  • About 176 people died every day from a TBI in 2020.
  • 223,000 people were hospitalized for a TBI in the US in 2019.
  • About 1/3rd of seniors 75 and older are hospitalized for a TBI and this age group accounted for 28% of all TBI-related deaths.
  • Males were twice as likely to be hospitalized and three times as likely to die from a TBI than females.

The California Department of Rehabilitation “serves Californians with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) directly through its TBI Program Sites and indirectly through the TBI Advisory Board as guided by the Program initiatives and State Plan.” The agency states that a TBI “is unpredictable in its consequences and can affect who we are and the way we think, act, or feel.”

What are the common causes of brain injuries in Los Angeles?

Brain injuries can occur in many different ways. Generally, brain injuries require some level of trauma to the head or neck. Some of the more common causes of these personal injuries include:

What are the symptoms of TBI?

A brain injury can have a multitude of both psychological and physical effects. Symptoms can appear right after a brain injury as well as later after the injury occurs. The most frequent brain injury symptoms include:

  • Loss of consciousness for any length of time
  • Nausea or dizziness
  • Concentration problems
  • Sudden headache
  • Loss of balance
  • Speech problems
  • Abnormal behavior
  • Drowsiness
  • Blurred vision
  • Mood swings

Ensure that you see a doctor if you, your child, or a loved one has received any kind of blow to the head and is experiencing any of the signs above. Receiving emergency medical care immediately after a brain injury is very important to ensure proper diagnosis of any damage that may have occurred.

What are the long-lasting effects of concussions?

Because concussions are often referred to as mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs), the misconception is that they are not serious or dangerous. In fact, concussions can also have lifelong effects on a victim. Researchers from the University of California San Francisco have found that even one concussion increases a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease and dementia later in life.

There is also a risk of post-concussion syndrome, “a complex disorder in which various symptoms – such as headaches and dizziness – last for weeks and sometimes months after the injury that caused the concussion,” per the Mayo Clinic. Post-concussion syndrome presents with the same symptoms of a concussion; they just last longer.

Who is at greatest risk of a concussion?

Concussions are most dangerous to the young – anyone with a developing brain. The CDC recently released a new set of comprehensive guidelines for diagnosing and treating children with mTBI, to help parents and doctors alike.

Young adults are also at risk. In 2018, researchers at the University of New Hampshire reviewed cases of young adults aged 18-24 who had sustained at least two concussions, with the most recent occurring within one month of the testing. They “found that young adults who experienced repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), or concussions, can experience persistent cognitive changes as well as altered brain activity.”

When asked to perform task-switching activities, like identifying different shapes and colors of objects, the researchers “found an overall lower performance rate from those in the concussion group during the task-switching exercise. They were less accurate and processing performance was low.”

What is the cost of a Los Angeles traumatic brain injury?

The initial treatment and rehabilitation costs can bankrupt victims of brain injuries. A May 2021 study published in Med Care looked at healthcare costs for nonfatal TBIs for patients covered by private health insurance using the MarketScan tool. Per the study:

The estimated 2016 overall health care cost attributable to nonfatal TBI among MarketScan enrollees was $40.6 billion. Total estimated annual health care cost attributable to TBI for low severity TBIs during the first year postinjury were substantially higher than costs for middle and high severity TBIs among those with private health insurance and Medicaid.

Even at the low end, the costs associated with brain injuries are staggering. Many people won’t be able to afford the treatment associated with brain injury, even if they have excellent insurance.

The cost of quality of life

Just like no two people are alike, no two brain injuries are alike. Brain injuries can impact your life in minor ways or require lifelong treatment and rehabilitation.

Mild brain injuries may require you to rest for a few days, keep a close eye on your vitals and possibly even spend a night in the hospital.

A lifelong brain injury victim may have trouble with learning and comprehending new information, making decisions, or communicating with family members. In addition to the injury, victims may encounter trouble sleeping, lose their sense of taste and smell, or suffer from vision and balance problems.

Severe brain injuries can come with permanent physical or cognitive disabilities. Victims may no longer be able to speak, walk, work or perform daily tasks. Brain injury victims suffer from the loss of many joys or functions in life we take for granted.

TBI victims often need to work with neurosurgeons, neurologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and many other healthcare professionals.

The effects of TBI on your loved ones

In the most severe circumstances, victims of brain injuries will require constant care, treatment, and rehabilitation.

As a loved one of someone who has suffered from a brain injury, you may become a lifelong caretaker and may underestimate the physical and emotional toll of this role. Caring for a TBI victim may cost you your job, your health insurance, your time spent with friends and loved ones, and your sense of self.

McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, can help ease the mounting financial costs associated with brain injuries by fighting to get you the compensation you deserve and need to afford proper care. With your and your loved ones’ future financially secure, you can rest easier and live your best possible life.

Resources for TBI victims and caretakers in Los Angeles

What is the value of my Los Angeles traumatic brain injury claim?

If your or your loved one’s brain injury was the result of another person or company’s negligence, you may be entitled to damages. With the help of a Los Angeles TBI attorney from McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, you may be able to recover the following from those who caused the brain injury:

  • A lifetime of medical bills
  • Pain and suffering
  • Past, present, and future medical bills
  • Lost wages, present and future
  • Loss of function
  • Loss of companionship
  • Emotional distress

Generally speaking, you only have two years to file a claim for damages for a brain injury. This is why it is critical that you seek legal counsel as soon as possible after your injury so that we can begin the process of recovering the compensation you need. The time limit may be shorter in some cases – so do not wait.

Do you have a traumatic brain injury lawyer near me?

Our Los Angeles TBI lawyers meet clients at our Westwood office located at 10866 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1400. We also meet clients at their homes or healthcare facilities if their health is too poor. Online video conversations are also an option.

We understand how devastating brain injuries are to both the victim and the victim’s family. We’ll help you hold the people who caused your injuries accountable and help you move forward with your life.

Contact your Los Angeles TBI lawyers today

The Los Angeles brain injury attorneys at McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP are sympathetic to the stress that TBI injuries cause. We have the resources required to ensure you receive the quality results that you deserve and the financial compensation for the cost of medical care. It’s important to act quickly when you or a loved one has been injured. Contact us or call us today to discuss your claim and start the path to recovery.

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