Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer • Personal Injury Trial Lawyers, Los Angeles County
Our Los Angeles County personal injury trial lawyers represent accident victims who have suffered a traumatic brain injury throughout Southern California, including Los Angeles County and the Counties of San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, and Orange County.
A permanent brain injury may be difficult to recognize or prove. Changes in a person’s behavior or personality may be subtle. But with all damage to the brain, the earlier a brain injury is diagnosed, the earlier a person can begin a treatment program.
A brain injury can be devastating for both the person injured and his or her family. Therapy, medical treatment and supplies can be exceedingly expensive. A legal claim can help you secure financial assistance from the party responsible for the injury. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, contact the brain injury lawyers from Stolpmann, Krissman, Elber & Silver, LLP, can evaluate your situation and prepare a claim for your medical expenses.
The Causes of Brain Injuries
Brain injuries can generally be classified by their cause. There are injuries caused by contact and those that are not caused by contact.
A contact traumatic brain injury causes damage to the brain as a result of an external force to the head. A contact traumatic brain injury can be a penetrating injury or a closed head injury, and result in brain swelling, bruising of the brain tissue or nerve shearing. If the head is moving at the time of the contact, a contrecoup injury, in which the brain damage occurs on the side opposite the point of impact, occurs as a result of the brain slamming into that side of the skull. There can be a severe injury to the brain even if there is not any external evidence of damage.
Contact traumatic brain injuries may be caused by:
- Sports mishaps
- Work-related accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Car, truck and motorcycle accidents
- Violence or assault
Contact is not necessary to cause a brain injury. A person does not need to hit his or her head or be rendered unconscious to have a brain injury. Brain injuries happen frequently when a person has suffered from a non-contact injury such as whiplash.
In addition, parts of the brain may be injured as a result of medical emergencies such as stroke or heart attack. Stroke and heart attack may affect the brain’s blood and oxygen supply, causing localized or even widespread brain damage. In addition, the brain may be injured as a result of oxygen deprivation caused by near drowning, suffocation or cardiac arrest. It is important to note that traumatic brain injury is different from these types of anoxic brain injury, in which the brain is deprived of oxygen. Traumatic brain injury results in bruising or swelling of the brain; anoxic brain injury results in brain cells dying because of oxygen deprivation.
