Victim of a brain or spine injury?

A brain injury changes how you move through the world. Some effects are visible, like memory loss, headaches, dizziness, while others are harder to explain, like fatigue, mood changes, or losing focus halfway through a sentence. These injuries reach into every part of life, from work to relationships, often long after the physical wounds have healed.

If you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), California law gives you the right to pursue compensation from the person, business, or organization that caused it. That includes payment for ongoing medical treatment, lost income, and the ways the injury has altered your daily life.

At Sweet James Accident Attorneys, we’ve handled many of these complex cases. Our job is to handle the legal system while you focus on rebuilding your health and stability.

If you have questions about what comes next, we’re ready to listen and provide clear answers. Call Sweet James Accident Attorneys today for a free and confidential consultation at (800) 900-0000.

Why Brain Injury Victims in Los Angeles Trust Sweet James Accident Attorneys

Proven Results in Complex Injury Cases

We have spent more than a decade representing individuals and families affected by serious and catastrophic injuries. Our firm has recovered over $2 billion in verdicts and settlements for clients, including multiple multi-million-dollar brain injury cases across California. One of our most notable results (a $17.4 million jury verdict in Kings County) remains the largest in that county’s history. 

Leadership You Can Trust

Our founder, James Bergener, is a nationally recognized trial lawyer, a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and a Super Lawyers honoree for multiple consecutive years. His early career as an insurance defense attorney gives us an inside understanding of how insurers evaluate and minimize brain injury claims—knowledge we now use to hold them accountable.

A Team With the Resources to Go the Distance

With over 450 professionals, including trial attorneys, medical experts, and case managers, we have the scale and experience to handle even the most complex brain injury cases. These cases demand detailed medical analysis, life care planning, and testimony from neurologists and rehabilitation specialists. 

Our in-house medical consultants and access to expert witnesses allow us to build strong, evidence-based claims that reflect your true losses, not just your immediate hospital bills.

Deep Roots in Southern California

Our Los Angeles office, located at 16133 Ventura Blvd Suite 700, sits in the heart of the Financial District. From here, we represent clients across Los Angeles County and throughout Southern California. 

We are deeply familiar with local courts, California’s personal injury laws, and the specific challenges brain injury survivors face when dealing with insurers and medical providers.

Recognized Excellence and Community Commitment

Sweet James Accident Attorneys has been honored among the Best Attorneys of America and maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Beyond our courtroom work, founder James Bergener is a frequent legal commentator on KLAC AM 570 LA Sports Radio, and our firm remains active in community safety and education initiatives.

No Fee Unless We Win

We believe every brain injury survivor deserves access to high-quality legal representation. That’s why we work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case.

How Is Compensation for a Brain Injury Calculated in California?

The goal of a personal injury claim is to secure financial support for every cost the accident has caused,both now and in the future. In California, this compensation, known legally as “damages,” is broken down into two primary categories.

Economic Damages: The Tangible Costs

These are the specific, measurable financial losses you have sustained. We work to document every single expense, including:

• All Medical Care: This covers everything from the initial emergency room visit to future needs like physical therapy, cognitive rehabilitation, prescription medications, and in-home nursing care.
• Lost Income and Earning Potential: We pursue compensation for the wages you have already lost and for the income you will likely lose in the future if the brain injury affects your ability to work.
• Related Out-of-Pocket Expenses: This includes costs like transportation to medical appointments or modifications needed for your home or vehicle.

Non-Economic Damages: The Intangible Impacts

These damages are meant to compensate for the ways the injury has diminished your quality of life. They include:

• Pain and Suffering: The physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety, and depression resulting from the injury.
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Compensation for how the injury has affected your ability to engage in hobbies, activities, and relationships you once valued.
• Loss of Consortium: In some cases, the uninjured spouse may have a claim for the loss of companionship and support.

What is “Comparative Fault” and How Does It Affect My Claim?

California follows a pure comparative fault rule. This is a legal concept that means your final compensation award may be reduced by whatever percentage of fault is assigned to you for the accident. 

Insurance companies conduct thorough investigations to look for any evidence to argue you were partially at fault. Our role is to protect you from unfair blame and ensure accountability is placed where it belongs.

Projecting Your Future Needs: The Role of Experts

An insurance company’s initial offer rarely accounts for the full scope of a brain injury’s long-term consequences. To build a case that reflects your future needs, we work with a team of highly specialized experts.

• Medical Specialists: Neurologists, neuropsychologists, and rehabilitation physicians help establish the full medical diagnosis and prognosis for your injury.
• Life Care Planners: Nurses or rehabilitation specialists, create a detailed, evidence-based report that outlines all of your projected future medical and personal care needs, from medications and therapies to home modifications and assistive technologies.
• Vocational Experts: A vocational expert analyzes your education, work history, and skills against your post-injury limitations to determine the injury’s exact impact on your ability to earn a living.
• Economists: These professionals take the reports from other experts and calculate the total financial value of your future losses, adjusting for inflation to arrive at a present-day lump sum.

This team approach allows us to present a comprehensive demand for compensation that is based on data, not guesswork.

Common Causes of Brain Injuries in Los Angeles County

We commonly see these injuries resulting from:

• High-Speed Traffic Collisions: The sheer volume of traffic on freeways like the 405, 10, 110, and 101 contributes to a high number of severe accidents. Rear-end collisions and T-bone accidents at busy intersections are frequent causes of head trauma.
• Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Accidents: Riders and pedestrians have little physical protection, making them exceptionally vulnerable to head injuries when struck by a vehicle.
• Commercial Truck Accidents: The immense size and weight of semi-trucks mean that collisions often result in life-altering injuries, including severe TBIs, and a truck accident lawyer can help victims pursue full compensation for these catastrophic losses.
• Construction Site Incidents: With development ongoing across LA, construction sites present numerous hazards. Falls, falling objects, and equipment malfunctions are common sources of head injuries.
• Slips and Falls: A fall on a poorly maintained floor in a grocery store, a cracked sidewalk, or an unsafe staircase can cause a person to strike their head and sustain a serious brain injury and a slip and fall accident lawyer can help determine whether the property owner can be held liable.

Understanding the Spectrum of Traumatic Brain Injuries

A traumatic brain injury can range from mild to severe, and the long-term impact is not always connected to the initial diagnosis. Even injuries that seem minor at first may lead to lasting challenges.

• Mild TBI (Concussion): A concussion is a serious injury that can cause lingering symptoms like headaches, memory problems, and mood swings if not managed properly. Most people do recover, but some experience post-concussion syndrome, where symptoms persist for months or even years.
• Moderate TBI: A moderate TBI usually involves a longer period of unconsciousness and more pronounced cognitive and physical deficits immediately following the injury. Recovery is possible but may require extensive rehabilitation, and some impairments could be permanent.
• Severe TBI: This level of injury is life-threatening and almost always results in significant, permanent disability. Individuals with severe TBIs typically require lifelong medical care and assistance with daily activities.

The “Invisible Injury”: Recognizing Delayed Brain Injury Symptoms

Brain injury signs might not appear for days or even weeks, and they are sometimes dismissed as stress or shock from the incident. It is important to monitor for any new or changing symptoms.

Even a concussion can have lasting consequences. Pay close attention to these three areas of change:

Physical Signs You Might Notice:

• Persistent headaches or migraines
• Dizziness or a loss of balance
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Blurred vision or sensitivity to light and sound

Cognitive Difficulties You Might Experience:

• Problems with short-term or long-term memory
• Trouble concentrating or staying on task
• Feeling confused or mentally “foggy”
• Slowed thinking or difficulty processing information

Emotional and Behavioral Shifts Others Might See:

• Increased irritability or mood swings
• Unexplained sadness, anxiety, or depression
• Changes in sleep patterns: sleeping more or less than usual

If you notice any of these signs in yourself or a loved one after an accident, discuss them with a doctor immediately. Documenting these symptoms is a key part of linking the injury to the accident.

What Our Los Angeles Brain Injury Lawyers Handle for You

The legal process for a brain injury claim is methodical and requires a high level of detail. Our team manages every part of this process, allowing you to direct your energy toward healing.

When you work with us, we take these steps to build your case:

• We Conduct a Deep Investigation: Our team immediately gets to work gathering all evidence. This includes police reports, witness statements, photographs, and video footage. When needed, we hire accident reconstructionists to establish exactly how the incident occurred.
• We Work With Your Medical Providers and Experts: We coordinate with your doctors and the team of specialists mentioned earlier to build a complete picture of your injury and its long-term financial impact.
• We Calculate the Full Value of Your Claim: We build a comprehensive demand that includes all current and projected future costs related to your brain injury, backed by expert analysis.
• We Handle All Communication: You no longer have to speak with insurance adjusters or attorneys for the other side. We take over all calls, emails, and paperwork, protecting you from saying something that could be used against you.
• We Negotiate from a Position of Strength: We present our detailed evidence to the insurance company and negotiate forcefully for the maximum compensation available under the law.
• We Are Ready for Trial: While most cases settle, we prepare every case as if it is going to trial. If the other side refuses to make a fair offer, we will not hesitate to present your case to a judge and jury.
  

  You Have a Right to a Path Forward

  You may be told your symptoms aren’t that serious or be presented with a quick settlement that fails to account for your family’s long-term needs. That is not acceptable. 

  With the right legal partner, securing the resources for your recovery is within reach. 

  Let our team handle the legal process so you can focus on what matters most: your health. For a free, no-obligation review of your brain injury case, call Sweet James Accident Attorneys now at (800) 900-0000.