Brain Injury Lawyer in Irvine and Orange County, CA

Brain Injury Lawyers

A brain injury is a catastrophic injury from which victims literately are impacted in their thinking, their emotions, and their problem solving. Typically, it is an injury from which there is no full recovery. Brain cells and nerve cells do not necessarily regenerate, which is why if someone suffers an injury involving paralysis, it is often, and more often than not, permanent. Brain cells, once lost, cannot be recovered. Unlike most body tissues, the brain cannot regenerate its cells. If the cells are damaged, or the connections to the cells are damaged or broken, then the functions of a person’s brain are lost. The key in such a circumstance is appropriate rehabilitation to allow the person and the brain to find new ways to function. That is the essence of a brain injury.

The Orange County personal injury lawyers at The Cifarelli Law Firm, LLP, provide results-oriented representation on behalf of brain injury victims. Working hard to make a positive difference in our clients’ lives, we seek full compensation for our clients and the financial resources that can pay for needed medical care and rehabilitation services.

Oftentimes, brain injuries are closed head injuries, meaning that there, necessarily, is no blood. You receive a blow to the head and you may or may not lose consciousness, but you do not see blood. You are, seemingly, able to walk away and you are thinking, “Well, I am not hurt. I got a blow to my head, but I am not hurt.” Nevertheless, there can still be significant damage, and people should be aware of the typical symptoms of a serious brain injury.

Symptoms can include a headache which gets worse over time, blurred vision or loss of vision. A person may experience dizziness after the accident or become imbalanced or lose their balance. Tingling on any part of the body can indicate some sort of brain or nerve injury; and, of course, loss of consciousness, extreme sleeplessness, or irritability. Sudden mood changes could also be another indication of a brain injury, and facial expressions which seem to change, such as a strange tic or twitch on the face. So, those are all things someone should look for in a brain injury, particularly a closed head brain injury where the initial thought is, “I am fine. Let me just move on and I’ll recover. I’ll be fine. I just got whacked on the head.”

Our lawyers represent people who have suffered all types of brain injuries as the result of negligent or intentional acts:

Anoxic brain injury: This brain injury occurs when the brain is completely deprived of oxygen. Within minutes, permanent brain damage can occur, as vital functions of the brain become impaired and possibly lost forever. Some of the causes of Anoxic brain injury include drowning, suffocation, electric shock, misdiagnosed heart conditions and carbon monoxide (CO) exposure.

Concussions: A very common head injury in accidents of all sorts in California is a concussion. Concussions can result from automobile accidents, school sports injuries, slip and fall accidents, assaults and animal attacks. In cases of physical child abuse concussions are also common injuries. Concussions are head injuries that result in a temporary loss of consciousness due to head trauma. Initially, a concussion may seem minor although it may later evolve into more serious injuries that may impact the quality of your life. If you, or your child, have suffered a concussion injury due to an accident, abuse or assault you may be entitled to benefits and compensation per California personal injury law.

Diffuse Axonal injury:  A traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to being injured in an accident of some sort will change your life forever. Following any type of brain injury your life will be significantly different than it was prior to the injury. A very severe brain injury is diffuse axonal injury (DAI).  If you sustain a brain injury that tears, or separates, the axons of the brain a diffuse Axonal injury will result. The Axons connect the brain cells. Accidents occurring at very high speeds, accidents that shake the victim violently and or twist the brain inside the skull can result in diffuse Axonal injuries. Diffuse Axonal injury may result in severely impaired brain function, cognitive ability and diminished motor skills. DAI can impact different parts of the brain due to the tearing of the Axons. An injury as serious as this may entitle you to benefits and compensation and speaking with a personal injury attorney is a wise move.

Frontal lobe injury: The frontal lobe of the brain is the center of our consciousness. Its cells regulate a person’s conscious thoughts, determine his or her personality, and control his or her voluntary movements. When the frontal lobe is injured, serious complications can result, including loss of memory, loss of reasoning skills, changes in personality and impaired ability to react to changing circumstances. People who have suffered frontal lobe brain injuries require diagnosis and treatment by brain specialists and extensive rehabilitation services. Both the injured person and the injured person’s family must adapt to a radically new situation.

Hypoxic brain injury: when the flow of oxygen to the brain is reduced, it can result in a Hypoxic brain injury. This can significantly reduce the victim’s quality of life and earning ability, and he or she may require years of specialized and costly medical care.If a family member has suffered a Hypoxic brain injury as the result of a drowning accident, problems during birth, an undiagnosed heart attack or another cause, you may be eligible for compensation.

A Hypoxic injury occurs when the oxygen flow to the brain is constricted but not completely cut off. In this respect it differs from an Anoxic brain injury, which is caused by the complete cessation of oxygen flow. The effects of either type of injury are generally the same however. Victims may suffer effects such as short term memory loss, difficulty concentrating, diminished reasoning skills, decreased coordination and motor skills and difficulty speaking.

Some victims of Hypoxic brain injuries can make remarkable progress. With the help of a life-care planner, our attorneys will identify all of the medical care, rehabilitation services and personal services the victim will need, now and in the future. This could include physical therapy, speech therapy, vocational therapy and other needs. We will then seek full compensation for these costs, as well as damages for all other loses, including loss of quality of life.

Parietal lobe injury: The parietal lobe is situated between the occipital and frontal lobes. The parietal lobe serves important functions such as integration of sensory information, depth perception, judging spatial senses and navigation. In many types of accidents injuring the head the Parietal lobe of the brain can be vulnerable to injury. If you, or a loved one, have sustained an injury to the parietal lobe it is in your best interest to speak with a personal injury attorney handling parietal lobe injury cases regarding compensation and benefits.

Injury to the parietal lobe can result in your life being totally different than it was prior to the injury. You may suffer from an inability to carry out everyday tasks such as multitasking, reading problems, writing disorders and difficulty distinguishing your left from your right.

Aside from having to relearn many daily activities and learning how to live your life again you may also face seemingly insurmountable medical expenses. Your financial situation may be further impacted as you may be unable to work for an extended period of time. Working with an experienced personal injury after your accident is a smart move. They can focus on helping you and your family recover losses related to the accident. They will assess any and all means of compensation for your injuries and identify all liable parties and make them pay for your injuries.

Temporal lobe injury: There are two temporal lobes in the brain, one on each side of the head and are situated at ear level. The temporal lobes are responsible for differentiating between various smells. It also enables us to tell one sound from another. The right temporal lobe is also related to visual memory function while the the left temporal lobe is associated with verbal cue memory. As with any type of brain injury the quality of life you enjoyed prior to the injury will never be obtained. Injuries involving the brain, and it’s numerous structures, are very serious and warrant the help of a skilled personal injury lawyer.

Various types of accidents can injure the temporal lobe as the two temporal lobes are on the side of the head. A side impact collision, which normally occurs at an intersection. can cause serious injury to the temporal lobe. When the other vehicle strikes your car your head can hit the window with significant force. The force that is exerted at impact can ultimately damage the temporal lobe. While side impact, also referred to as T-Bone collisions, are commonly associated with temporal lobe injuries although any type of car accident can damage the temporal lobe. Other types of accidents that can injure the temporal lobe are animal attacks, assault, slips, falls and in instances of child abuse.

After a temporal lobe injury your life may never be the same. Your hearing ability, language comprehension and emotional stability may all be impacted. With that you may need long term care and have to undergo years of therapy. As these necessities can put you and your family under extreme financial strain it is in your best interest to contact an experienced brain injury lawyer as you may be entitled to benefits and financial compensation according to California personal injury law.

Common Causes of Brain Injuries

At the Cifarelli Law Firm, the most common causes of brain injury are accidents. For example:

  • Tripping Accidents
  • Car Accidents
  • Falling Down Stairs
  • Motorcycle Accidents
  • Bicycle Accidents (especially without a helmet)

Brain injuries can result from any kind of accident where the person’s head strikes a portion of the interior of the vehicle. There could also be, if the impact is serious enough, a brain injury resulting from an intense whiplash movement. Because of the severe movement of the head, the inside of the brain smashes against the inside of the skull, and then in the recoil of the movement, the brain then smashes against the other side of the skull. That can cause what is called a coup or contrecoup injury that can also lead to brain damage.

Damages Awarded In California Brain Injury Claims

In a brain injury claim there are numerous benefits and means of compensation that can be awarded according to California personal injury law. Each case is different from the next regarding what damages are awarded as the extent of your injuries and their impact on your life determine what damages are awarded. Possible damages may be:

    1. Medical Benefit Reimbursement And Compensation (including physical rehabilitation, medication costs, surgeries and future medical costs)
    2. Current Lost Income Compensation
    3. Future Lost Earnings Compensation
    4. Diminished Quality Of Life Compensation
    5. Pain And Suffering Compensation
    6. Having a skilled and experienced Irvine personal injury lawyer on your side will ensure that you get the maximum amount of compensation and benefits for your injuries from all possible compensation sources.

Another aspect of what our firm would look at is, if there is brain injury, oftentimes the person’s cognitive ability or physical abilities will be impacted which could affect a person’s job or it could impact their ability to earn a living. We would look at loss of past earnings and future loss of earnings if the person is no longer capable of carrying out their job responsibilities or functioning in their career.

Applying Medical Science To The Law

The rights of a person who suffered brain injury are the full recovery with respect to both the medical expenses in the past and the extraordinary medical expenses that can result in the future. Brain injuries, because of the nature of them often being permanent and the brain being incapable to regenerate cells, can require extensive rehabilitation and therapy over many, many years. That type of treatment is extraordinarily expensive and requires experts trained in brain damage rehabilitation and brain damage recovery. The future care and future rehabilitation is one of the components Cifarelli Law Firm would seek in a lawsuit involving brain damage.


Whether the brain injury was caused by a car accident, medical malpractice during birth or another cause, you can feel confident when entrusting your case to us. The Cifarelli Law Firm, LLP, will work diligently to obtain the best possible result for you.

A Comprehensive Legal Effort

The Cifarelli Law Firm brings the resources of the entire team to ensure that, first and foremost, the person is adequately and comprehensively evaluated by a trained healthcare professional to determine exactly what their condition is and what injuries they have suffered. Once we know the nature and extent of their brain damage, then we can help point them in the right direction so that they receive the full care they need now, and the rehabilitative care they need in the future to get the best recovery possible under their circumstances. Then, of course, we look at the legal aspects. Our attorney would investigate the matter that caused the brain injury and determine the responsible parties. We then initiate contact, investigation, and litigation, and ultimately trial work to ensure that the person who caused the brain injury is held accountable in court and is made to pay for the harms and losses suffered by the victim of brain injury.

Contact An Orange County Personal Injury Attorney

For a free consultation about a brain injury case in Orange County, contact The Cifarelli Law Firm, LLP at (949) 502-8600.