Undoubtedly, a brain injury is one of the scariest and potentially devastating injuries you can suffer. If you or a loved one recently suffered a brain injury, your life has likely been turned upside down.
With massive medical bills and an inability to work, feeling overwhelmed and panicked is completely normal.
If someone else’s negligence caused your injury, you deserve justice and compensation for how the accident impacted your life. Brain injuries can affect a person’s ability to move, understand, and communicate.
At Peerali Law, we know just how difficult this time in your life can be. Let our Beverly Hills traumatic brain injury lawyer help you through.
While there can be many causes of brain injury, there are generally two types: traumatic and non-traumatic. Both can range in severity and permanency. It is possible to suffer only a mild, temporary brain injury or a catastrophic permanent injury. Let’s take a closer look.
If you have questions, please contact us right away.
Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) usually occurs because of an external force that damages the brain. TBIs fall into two different categories: penetrating and non-penetrating.
A non-penetrating TBI is caused by a violent blow or jolt to the head that causes the brain to move violently inside the skull, causing a serious injury.
A traumatic brain injury can also be a penetrating injury that results from an object piercing the skull and entering the brain. Either can result in severe brain damage, disability, and even death.
TBIs, particularly non-penetrating ones, can be tricky to identify and notice. The symptoms are not always immediately apparent and can manifest slowly over hours, days, and even weeks after your accident.
TBIs can be difficult to treat even if you recognize your injury immediately. Therefore, it is imperative you seek immediate medical attention upon the appearance of any symptom.
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Brain injuries have many causes, from catastrophic accidents to slips or trips. Even an otherwise uneventful fall can lead to brain damage.
Examples of common causes of TBIs include the following:
- Motor vehicle accidents,
- Slip and falls,
- Sports injuries,
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents,
- Construction site accidents,
- Explosions, and
- Physical violence.
No matter the cause, the consequences can be life-altering for the victim and their family. A Beverly Hills brain injury lawyer can assess your case and guide you through your legal options.
Non-Traumatic Brain Injury
A non-traumatic brain injury is one not caused by an external force but rather by internal factors. Some causes of non-traumatic brain injury include:
- Deprived oxygen supply to the brain;
- Significant pressure from a tumor or other swelling;
- Internal bleeding caused by an aneurysm, stroke, or damaged blood vessel;
- Toxic exposure;
- Aneurysm;
- Tumor;
- Heart attack;
- Infections;
- Alcohol or drug abuse;
- Medical malpractice;
- Near-drowning;
- Stroke; and
- Exposure to toxic materials or chemicals.
Other types of brain injuries include concussions, hematomas (i.e., a pool or collection of blood), and skull fractures. No matter the type, brain injuries can result in permanent brain damage, disabilities, and impairment, including:
- Memory loss,
- Learning disabilities,
- Loss of motor function, and
- Loss of the ability to speak.
While nothing can undo the injury and turmoil you suffered, a Beverly Hills brain injury lawyer can help you hold those responsible for your injury accountable.
Symptoms of Brain Injuries
Symptoms of brain injuries are often similar to symptoms of other injuries or conditions, and can usually overlap. Because TBIs can initially go undetected and undiagnosed immediately after an accident, it is vital to be aware of common symptoms that can appear.
Symptoms to look out for include:
- Persistent headaches,
- Nausea,
- Vomiting,
- Loss of consciousness,
- Confusion,
- Brain fog and trouble focusing,
- Fatigue,
- Dizziness,
- Sensitivity to light and vision problems,
- Slurred speech,
- Memory loss,
- Depression and anxiety,
- Changes in appetite,
- Changes in sleep patterns,
- Increased aggression,
- Learning disabilities.
- Sudden personality change,
- Loss of coordination and balance, and
- Convulsions and seizures.
Often you will experience a handful of these symptoms simultaneously, and the severity of any of these symptoms can range drastically from mild and moderate to severe and crippling.
But remember, TBIs can be symptomless, so if you receive any blow to the head or otherwise suspect a brain injury, it is essential to be seen by a doctor straight away.
Types of Damages in a Brain Injury Case
Generally, three types of damages are available in a brain injury case if the plaintiff is successful: economic, noneconomic, and punitive.
Economic Damages
Economic damages compensate a victim for their actual calculable losses. These losses are generally easy to quantify by adding bills, invoices, receipts, and estimates.
These include:
- Medical expenses (e.g., hospital, surgical, pharmaceutical, and rehabilitation costs);
- Home or car modifications;
- Property damage; and
- Lost wages and future earning ability.
Economic damages will vary widely depending on the circumstances, severity, and permanency of the brain injury.
Noneconomic Damages
Noneconomic damages compensate victims for the intangible losses associated with their injuries.
These damages include the following:
- Pain and suffering,
- Emotional distress,
- Loss of enjoyment of life,
- Mental anguish, and
- Loss of consortium.
These damages are personal to each individual. In other words, the level of pain and suffering you endure for a brain injury might be significantly more than that of someone else with a similar brain injury.
It can be more challenging to assign an adequate dollar amount to noneconomic damages, and often, insurance companies will try to downplay your suffering. It’s imperative to have a sharp and seasoned attorney negotiate on your behalf.
Punitive Damages
You may be eligible for punitive damages if the defendant’s conduct was grossly negligent, malicious, or reckless. Punitive damages, as opposed to economic and noneconomic damages, are meant to punish the defendant for their actions and deter similar behavior.
While there is no formula for predicting the damages you will receive, the compensation tends to be significant because of the severity of most brain injuries. Our Beverly Hills traumatic brain injury lawyer will assess your case and provide you with a better understanding of what to expect.
Statute of Limitations for Filing a Brain Injury Lawsuit
The statute of limitations in which you have to initiate a civil lawsuit for your brain injury will depend on the cause of your accident and injury and the type of action you are filing.
Generally, if you are filing a personal injury lawsuit because someone injured you through their negligent conduct (e.g., car accident, slip, and fall), you will have two years to initiate your claim.
If the cause of your injuries was medical malpractice by a healthcare provider, you typically have three years from the date of injury or one year from the discovery of such injury.
Several exceptions to these general rules can lengthen or shorten these deadlines, so it is critical to consult a Beverly Hills brain injury lawyer as soon as possible.
Get in Contact with a Beverly Hills Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer Today
Peerali Law is a boutique law firm offering compassionate and personalized care to the most severely injured individuals. Brain injuries can be physically, emotionally, and mentally damaging, but they should not result in lifelong financial distress.
Let us help you get the justice and compensation you deserve. Contact us to schedule a free one-on-one consultation with our seasoned brain injury lawyer in Beverly Hills today.