Brain Injuries

Agoura Hills Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys

Brain Injury Cases in Los Angeles

When a brain injury has occurred as a result of someone else’s negligence, victims may be eligible to file a compensation claim that will cover both short-term as well as long-term losses. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury because of another’s negligence, call an Agoura Hills traumatic brain injury lawyer to discuss filing a claim for compensation. We serve clients throughout the entire Los Angeles area.

What Are Common Causes Of Brain Injuries?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common causes of traumatic brain injury in the United States are:

Slip and fall accidents – These account for approximately 40% of all brain injuries recorded.
Motor vehicle accidents – Car accidents, truck accidents and motorcycle accidents account for approximately 14% of all brain injuries.
Blunt force trauma injuries – When a person is struck by or against an object.
Violence and gunshots

What Are The Symptoms Of A Traumatic Brain Injury?

Brain injuries can range from concussions, leading to neuropsychiatric problems including post-concussion syndrome and emotional disorders, to various degrees of cognitive impairment and other severe neurological injuries that can leave a person in a permanently vegetative state. If you or a loved one has suffered any kind of blow to the head, it is important to seek emergency medical attention immediately. Even a concussion must be referred to as an emergency medical department or doctor.

Some common symptoms include:

Loss of consciousness, anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes
State of confusion, disorientation, or dizziness
Headache
Nausea and/or vomiting
Problems with speech such as slurring or stuttering
Difficulty sleeping or sleeping more than usual
Drowsiness and fatigue
Sensory issues, such as blurred vision or ringing ears
Uncharacteristic mood swings and agitation

Brain injuries are tricky to diagnose and the symptoms can be temporary, permanent, and vary widely from one person to another.

What Is a Concussion?

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that can occur when the head is exposed to sudden movement, a jolt or a blow - e.g., in a car crash or a fall to the ground. As illustrated in the video below, these types of head traumas can push the brain into the skull causing injury to the organic brain matter.

The brain is essentially a network of nerve cells called neurons. Cognition occurs as neurons send and receive billions of electrochemical signals to one another in various, complex patterns. Neurons receive signals through the dentrites and transmit signals through the axons. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), trauma to the head can cause microscopic changes in the axons, disrupting these patterns and causing harm.

Symptoms of a Concussion

A concussion is usually categorized as a type of mild TBI (mTBI), as opposed to moderate or severe. The terms mild, moderate, and severe are used to differentiate between different types of traumatic brain injuries. Despite the misleading terminology, a mild TBI is an injury to the brain that can lead to significant symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), common symptoms of concussion or mTBI include:

Thinking/Remembering	Physical	Emotional/Mood	Sleep
Difficulty thinking clearly	HeadacheFuzzy or blurry vision	Irritability	Sleeping more than usual
Feeling slowed down	Nausea or vomiting (early on); Dizziness	Sadness	Sleeping less than usual
Difficulty concentrating	Sensitivity to noise or light; Balance problems	More emotional	Trouble falling asleep
Difficulty remembering new information	Feeling tired, having no energy	Nervousness or anxiety

Detecting a Concussion

According to the American Society of Neuroradiology (ASNR), microscopic injury to the brain cells from a traumatic event can go undetected by even the most advanced neuroradiological imaging technology available today.

Computed axial tomography (CT or CAT scans) are used to detect brain bleeding (hematomas) and swelling (edema).
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) are used to detect minute bleeding (microhemorrhage), small areas of bruising (contusion) or scarring (gliosis).

Abnormal CT scan or MRI results indicate immediate neurological treatment. However, because of the brain's sensitivity to even microscopic changes, normal CT scan and MRI results do not rule out a concussion. It is important to get plenty of physical and mental rest following any head trauma, even with normal CT scan and MRI results.

Post-Concussion Syndrome

Concussion symptoms usually appear within the first 7-10 days following the traumatic event. When this occurs, the person who suffered the head trauma has post-concussion syndrome. This condition usually subsides within 1-3 months, but it can last up to a year or more in some cases.

Neuropsychological Testing

When post-concussion syndrome persists beyond a few months, neuropsychological testing is recommended to assess cognitive functioning (incl. memory, attention and reasoning) as well as psychological components (incl. personality and mood).

The goal of the neuropsychological testing is to understand the effects of both the physical injury to the organic brain matter as well as the emotional injury from the traumatic and stressful event. A behavioral neurologist or neuropsychiatrist can meet with the patient and review the neuropsychological test results to determine the proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

Many times a factor in persistent post-concussion syndrome is underlying depression or anxiety caused by the traumatic and stressful event. For example, when neuropsychological testing shows normal cognitive functioning and a depressed or anxious mood, the neuropsychiatric diagnosis may be depressive pseudo-dementia. Treatment options may include cognitive behavioral therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

The brain injury lawyers at Effres & Effres know how to effectively litigate and prove TBI cases. If you or a loved one received head trauma due to someone else's negligence, contact our office today for a free consultation.

How Can I Tell If a Head Injury Is Mild or Severe?

Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries range from mild to moderate to severe, but all necessitate prompt medical evaluation and treatment. Even if you believe you have only suffered a mild head injury, it is still important that you see a medical professional who can assess the injury and determine the best treatment.

But, how can you tell if a head injury or TBI is mild or severe? Typically, the severity of the blow to the head and/or your symptoms will point to how severe the injury is. For example, if you slipped and fell, hitting your head hard on the ground, you may have suffered a concussion. A mild concussion could result in symptoms like ringing in the ears, headache, fatigue/drowsiness, nausea, or blurry vision; a moderate or severe concussion could cause you to lose consciousness (even briefly) and/or present more severe symptoms, such as a persistent headache, changes in sleep patterns, and significant confusion, disorientation, and/or memory loss.

If you or someone else suffers a severe head injury, it will most likely be fairly obvious. Severe TBIs often result in immediate serious symptoms, such as loss of consciousness, inability to remember the accident or the events leading up to it, marked sensory problems, changes in mood or personality, or even coma. That being said, keep an eye out for TBI symptoms that seem to become more severe or persist over time, as these could indicate a more serious injury than initially thought.

In any case, always seek immediate medical attention after sustaining a head injury or suspected TBI. Only a qualified medical professional will be able to properly evaluate your injury and determine how severe it is, as well as the lasting implications this may have.

Should I Get Treatment Right Away After A Head Injury?

Medical treatment is essential because it is important to diagnose if there is bleeding in the brain, or other signs of possible exacerbation of the injury such as swelling. If treatment is sought in time, there is a better chance that long-term injuries can be avoided, as sadly there is no complete cure for a brain injury. It is also important to get plenty of rest – both physical and mental – after a head injury so that the brain has the best opportunity to heal. Consequently, medical expenses and lost wages are common economic losses following head injuries.

Who Is Most At Risk After a Head Injury?

Young children and the elderly generally have worse outcomes from traumas to the head as compared with young adults. In a moderate brain injury, individuals may suffer memory loss, impaired cognitive function, mental impairment, and impaired communication. In a severe brain injury, or TBI, the person may be unresponsive to any kind of stimulation. All types of brain injuries, including concussions, have the potential to lead to emotional changes such as increased anxiety and depression.

We Are Here to Help

With such long-term consequences of a traumatic brain injury, it’s important for you to identify all of the parties liable in your claim and account for all the types of compensation that you are eligible for. If you have suffered a brain injury in Southern California, speak to an experienced Agoura Hills traumatic brain injury lawyer at Effres & Effres about filing an injury claim that takes into account all the losses that you have suffered as a result of the injury. We offer our services for residents throughout Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura, and all surrounding counties.

Call (818) 222-9720 to schedule a consultation with one of our Agoura Hills TBI attorneys. We want to help you fight for the compensation you need and deserve.

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Dear Mr. Effres and Office, It has been almost a year since we accepted the settlement for Jonathan and we wanted to thank you all for your help. We will not forget the empathy you showed us during the stressful time we were going through as a result of Jonathan’s injury. Everyone in the office was always pleasant and helpful. We also recognize the thoroughness with which our case was prepared should it have gone to trial. We won’t hesitate to refer you to our friends should they need an attorney. Jonathan is starting kindergarten next week and has a full-time mom now (since February)! We are all enjoying our new house. Wishing you all the best

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Dear Steve, With our case now settled, we wanted to reach out to thank you, Justin and the entire team for your representation of our daughter. It was clear to us that your professionalism, expertise and advocacy of our family’s interests made the entire process run smoothly. We specifically appreciate how well you interacted with our daughter. After we hung up with you on speaker phone leaving the courthouse that last day she said “I like him” in a very childlike, affectionate tone. We also wanted you to know that our decision to settle did not come easily. In the end, we believe the decision was in our daughter’s best interest. We know you worked hard to prepare a strong case and do regret not having the opportunity to see that through. Lastly, on a personal note, we wanted to compliment you on Justin. He is a truly impressive young man; intelligent, polite and very good natured. Just a couple of comments Steve made in the days leading up to our daughter’s trial as we got to know Justin better. To our daughter; “You can tell a lot about a man by seeing how his children behave; Mr. Effres seems like a really good man.” To S: “If you have a son, he (Justin) is what you want him to be like; if you have a daughter, he’s the kind of guy you’d like her to end up with.” Anyway, I’m sure you don’t need to hear it from us, but you and your wife must be very proud of your sons. I hope this doesn’t sound hollow, because it is most definitely not, but please keep in touch and let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you. If we ever come across a friend who is in need of representation, we will recommend you and your firm without reservation. Thanks again and best wishes by S, S, and M

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About a year ago, my mother was in a serious car accident. Justin Effres was recommended to our family, and I am so glad he was. He handled our case with the utmost professionalism. He was very good about answering his phone and his emails whenever I needed to reach him. He and the law firm staff were always accessible, polite, and kind. Justin was able to look over the details of my mother's case and he handled it as expertly and as quickly as he could. Justin is a very genuine person. I could tell he really empathized with my mother's situation and wanted to help our family as best as he could. He worked hard to get us the best outcome possible, and we were very pleased with the end result. Justin is knowledgeable, reliable, and passionate about his clients and his work. I would absolutely recommend his fantastic services.

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