Garden Grove Brain Injury Attorneys

Brain trauma can impact all aspects of your life, from your career to your relationships to your ability to enjoy your hobbies. If you were hurt due to someone’s negligence, our Garden Grove brain injury attorneys may be able to help you fight for fair compensation to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages. Losses in a brain injury case can be substantial. As such, the insurance company may commit significant resources toward disputing your claim. Our attorneys can help level the playing field by representing you at all stages of proceedings and gathering the evidence you will need to prove liability, causation, and damages. The initial consultation is free, and we accept brain injury claims on a contingency-fee basis, which means you only pay attorneys’ fees if your case is successful. To schedule a case assessment, contact us today at 1-800-GO-HARRIS.

What Should I Include in My Personal Injury Journal?

If you were injured in a serious accident, it’s a traumatic moment you’re likely in a hurry to forget. However, your ability to recall specific details about the moments before and after you suffered your brain injury could play a significant role in your fight for a fair settlement. While these memories will fade, starting a personal injury journal will ensure that this information isn’t lost to the sands of time. This journal is used, primarily, to keep track of the symptoms, pain, and medication side-effects you experience during recovery. But it also doubles up as a space to take notes on your doctor’s visits and jot down your personal account of the accident. Here are a few items you may want to include in your personal injury journal:

• The Day of the Accident: Weeks or even just a few days after the accident, that chaotic moment may seem like a blur. What did you do immediately afterward the accident? Was there anyone who saw the accident take place? Were there surveillance cameras near the scene? Taking time to answer these questions as soon as possible after the incident can help ensure that this information is preserved to later share with your attorney. For instance, if you noted the names and contact details of eyewitnesses, your lawyer may interview these onlookers to determine whether their deposition could help corroborate other evidence in your case.
• Limitations: If you suffered a serious injury or disability, your condition may interfere with your ability to perform even the most trivial tasks. Are you able to complete household chores? Can you drive? Are you able to work? The ways your injury interferes with your everyday life can be important to your case. You should note down every time your injuries prevent you from engaging in your usual activities and share this information with your attorney. Your lawyer may rely on these entries to help prove lost wages or non-economic damages such as loss of enjoyment of life.
• Pain Levels: Even minor injuries can lead to immense pain or discomfort. Your personal injury journal is a space to keep track of your pain levels and describe the sensations you are experiencing. You may want to rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 representing the highest levels of pain. When describing your injuries, try paint a clear picture of how your injury is affecting you. What type of pain are you experiencing? Does it make it difficult for you to focus? What triggers this pain? How long does this pain last before it subsides? Your entries could help your lawyer build a case for intangible losses such as pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Common Mistakes Claimants Make During the Claims Process

Making mistakes is only human, but where most missteps can be remedied with a carefully worded apology, errors during the claims process are difficult to undo. If you’re seeking compensation for a personal injury, you need to consider every action you take. Even a minor oversight could sink you claim, leaving you with no way to obtain the financial award you need to get your life back on track. Fortunately, you’re not on this journey alone. A competent attorney can help you navigate these choppy waters, helping you sidestep common mistakes and counter disputes if or when they arise. Here are a few errors you will want to avoid while your claim is pending:

• You Did Not Track Your Losses Accurately: A misplaced receipt could make it impossible for you to recover compensation for some of your accident-related losses. As such, it’s important to compile any information related to your injuries, including financial documents that could help prove your damages. During your initial consultation, your attorney may want to see medical records, repair bills, receipts for alternate transportation, letters from your employer, bank statements, and other information that might be used to estimate the value of your losses.
• You Discussed the Accident Online: Friends and family may be badgering you for the grisly details of the accident. Feeling exhausted, in pain, and completely overwhelmed, you might be tempted to shoot off a quick post to let everyone know you are doing okay. But the digital space isn’t a safe space if you’re planning to file a personal injury claim. Often, it’s not just your loved ones reading your posts—the insurance company could be tuning in, too. Your posts, comments, and even your pictures could be used as evidence to dispute aspects of your case. For instance, a snapshot of you engaging in physical activity could be used by the insurance company to assert that you ignored your doctor’s orders to rest, or that your injuries are not that serious. For these reasons, it’s likely our lawyers will advise you to deactivate your social media profiles until your case has concluded.
• You Did Not Get a Prompt Diagnosis: If your injuries don’t appear to be very serious, you may think it’s not worth the time, effort, and money to schedule a doctor’s appointment after the accident. However, foregoing a medical assessment could lead to a world of trouble for you and your personal injury claim. Not only can many conditions worsen without treatment, failing to get a prompt diagnosis can also leave the door wide open for the insurance company to dispute liability and damages. For instance, the claims adjuster may argue that had you sought medical attention in a timely manner, you may have prevented some or all of your damages. As such, you should always visit the doctor after an accident, regardless of whether your injuries seem serious or not.

Schedule a Consultation with Our Garden Grove Brain Injury Lawyers

If you’ve suffered a serious brain injury, you’re likely feeling scared, stressed, and completely overwhelmed. Our legal team is here to help guide you through this challenging chapter of your life. During your initial consultation, we can answer your questions, assess your case, and discuss your options. Call 1-800-GO-HARRIS or complete our Contact Form to schedule a conversation with one of our lawyers.