A traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury changes the arithmetic of a case entirely. The question isn’t what the bills are today; it’s what care, equipment, lost income, and support will cost over a lifetime — and whether the settlement covers it. These are the cases where accepting the insurer’s number early is the most expensive mistake a family can make.
What we do for you
- Build a life-care plan with medical and economic experts that projects decades of needs: treatment, therapy, attendant care, home modification, equipment, and lost earning capacity.
- Work with neurologists, neuropsychologists, and spinal specialists to document injuries that don’t always show on a standard scan — including ‘mild’ TBIs with lasting cognitive effects.
- Find every source of recovery, because a single auto policy is never enough for a catastrophic injury.
- Support the family through a long process, with a named attorney and case manager who answer the phone.
What your case may be worth
No honest lawyer can give you a number on the first call. What we can tell you is what California lets you recover, and we’ll give you a realistic range once we’ve seen your medical records and the facts.
- Lifetime medical care, rehabilitation, and attendant care.
- Home and vehicle modifications, equipment, and technology.
- Lost income and lost earning capacity over a working lifetime.
- Pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium for a spouse.
Deadlines that can end your case
- Two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in California (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). Miss it and the claim is gone, no matter how strong.
- Six months if a government entity is involved — a city bus, a public road defect, a county vehicle, a school. You must file an administrative claim first (Government Code §911.2), and that clock is unforgiving.
- Because these cases require expert workups, the earlier we start, the more complete the record — and the stronger the demand.
What to do now
If someone in your family has a serious brain or spinal injury:
- Get medical care first. Even if you feel okay. Adrenaline hides injuries, and a gap in treatment is the first thing an adjuster uses against you.
- Report it. Police report for a crash; incident report to the property or business for a fall. Get a copy or the report number.
- Photograph everything. The scene, vehicles, hazards, your injuries, and anything that changes quickly (weather, lighting, a wet floor).
- Get names. Witnesses, the other driver, the store manager. People vanish fast.
- Don’t give a recorded statement to the other side’s insurer, and don’t sign anything, before you’ve talked to a lawyer.
- Call us. (818) 230-8380, any hour. We take it from there.
Questions we hear most
The insurer is offering the policy limit. Should we take it?
Not before we’ve checked for other coverage: umbrella policies, employer policies, product liability against a manufacturer, a government entity, or a negligent property owner. A ‘limits’ offer can be a fraction of what’s actually available.
The scans were normal but my spouse isn’t the same person.
That’s a real injury with a name. Mild traumatic brain injury often doesn’t appear on CT or MRI; it’s proven through neuropsychological testing, treating-physician records, and testimony from the people who know the person best. We know how to build that case.
How long will this take?
Catastrophic cases take longer, because the value depends on knowing the long-term prognosis. We’ll be honest about the timeline, and we’ll make sure care is happening throughout.
Hurt in an accident? Talk to us before you talk to the insurance company.
Free case review, any hour, English or Spanish. No fee unless we win.
This page is general information about California law, not legal advice about your situation. Every case is different. Talk to an attorney about yours — the consultation is free.