Brain Injuries

California Brain Injury & TBI Attorneys

Injured with a brain injury? Here is what to know.

• Yaghmai Law Firm represents traumatic brain injury (TBI) victims in Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks, and the San Fernando Valley.
• We handle TBIs from car accidents, motorcycle crashes, falls, sports, workplace incidents, and medical negligence.
• California gives you two years from the date of injury to file a claim under CCP Section 335.1.
• No fees unless we recover compensation. Free case review.
• Call or text (888) 800-6731 or submit your case online.

Hiring an experienced brain injury lawyer in the days after a TBI preserves the medical and accident-scene evidence insurance companies use to undervalue claims. Brain injuries are among the most serious and life-altering consequences of an accident. A single moment of negligence – a distracted driver, a missed safety hazard, a defective product – can cause a traumatic brain injury that affects memory, mood, mobility, and the ability to work for years or for life.

If you or a family member suffered a brain injury in Los Angeles or the San Fernando Valley, Yaghmai Law Firm is ready to fight for the full compensation you need. We represent TBI victims on a contingency-fee basis – you pay nothing upfront, and we only collect a fee when we recover money for you. We coordinate medical specialists, document the long-term impact of your injury, and stand against insurance companies that try to minimize what your case is worth.

No Win, No Fee – $0 Upfront to Hire Us

Our Los Angeles brain injury lawyer works exclusively on contingency fees for personal injury claims. You pay no upfront costs, no hourly billing, and no retainer. We advance all case expenses and only collect a fee when we win your case or secure a settlement. This arrangement means our financial interests are aligned with yours – we are motivated to maximize your recovery.

Schedule a free consultation to discuss your brain injury case with a Sherman Oaks attorney who puts your recovery first.

Types of Brain Injuries We Handle

Brain injuries vary widely in severity and presentation. Our firm handles cases involving:

• Concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) – even “mild” concussions can cause long-term cognitive and emotional symptoms, particularly in cases of repeat concussions.
• Moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) – injuries that cause loss of consciousness for more than a few minutes, persistent symptoms, or measurable structural damage on imaging.
• Penetrating brain injuries – caused by an object piercing the skull, often in workplace accidents, assaults, or vehicle crashes involving debris.
• Diffuse axonal injuries (DAI) – widespread damage caused by rapid acceleration-deceleration forces, common in high-speed car and motorcycle accidents.
• Anoxic and hypoxic brain injuries – damage caused by reduced or absent oxygen to the brain, including near-drowning incidents and certain medical complications.
• Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – progressive degeneration from repeated head trauma, often in sports or military contexts.
• Brain injuries in children – pediatric TBI requires specialized medical and legal handling because of long-term developmental impact.

Regardless of severity or cause, every brain injury claim requires careful documentation, expert medical opinion, and a clear long-term care plan. We work with neurologists, neuropsychologists, life-care planners, and economists to build the full picture of what your injury will cost over your lifetime.

Common Causes of Brain Injuries in Los Angeles

Most of the traumatic brain injury cases we handle in Los Angeles arise from preventable accidents. Common causes include:

• Car accidents – high-speed collisions, rear-end impacts, and rollovers can cause closed-head injuries even when external trauma is minimal.
• Motorcycle accidents – motorcyclists are dramatically more likely than car occupants to suffer head trauma; even with a helmet, brain injury is a leading cause of long-term disability.
• Truck accidents – collisions with semi-trucks and tractor-trailers commonly cause severe TBIs because of the size and weight differential.
• Pedestrian and bicycle accidents – unprotected road users hit by a vehicle are at very high risk of head injury.
• Bus and train accidents – public-transit collisions can cause TBIs to passengers and bystanders.
• Sports and recreation incidents – youth and amateur sports head injuries are increasingly recognized as serious medical events.

If your brain injury was caused by another party’s negligence, you may have a claim regardless of the type of accident.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Symptoms

TBI symptoms vary case to case, but each can have lasting effects. Documenting all symptoms early – and pursuing high-quality medical evaluation – is critical to your health and your legal claim.

Mild TBI symptoms

May resolve with rest and treatment, but should never be ignored.

• Physical: brief loss of consciousness (seconds to minutes) or no loss of consciousness but feeling dazed, disoriented, or confused; headaches; dizziness; fatigue; difficulty sleeping or sleeping excessively; problems with speech.
• Sensory: blurry vision; ringing in the ears (tinnitus); bad taste in the mouth; changes in sense of smell.
• Cognitive and emotional: memory or concentration problems; mood swings; depression or anxiety.

Moderate to severe TBI symptoms

Require immediate medical attention.

• Physical: loss of consciousness from several minutes to hours; persistent or worsening headache; repeated vomiting or nausea; convulsions or seizures; dilation of one or both pupils; clear fluids draining from the nose or ears; inability to wake from sleep; weakness or numbness in fingers and toes; loss of coordination.
• Cognitive and emotional: profound confusion; agitation, combativeness, or unusual behavior; slurred speech; coma or other disorders of consciousness.

Pediatric TBI symptoms

Often subtle and easily missed.

• Change in eating or nursing habits.
• Unusual irritability or persistent inconsolable crying.
• Change in attention or sleep habits.
• Seizures.
• Sad or depressed mood; drowsiness; loss of interest in favorite toys or activities.

Some traumatic brain injury symptoms appear or worsen years after the initial trauma. If you experienced any blow, jolt, or penetrating injury to the head – or even a rapid acceleration-deceleration event – and notice cognitive, mood, sleep, or physical changes, document the symptoms and seek a neurological evaluation. These records become essential evidence in your claim.

Source for medical descriptions: CDC Traumatic Brain Injury overview and Mayo Clinic TBI symptom guidance.

What Is Your Brain Injury Case Worth?

The value of a brain injury claim depends on several factors specific to your case. California law allows you to recover two categories of personal injury compensation:

Economic Damages (Financial Losses)

These are your measurable out-of-pocket costs, including emergency care, neurological imaging, surgery, rehabilitation, ongoing therapy (physical, occupational, speech, cognitive), future medical care, home modifications for accessibility, lost wages from missed work, and lost earning capacity if the injury permanently affects your ability to work.

Non-Economic Damages (Quality-of-Life Losses)

California also compensates for pain and suffering, emotional distress, physical impairment, disfigurement, loss of consortium, and loss of enjoyment of life. In severe TBI cases, non-economic damages often represent the largest portion of the recovery.

Punitive Damages

In cases involving oppression, fraud, or malice – such as drunk driving or willful disregard for safety – punitive damages may be available under California Civil Code Section 3294.

No lawyer can guarantee any specific outcome, and California’s Rules of Professional Conduct prohibit such guarantees. Every case is fact-specific. The factors that most often drive case value include the severity of the cognitive and physical impairment, the cost of future medical care, the impact on earning capacity, and the strength of evidence regarding liability.

California Brain Injury Law and Filing Deadlines

Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, you generally have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit, including brain injury claims. Several important exceptions apply:

• Claims against government entities – if the at-fault party is a city, county, transit agency (such as Metro), school district, or other public entity, you must file an administrative claim within 6 months of the incident under California Government Code Section 911.2. Missing this deadline typically bars the claim entirely.
• Discovery rule – for brain injuries where the diagnosis or full extent of injury is not immediately apparent, the statute may be tolled from the date the injury was or reasonably should have been discovered. This applies particularly in mild-TBI cases where symptoms emerge over time.
• Minors – the statute of limitations is tolled until the injured person turns 18, giving them until age 20 to file.

If you were recently injured, speak with a Los Angeles brain injury attorney promptly to preserve evidence and protect your right to recover.

Why Clients Choose Yaghmai Law Firm

As a Sherman Oaks brain injury attorney serving the San Fernando Valley, Houtan Yaghmai and the team at Yaghmai Law Firm provide:

• No win, no fee – zero upfront cost to you.
• Direct attorney access – you communicate with your lawyer, not a call center.
• Local knowledge – we know Sherman Oaks intersections, Valley courts, Metro routes, and how local insurance adjusters handle TBI claims.
• Medical-network coordination – we work with neurologists, neuropsychologists, and rehabilitation specialists to document the full extent of your injury.
• Multilingual services – English, French, and Persian (Farsi) spoken fluently. Spanish available via interpreter.

“Brain injury cases run on neuropsych testing, imaging, and a lifecare plan – not on adjuster math. If a carrier is offering policy limits early, that usually means they are seeing the same thing we are. I want the full neuropsych workup in the file before I open the demand.”

— Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a brain injury lawyer cost in California?

Most California brain injury lawyers, including our firm, work on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront. The attorney fee is a percentage of any settlement or verdict – typically between 33% and 40% – and is only collected if you win.

How long does a brain injury case take to settle?

Brain injury cases typically take longer than other personal injury claims because the full medical picture must be established before settlement. Straightforward cases may resolve within 9-18 months. Severe TBI cases with permanent impairment, contested liability, or government defendants often take 18-36 months or longer.

What evidence do I need for a brain injury claim?

The strongest claims include: CT scans, MRIs, and other diagnostic imaging; neurological and neuropsychological evaluations; medical records from emergency treatment through ongoing care; a daily symptom journal; lost-wage documentation; statements from family members and coworkers about cognitive or behavioral changes; the police report, if any; photos and videos from the accident scene; and expert witness reports on long-term prognosis.

Can I have a brain injury without losing consciousness?

Yes. Most concussions and mild TBIs do not involve loss of consciousness. Symptoms like brief confusion, headache, dizziness, or memory problems after a head trauma – even without blacking out – can indicate a TBI. Do not assume the absence of unconsciousness means the absence of injury.

Do brain injury symptoms appear years later?

Yes. Some traumatic brain injuries have delayed symptom onset or progressive worsening – including cognitive decline, mood disorders, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in cases of repeated trauma. California’s discovery rule may extend the filing deadline in these cases. Speak with an attorney as soon as symptoms emerge.

Who can be held responsible for a brain injury?

Liability depends on the cause. Common defendants in brain injury cases include negligent drivers (and their insurers), trucking companies, government entities operating buses or trains, property owners, manufacturers of defective products, and in some cases medical providers. Multiple parties may share liability – and each must be identified to maximize your recovery.

Will insurance cover all of my brain injury costs?

Often, no. Insurance companies routinely undervalue or deny brain injury claims, particularly mild-TBI cases where the injury is not visible on imaging. Insurers may pressure you into early settlement before the full extent of the injury is known. Do not give recorded statements or accept settlement offers before consulting an attorney.

What if my brain injury was caused by multiple factors?

Brain injuries often have multiple contributing causes – for example, a car crash followed by inadequate medical care. Under California’s comparative fault rules, multiple parties may share liability proportional to their role. An experienced attorney can identify every liable party and pursue compensation from each.

Related Personal Injury Practice Areas

• Car Accidents – TBIs are common in serious car collisions.
• Motorcycle Accidents – motorcycle crashes have one of the highest TBI rates of any accident type.
• Truck Accidents – severe TBIs are typical in truck-vehicle collisions.
• Pedestrian Accidents – pedestrians hit by vehicles are at very high TBI risk.
• Wrongful Death – when a TBI is fatal, the family may have a wrongful death claim.
• Personal Injury Hub – overview of all PI practice areas.

Reviewed by Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney. Admitted to practice law in California (State Bar No. 298487). He represents personal injury and immigration clients statewide.

Last updated: May 30, 2026.