Fair Oaks Brain Injury Lawyer

Accidents cause a wide variety of injuries ranging from minor bumps and scrapes to bone fractures and even traumatic brain injuries. In the medical community, injuries to the brain are among the most severe because they generally do not hold the same potential for recovery as other organs might. For example, organs such as the liver may partially regenerate after a traumatic event; however, the brain does not always have the same potential.

Brain injuries have the potential to develop from a wide variety of unfortunate events. Some of the most common causes of brain damage include:

• Oxygen Deprivation: Oxygen deprivation can result from a traumatic event. While many people associate oxygen deprivation with drowning, trauma can knock someone unconscious and potentially render them incapable of breathing. Trauma can also develop during a surgical procedure if a patient loses access to a steady supply of oxygen. Without a reliable source of oxygen, the various cells and tissues of the brain lack a vital nutrient that they require for survival.
• Workplace Injuries: People have the potential to suffer brain injuries at work. Something as simple as a slip and fall injury can lead to someone striking their head on the floor. This blunt force trauma can lead to a fractured skull, brain contusion, and even intracranial bleeding. Furthermore, someone who operates heavy machinery at work runs the risk of suffering an even wider variety of brain injuries.
• Motor Vehicle Accidents: Motor vehicle accidents, including auto accidents and motorcycle accidents, are some of the most common causes of head and brain injuries in the medical field. When people operate a motor vehicle, their seatbelt restrains their body from moving suddenly with an abrupt change in momentum. On the other hand, their head is not strapped in. The skull is free to move on top of the neck and has the opportunity to strike the steering wheel, dashboard, or window in a motor vehicle accident. Even motorcycle riders that wear a helmet have the potential to strike their head on the pavement with extreme force. This kind of trauma can lead to devastating brain injuries.

Patients who suffer a brain injury are prone to developing a number of chronic complications and comorbidities. Understanding these common signs can lead to faster recognition of potential brain damage. Common complications of a head or brain injury include:

• Loss of Motor Function: The brain uses a complex set of neurons to both receive and communicates commands to various parts of the body through the spinal cord. If these neurons are damaged, patients may lose the ability to move certain limbs or body parts in certain directions. Even if the spinal cord is intact, damage to certain motor neurons can have a negative impact on a patient’s overall health and quality of life.
• Loss of Sensory Function: In addition, the brain also relies on a network of neurons to receive sensory input from various parts of the body. These sensations transmit information regarding temperature, pressure, and location of body parts in space. These neurons help the body to respond to various stimuli and coordinate movements in space. Damage to these neurons can make it difficult for patients to react to certain situations that they cannot feel.

Because of the chronic nature of brain damage, even the most financially comfortable families can feel a significant amount of stress. In addition to hospital stays and medications, there are chronic doctors’ visits that add up after a certain amount of time. Many patients require an extended schedule of rehabilitation appointments with multiple specialists. Some patients may require home health to administer medications and perform various procedures. While some insurance plans may cover a significant portion of these visits, few plans will cover all of them. This could leave loved ones on the hook for not only the deductible but also a large portion of their healthcare. Patients who reach a lifetime maximum on their benefits could find themselves in a particularly stressful situation. It is important to contact a Fair Oaks brain injury lawyer if you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury due to the negligence of someone else.

The video below discusses how traumatic brain injuries are treated.

Those who have suffered a brain injury have only two years from the time of the injury to file a legal action against the party responsible, according to the California Code of Civil Procedure 335.1. Patients who attempt to file a lawsuit after two years may get their case thrown out by the court. Therefore, anyone who has been injured by the careless or negligent acts of someone else should speak to a Fair Oaks brain injury lawyer right away. If your brain injury was caused by a public entity, the time limit for filing a claim is six months or 180 days. Contact an attorney for more information about these important time constraints and filing deadlines.

I’m Ed Smith, a Fair Oaks Brain Injury Lawyer. The causes of traumatic brain injuries in patients range almost as widely as the injuries themselves. If you or a loved one has been in an accident and subsequently developed a head or brain injury, please contact me at 916.921.6400 for free, friendly and no-obligation advice. I've been helping people with brain injuries recover compensation for their damages for more than three decades.

We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

See our case history of verdicts and settlements and our client reviews on Google, Yelp and AVVO.

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Editor’s Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 1.23.20]