Irvine Brain Injury Lawyer
Were you or a loved one diagnosed with a brain injury after an accident in Irvine, California? An Irvine brain injury lawyer at Fielding Law can explain your rights and help you explore your options for seeking compensation. Contact our firm at 833.88.SHARK to schedule a free consultation.
A brain injury can affect memory, movement, emotions, communication, and the ability to work. Some effects may last for months or become permanent. Our legal team can investigate the accident, document your losses, and help you make informed decisions about your case.
Why Choose Fielding Law for Help After a Brain Injury in Irvine, CA?
A brain injury can affect nearly every part of your life, including your health, your ability to work, and your family’s future. Understanding your legal rights and options can help you make informed decisions during a difficult time. At Fielding Law, our Irvine brain injury attorneys provide thoughtful legal guidance, clear communication, and personalized support from the beginning of your case through its resolution.
As a boutique personal injury law firm, we intentionally focus on quality over quantity. We take the time to understand each client’s injuries, goals, and long-term needs so we can provide guidance tailored to their unique circumstances. Our attorneys bring more than 33 years of combined experience and have recovered more than $98 million for injured clients.
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury in Irvine, contact our Irvine personal injury lawyers for a free consultation. We are here to answer your questions, explain your legal options, and help you move forward with confidence.
What Is My Irvine Brain Injury Case Worth?
There is no fixed value for a brain injury case. The amount that may be recovered depends on the facts of the accident, the available evidence, and the injury’s effect on the person’s life.
Important factors may include:
- The type and severity of the brain injury
- The length of the recovery
- The extent of the medical treatment needed
- The need for future care or rehabilitation
- The strength of the evidence
- The available insurance coverage
- Whether the injured person shares fault
Brain injuries may require care from neurologists, therapists, psychologists, rehabilitation specialists, and other professionals. Some people will need help with transportation, household tasks, personal care, or returning to work.
An early settlement offer may not account for these future needs. Before accepting an offer, it is important to understand the expected course of the injury and the costs that may continue after the claim ends.
What Damages Are Available to Irvine Brain Injury Victims?
A person who suffers a brain injury because of another party’s negligence may seek compensatory damages. These damages can address both financial losses and the personal effects of the injury.
Bills, medical records, employment documents, and professional opinions may help establish the value of your economic damages (financial losses). Non-economic damages, on the other hand, do not have a set price. Their value may depend on the severity and duration of your symptoms and how the injury affects daily life.
Examples of damages may include:
- Lost wages
- Cognitive difficulties
- Prescription medications
- Property damage
- Emotional distress
- Future medical treatment
- Pain and suffering
- Hospital and surgical bills
- Loss of companionship
- Diagnostic testing
- Reduced earning capacity
- In-home assistance
- Disfigurement
- Emergency medical care
- Changes in relationships
- Physical, occupational, or speech therapy
- Other accident-related expenses
- Loss of enjoyment of life
An Irvine personal injury attorney can review your losses and ensure your compensation award is adequate.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Irvine Brain Injury Lawyer?
Fielding Law handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. Under this arrangement, the attorney’s fee is based on a percentage of the compensation recovered for the client.
Clients do not pay attorney’s fees at the beginning of the case. If the firm does not recover compensation, the client generally does not owe attorney’s fees. The written fee agreement will explain the percentage, case costs, and other terms.
This arrangement allows an injured person to obtain legal representation without paying hourly attorney’s fees. Our team can explain the fee structure during a free consultation.
Can I Recover Compensation If I Am Partly at Fault in California?
Possibly. California uses a pure comparative fault system that typically allows an injured person to recover compensation even when that person shares responsibility for the accident. However, the recovery is usually reduced according to the percentage of fault assigned to that person.
For example, a person with $100,000 in damages who is found 25% responsible may only recover $75,000. The final amount would reflect the 25% reduction.
Insurance companies may argue that the injured person caused or contributed to the accident. A careful investigation can help determine whether that claim is supported by witness statements, photographs, video footage, physical evidence, and other records.
Common Brain Injuries in Irvine, California
Brain injuries can vary widely in type and severity. Some cause temporary symptoms, while others lead to lasting changes in memory, movement, communication, emotions, or behavior. Traumatic brain injuries are generally classified as mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the person’s condition after the injury.
Common brain injuries caused by accidents include:
- Concussions
- Brain contusions
- Diffuse axonal injuries
- Penetrating brain injuries
- Brain hemorrhages
- Coup-contrecoup injuries
- Anoxic or hypoxic brain injuries
A person may suffer more than one type of brain injury in the same accident. Medical testing, imaging, and follow-up care can help determine the nature of the injury and its possible long-term effects.
What Causes Most Brain Injuries in California?
A brain injury can result from any event that causes a forceful impact or rapid movement of the head.
Brain injury claims may arise from:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace incidents
- Defective products
- Sports and recreational accidents
- Acts of violence
The responsible party depends on how the injury occurred. A negligent driver, property owner, employer, business, product manufacturer, or government entity may be involved.
How Long Do I Have to File a Brain Injury Lawsuit in California?
California generally allows two years from the date of an injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. A person who misses the applicable deadline may lose the right to pursue compensation in court.
Different deadlines may apply in certain cases. Claims involving a government entity can require an administrative claim within a much shorter period. The discovery of an injury at a later date or the injured person’s age may also affect the deadline.
Brain injury cases often require time to collect medical evidence and evaluate future needs. Evidence from the accident scene can also be lost as vehicles are repaired, video recordings are erased, and witnesses become more difficult to locate.
Speaking with an attorney early can help preserve evidence and determine which deadlines apply to the specific claim.
How Can a Brain Injury Lawyer Help Me?
Dealing with a serious brain injury itself can be overwhelming without also trying to navigate a personal injury claim for compensation. Hiring a lawyer is one way to reduce your stress and focus on your health.
When you hire an attorney to help with your brain injury case, they can:
- Investigate the accident that caused the injury
- Gather medical records, photographs, and witness statements
- Identify every person or business that may be responsible
- Consult medical and financial professionals when needed
- Document current and expected future losses
- Handle communications with insurance companies
- Review settlement offers and explain their effects
- Prepare a lawsuit when appropriate
A good lawyer will explain the extent of their services and how they can help in your specific situation during a free consultation.
Contact Our Irvine Brain Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
The effects of a brain injury may reach far beyond the initial accident. Medical care, changes in employment, and new responsibilities at home can place significant pressure on injured people and their families.
At Fielding Law, our attorneys emphasize ethical representation, clear communication, and personal attention throughout each case. Contact an Irvine brain injury attorney at our firm to schedule a free consultation. Our legal team can listen to your concerns, explain your options, and help you decide on an informed next step.