Each year, an estimated 1.7 million people suffer a traumatic brain injury, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Over fifty thousand people die from head injuries, and hundreds of thousands suffer debilitating injuries from brain trauma. Here is a statistic that may shock you – the direct and indirect medical costs associated with treating brain injuries in the United States are estimated to be $60 billion.

If someone is involved in a severe car accident, truck wreck, motorcycle crash, or other preventable accident, they may suffer a severe TBI that has life-altering ramifications. For example, a severe TBI may result in you or a loved one suffering the following conditions:

• Loss of memory (both short-term and long-term)
• Difficulty speaking
• Difficulty writing
• Paralysis and loss of other motor functions
• Impaired vision
• Loss of hearing
• Severe headaches or migraines
• Difficulty controlling your emotions

The following video explains a traumatic brain injury’s cognitive and psychological consequences.

The harms and losses associated with a severe brain injury can be extensive. Recovering from a brain injury often takes years if a recovery is possible. Many victims are permanently disabled as a result of their head trauma. Treating brain injuries often require multiple surgeries and years of physical therapy (as mentioned earlier, treatment for brain injuries is $60 billion in direct and indirect costs). As a result, the medical bills and lost wages can be quite large, especially if there is permanent harm from brain injury. Your medical expenses and lost wages are economic damages that can be recovered through a brain injury claim. You can also recover non-economic damages (often called pain and suffering). These are intangible damages and do not fit neatly into an invoice. For example, what is proper compensation for the loss of your memory? Or the loss of your motor functions? Assessing the total compensatory damages may require your Vacaville brain injury lawyer to retain an economist and other experts to ensure a complete picture of your losses is accurately presented to a judge or jury.

Generally, yes. When you or a loved one suffers a brain injury in a preventable accident, you should seek the counsel and advice of an experienced Vacaville brain injury lawyer. Why? Because injury claims involving a TBI often feature extensive damages in the hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars. Many insurance companies will not offer your claim’s total value if you try to negotiate independently. You must retain an attorney with experience representing brain injury victims and a track record of success in the courtroom. 

Hiring a lawyer is a low-risk proposition since most brain injury lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis. This means you can hire an attorney without paying a massive retainer fee or an exorbitant hourly fee. Instead, your lawyer gets paid only if they obtain a financial recovery for you (typically through a settlement or jury verdict). If your Vacaville brain injury attorney cannot receive a fair settlement, you are neither on the hook for a hefty legal bill. As you can see, the potential benefit of hiring an injury lawyer far outweighs any potential risk. 

Each state, including California, has enacted a statute governing the time an injured party can take to file a lawsuit against the negligent party. This is known as the statute of limitations. California law states that an injured party has only two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. If you try to file a brain injury lawsuit after two years, your case will likely be barred from going forward. Do not let this happen to you, especially if you or a loved one suffers a brain injury. You need to hold the negligent party accountable.

As we discussed, a traumatic brain injury often results in severe and life-changing harm to the victim. In fact, many TBI victims are never the same. This is why you need a top-rated traumatic brain injury attorney in Vacaville who will work tirelessly to hold the negligent party responsible and recover a fair settlement or jury verdict.

If you or a loved one suffers a brain injury due to negligence on the part of another person, call our skilled Vacaville brain injury attorneys promptly at (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.

Since 1982, our legal team has helped families recover total and fair financial compensation in legal matters involving wrongful death and serious personal injury.

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We are proud members of the following legal organizations:

• Brain Injury Association
• Million Dollar Advocates
• Top One Percent

Read the past Verdicts and Settlements of our injury lawyers.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 7.28.23] sb bw [cs 853] Image: By “sbtlneet” via Pixabay}