Brain Injury Lawyers in Los Angeles: How Do I Know I Have a TBI?
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are catastrophic injuries that permanently alter a person’s life, leading to cognitive issues like memory problems, mental fog, physical impairment, personality changes, and more. How do you know when you have a TBI?
Symptoms of a TBI can vary, and it’s often vital to be seen by a medical professional to be diagnosed with this injury. If your traumatic brain injury was caused by another person or entity, you may be eligible to file a legal claim for compensation.
Keep reading to learn more about TBIs and connect with the brain injury lawyers in Los Angeles from BD&J for all legal matters.
Key Takeaways
- Traumatic brain injuries are caused by a bump, blow, or penetration to the head.
- Symptoms of a TBI can often include headaches, blurred vision, memory problems, dizziness, confusion, and more.
- Neurological exams, brain imaging, and physical evaluation by a medical professional can help diagnose a traumatic brain injury.
- Brain injury lawyers in Los Angeles can help represent you or a loved one after a TBI accident caused by another party.
How Do People Get Traumatic Brain Injuries?
TBIs are often caused by serious incidents of trauma to the head. These accidents may often be:
- Slip and falls
- Trauma from motor vehicle accidents
- Penetration or blows to the head caused by falling objects in construction accidents
- Being struck by heavy equipment or machinery
- Forceful explosions
In a matter of seconds, intense impact to the head can result in bruising, bleeding, and swelling of the brain.
What Are the Symptoms of a TBI?
CDC data estimates there are about 586 TBI-related hospitalizations a day. Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury are often characterized as:
Physical Symptoms
- Headaches
- Vision or hearing issues
- Nausea or vomiting
- Slurred speech
- Fatigue
- Enlargement of one or both pupils of the eyes
Cognitive Symptoms
- Confusion
- Mental fog
- Behavior changes
- Heightened anxiety or depression
- Dramatic changes in sleeping habits
- Memory loss
Other symptoms may include light sensitivity, convulsions, limb weakness, ringing in the ears, and balance or coordination problems.
Do TBI Symptoms Take Long to Show?
Oftentimes, yes. Some mild symptoms may start to present themselves after an accident, but some symptoms can take weeks or even months to appear. This is why a medical evaluation is needed to diagnose a traumatic brain injury and determine the best course of treatment.
TBI Diagnosing Techniques
To fully diagnose a traumatic brain injury, medical professionals often use:
- Neurological Exams
Medical providers will often use certain neurological exams to evaluate cognitive functions, like problem-solving and memory. These exams may include the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), which checks a person’s ability to follow directions and move their eyes and limbs, the BESS test for balance and coordination, and others.
- Brain Imaging
CT x-ray scans and MRI imaging scans give a detailed view of the brain’s structure and can also provide insight on bleeding and fractures to the skull, as well as changes in the brain’s tissue. Susceptibly-weighted imaging can also be used to spot often-missed brain bleeds.
- Physical Examination
Physical examinations can include assessing vision and hearing, reflexes, grip strength, and taking note of a patient’s speech. Common tests may include walking in a straight line, standing on one leg, etc.
Are All Brain Injuries Considered Traumatic Brain Injuries?
No, not all brain injuries are considered TBIs. Brain injuries that came about from an internal factor of the body, such as lack of oxygen, a stroke, aneurysm, or an infection, would be considered nontraumatic or acquired brain injuries.
Brain Injury Lawyers in Los Angeles Can Help Maximize Your Claim
Traumatic brain injuries can lead to further consequences, like hematomas, seizures, nerve damage, lifelong problems with talking and coordination, memory loss, and more.
If you or a loved one suffered a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury due to the negligence or recklessness of another person, a brain injury attorney in Los Angeles can help. While you can file a personal injury claim by yourself, a brain injury lawyer can help you maximize the potential compensation for your accident by:
- Interviewing expert witnesses who can attest to your injury severity, lifelong prognosis, disability, and the negligent events of the accident
- Using aggressive and skilled negotiation tactics with insurance companies and the legal representatives of the other involved party
- Completing a comprehensive valuation of your case, taking into consideration current and future expenses related to your injuries
- Negotiating with healthcare providers to help reduce medical expenses for treatments, rehabilitation, and other costs
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can You Prove TBIs if They’re Not a Visible Injury?
Proving TBIs depends on exhaustive documentation of your symptoms. Linking your symptoms to the events of the accident, along with further medical provider insight, can help establish this.
Do I Have to go to the Hospital After an Accident if I’m Not Showing TBI Symptoms?
Absolutely. As mentioned, many TBI symptoms can take days, weeks, or even months to appear.
Going to the hospital is essential to get the proper imaging and evaluations done by a medical professional.
When Can I File a Personal Injury Claim After a Traumatic Brain Injury in Los Angeles?
You have 2 years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury claim. If your claim is against a local government agency (such as if your TBI was a result of a slip and fall on one of LA’s many cracked sidewalks), you have 6 months from the date of injury to present it.
Can I File a Claim if I Got a TBI From a Motorcycle Accident, But Wasn’t Wearing a Helmet?
This is definitely possible thanks to California being a comparative negligence state.
What is Comparative Negligence?
Comparative negligence means a person who had some fault in their injury during an accident, such as not wearing a helmet or seatbelt while on the road, would still be able to recover compensation in a claim.
The compensation would simply be reduced by the amount of fault the plaintiff is found to have.
Will I Have to Go to Court for a TBI Claim?
Not typically, as more than 95% of personal injury claims go through a pre-trial settlement. Most parties are eager to settle a claim in order to save money and time on the trial process.
When Should I Consult the Brain Injury Lawyers in Los Angeles from BD&J?
You should sit down with brain injury attorneys from BD&J as soon as you’re ready to file a claim. Our team is available 24/7 to answer your questions!
Do I Have to Pay Upfront to Work with BD&J?
No, we save our clients the financial stress of filing a personal injury claim by working on a contingency fee basis. This means we advance all case costs to clients and recover final attorney fees from the compensation amount after a case settles.
This means that you don’t have to worry about paying upfront to seek justice, and there are no fees until we win your case*.
How To Resume Daily Life After a TBI
While all traumatic brain injuries can have different circumstances, adjusting to life after a moderate TBI can take some getting used to. It can be a slow and steady process, but being mindful of the following steps may help:
- Follow treatment plans. – Speech therapy, physical rehabilitation, and occupational therapy are some of the most recommended treatment options for patients after a TBI. Following these plans can make it easier for patients to ease back into adapted routines.
- Take mental breaks during the day. – Avoiding stress is key after a TBI, so be sure to take mental breaks during a typical day, as well as easing back into activities rather than trying to fit it all in one day.
- Adopt good sleep habits. – Good sleep habits are essential to the recovery process, so try to go to bed at the same time each night and avoid screentime.
- Build a solid support group. – Recovering from a taxing brain injury can be easier when you have a support group of friends and family who will be there to listen and distract you from feelings of stress and anxiety.
- Talk to a brain injury lawyer in Los Angeles. – If you’re looking to file a personal injury claim, speak with an expert brain injury lawyer in Los Angeles to learn more about the claim process and get started.
BD&J Brain Injury Lawyers in Los Angeles Have Recovered More than $3 Billion* in Compensation
Being diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury is never easy. Fortunately, medical advancements and specialized testing make it easier to spot a TBI and act swiftly on treatment.
BD&J brain injury lawyers in Los Angeles are ready to fight for you after a traumatic brain injury accident. Our dedicated attorneys have recovered more than $3 billion* in compensation for clients, and there’s no case we’ll turn our backs on.
Call us now at 855-906-3699 or complete our online form to connect with a brain injury attorney.