The brain is the center of our consciousness, personality, and humanity. This delicate organ influences all aspects of our life. The unfortunate reality is that the brain is highly susceptible to a type of trauma known as a traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to blunt force trauma to the head and body. Brain damage can have devastating, life-changing effects on TBI patients and their loved ones. When head trauma is sustained in an accident caused by negligence, an experienced brain injury lawyer in Los Banos can evaluate the TBI case and determine the best course of action moving forward.

An attorney who has successfully handled traumatic brain injury cases from accidents in Los Banos caused by negligence can provide information on your legal rights for compensation. Call our team of head trauma lawyers today at (209) 227-1931 or (800) 404-5400 to receive free, friendly legal advice.

If you or a family member has sustained brain trauma in an accident in the Los Banos area, contact our law firm to speak with one of our experienced attorneys. Our firm’s founder, attorney Ed Smith, is a member of the Brain Injury Association of California (BIACAL). We are familiar with the effects of a traumatic brain injury and how it can result in emotional, physical, and financial hardship for the head trauma patient and their family. As a TBI survivor or a surviving family member of a lost loved one, you may have legal rights to financial compensation for your loss. Request a free consultation with one of our Los Banos brain injury attorneys at our law office today to learn more about your options for justice and recovery.

Traumatic brain injuries are some of the leading causes of permanent disability and death in California and throughout the United States. For some age groups, it is considered the top cause of mortality. Data from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) showed 32,627 non-fatal hospitalizations for TBI reported as the principal diagnosis or secondary diagnosis in 2015 (the year for which most recent brain injury data is available by the CDPH). Of these brain trauma cases, approximately:

• 4,005 cases were occupants of motor vehicles involved in California traffic collisions
• 1,286 cases were riders and passengers of motorcycles involved in collisions in California
• 1,398 cases were pedestrians involved in California car-pedestrian crashes
• 628 cases were cyclists involved in bicycle wrecks in California

These traumatic brain injury statistics are consistent with TBI patients’ data from the National Institute of Health (NIH). According to the NIH, millions of people in the United States suffer from cognitive, physical, and emotional impairment because of head trauma.

An individual suffering from head trauma may often experience various signs and symptoms. The most common physical symptoms of a TBI include:

• Blurred vision
• Convulsions
• Difficulty swallowing
• Drowsiness or fatigue
• Fluids draining from the ears or nose
• Headaches, migraines, or seizures
• Loss of balance or dizziness
• Numbness or weakness in the toes and fingers
• Repeated nausea or vomiting
• Resting more than usual

Someone with a head injury may also experience cognitive or mental symptoms such as:

• Being easily distracted and restless
• Changes in personality or mood
• Combativeness or agitation
• Difficulty concentrating or memorizing
• Feelings of anxiety or depression
• Issues with multi-tasking or finishing a project
• Lack of self-awareness and self-control
• Problems sitting for extended periods
• Profound confusion
• Slurred speech

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is used for the neurological assessment of a patient’s impaired consciousness levels with a TBI. The GCS comprises three measurements to score eye opening, verbal performance, and motor responsiveness. All three are added together to calculate an overall score of the patient’s conscious state. Eye opening has a maximum score of four, the best verbal performance has five, and the best motor response has six. The lowest score for each Glasgow Coma Scale category is one, making the lowest score for all GCS categories three (e.g., no verbalization, no eye opening, and no response to pain stimuli). A GCS score of 13-15 indicates a minor injury, one of 9-12 is moderate injury, and a GCS of eight or lower is obtained when the trauma is severe.

A blow to the head has the potential to result in a traumatic brain injury. The severity of the trauma will vary on multiple factors, including the force of impact and the nature of the injury. The most common events that cause brain damage include:

• Car Accidents
• Cycling Crashes
• Construction Accidents
• Medical Malpractice
• Motorcycle Collisions
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Slip and Falls
• Sports and Recreational Accidents
• Trucking Crashes
• Wrongful Death

Insurance companies, claims adjusters and defense attorneys often downplay the severity and value of brain trauma cases. Most insurance carriers do not consider the full extent of the damage a head injury may cause. Still, only an experienced Los Banos brain injury lawyer will know how to seek compensation for damages applicable to your TBI case.

If you have sustained a head injury in an accident caused by someone else, you may wonder how you will be compensated for your TBI. With the assistance of an experienced and top-rated Los Banos traumatic brain injury attorney, you will thoroughly understand the claims process and seek the fair compensation you need for economic and non-economic damages. In a head injury lawsuit, these generally include:

• Medical Expenses
• Lost Wages
• Loss of Future Earnings
• Lost Enjoyment of Life
• Loss of Consortium
• Mental Anguish
• Pain and Suffering
• Wrongful Death

When you contact the best traumatic brain injury lawyer in Los Banos to handle your TBI case, you will have someone you can depend on to listen to your story, answer your questions, direct you to the best specialists for medical treatment, and explain your legal rights and options for recovery moving forward. An attorney can conduct an independent investigation of the traumatic brain injury case to determine why the brain damage occurred and who should be held financially accountable for it. A head trauma lawyer may also consult with medical expert witnesses and accident reconstruction experts as part of their investigation. For details on what to look for in the best attorney to handle your claim for head injury compensation, watch the video below.

A traumatic brain injury can have a significant emotional and financial impact on a TBI patient and their family. At our Los Banos brain injury law firm, our attorneys believe that no one should be turned away from seeking brain injury compensation and justice due to financial hardship. If you or someone you love has sustained head trauma in an accident that could have been prevented, we understand what life-altering TBI effects you have experienced and expect to go through in the future. Our team of head trauma attorneys at AutoAccident.com is proud to offer our legal services for TBI cases under a contingency fee arrangement. Under this agreement, you will not have to pay unless our injury lawyers obtain a fair settlement or verdict on your behalf.

^{Editor’s Note: updated 11.21.23 Image Source: By “Anna Shvets” via Pexels ds [cs 1243] cha}