Traumatic Brain Injuries
Approximately 1.4 million people in the United States suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to the Brain Injury Association of America. 50,000 die; 235,000 are hospitalized; and 1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department. Falls and motor vehicle accidents account for approximately 50 percent of all cases of brain injury in victims under 75. More than five million Americans currently live with disabilities resulting from traumatic brain injuries.
If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, contact O’Connor, Runckel & O’Malley and we will provide you with a free consultation with an experienced traumatic brain and head injury lawyer. At O’Connor, Runckel & O’Malley, we make sure you have the resources necessary for the evaluation and diagnosis of all types of head injuries.
Some brain injuries sustained in car accidents or falls are minor because the skull sufficiently protects the brain. However, more than half require hospitalization. Often, there is no visible head injury yet there can be serious brain damage to the person involved in the accident. Serious brain injuries can occur at the time of the accident, or develop over time as tissues swell and bleed within the head. It is essential that victims receive immediate proper medical treatment after any head injury. While victims of minor brain injuries frequently make a full recovery, those who suffer a severe brain injury often face permanent disability or death. Many people suffering brain injury face a long rehabilitation process and may not be able to return to work, causing a serious financial and emotional strain on both the brain injury victim and his or her family.
Symptoms of minor head injuries usually go away without treatment. Serious head injuries need emergency treatment.
Here are some clues that a head injury may be serious among adults:
- headaches or neck pain that won’t go away
- having more trouble with mental tasks (e.g., remembering, concentrating, making decisions)
- slowness in thinking, speaking, acting, or reading
- getting lost or easily confused
- feeling tired all the time
- lacking energy or motivation
- changes in sleeping patterns (sleeping a lot more or having a hard time sleeping),
- feeling light-headed or dizzy
- losing your balance
- increased sensitivity to sounds, light, or distractions
- blurred vision, eyes that tire easily
- loss of the sense of smell or taste
- ringing in the ears
- mood changes (e.g., feeling sad or angry for no reason)
Among children, the symptoms are:
- listlessness or tiring easily
- irritability or crankiness
- changes in eating or sleeping patterns
- changes in the way the child plays
- changes in performance at school
- lack of interest in favorite toys or activities
- loss of new skills, such as toilet training
- loss of balance, unsteady walking
At O’Connor, Runckel & O’Malley we have over 90 years of experience. We have the expertise and a proven track record of success. If you or a loved one has been the victim of brain or head injury and would like to speak with an attorney, please contact us. We are here to answer your questions and discuss how to protect your legal rights.
The Bay Area traumatic brain injury attorneys at O’Connor, Runckel & O’Malley are well known and respected throughout the legal community and among our clients. From our offices in Contra Costa County, San Francisco and Sacramento, we serve clients throughout Northern California. Our experience and expertise are available to you.
We serve clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area including San Francisco, Contra Costa, Oakland, Alameda, Walnut Creek, Concord, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Danville, Richmond, Martinez, Orinda, Lafayette, Oakley, Pinole, San Pablo, Clayton, Benicia, San Ramon, Vallejo, Santa Rosa, Fremont, Hayward, Pleasanton, San Mateo, Daly City, Oakland, Richmond, Pacifica, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Redwood City, San Anselmo, San Bruno, San Carlos Napa, Sonoma, Vacaville, Fairfield, Pleasant Hill, Moraga, Clayton, Albany, American Canyon, El Cerrito, Dublin, Livermore, San Leandro, San Rafael, Santa Clara, Sausalito, South San Francisco, East Palo Alto, El Sobrante, Emeryville, Fairfax Union City, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Menlo Park, Bayside, Berkeley, Palo Alto, Foster City, Corte Madera, Greenbrae, Half Moon Bay, Healdsburg, Kensington, Larkspur, Martinez, Mill Valley, Milpitas, Mountain View, Newark, Novato, Brisbane, Burlingame, Campbell, East Bay, Silicon Valley, and Napa Valley, Oakley, and Discovery Bay, as well as Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Alameda, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma counties.
