Burbank Brain Injury Lawyer

You hit your head in a crash and walked away, or someone you love did not walk away at all. In the days after, the headaches start. Words slip. Light and noise hurt. Work feels foggy. Brain injuries often hide behind a normal first exam, and insurers know it. Burbank traffic runs on Interstate 5, the SR 134, and wide surface streets like Olive Avenue and Victory Boulevard, and a hard crash on any of them can shake the brain even without a skull fracture. Moe Abdallah Law, P.C. handles motor-vehicle injury claims only, including brain injuries that come from crashes. Attorney Moe Abdallah takes calls himself and keeps you updated by call and text. The first review is free, you pay no fee unless we win, and you can reach us 24/7. Se habla Español. Below you will find how Burbank crashes injure the brain, what proof you need, who pays, and which deadlines can cut off a claim.

How a Burbank crash can injure the brain

A brain injury needs no blow to the head. The brain floats inside the skull, and a sudden stop or twist can slam it against bone. A rear-end hit at a Burbank signal can do that. So can a T-bone at a busy corner, a pedestrian strike, or a motorcycle or bike fall onto pavement. City data reported by myBurbank counted 50 crashes at Victory Place and Burbank Boulevard from 2015 to 2020, 45 at Olive Avenue and Buena Vista Street, and 41 at Buena Vista Street and Victory Boulevard. Those counts are old and cover all crash types. They show where Burbank traffic piles up, not how many people suffered brain injuries. The California Office of Traffic Safety ranked Burbank 4th of 61 similar cities for pedestrian victims in 2022 and 11th of 62 in 2023, where rank 1 is the worst record. A pedestrian who falls or is thrown onto the street can strike the head hard. Injuries range from a concussion to a contusion, bleeding inside the skull, or a diffuse axonal injury where nerve fibers tear. Doctors call a concussion mild, but the effect on your life may not be mild at all. We look at what the injury does to you, not the label on the chart.

The first days: Providence Saint Joseph and symptoms that show late

Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, at 501 S. Buena Vista St., runs a 24/7 emergency department at (818) 843-5111. Its emergency page lists a Certified Stroke Center designation but no trauma center level, so after a serious freeway crash paramedics may take you to a trauma center elsewhere in the county. Go to an emergency room the same day for any head strike, even if you feel fine. Warning signs include a headache that will not quit, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, slurred speech, memory gaps, a short blackout, and sudden mood swings. Some people notice problems only when they return to work. Tell the doctor you hit your head and how the crash happened. If a family member saw the change in you, bring them, because they often notice what you miss. Go back when a new symptom appears, and write each one down with the date. That log, plus the medical record, shows the insurer a clear line from the crash to the injury. A gap of weeks with no care is the first thing an adjuster will cite to say your problems came from stress or something else.

Proving an injury a scan may not show

A normal CT scan does not end a brain injury claim. A CT looks for bleeding and fractures. It often misses the damage that causes memory, focus, and mood problems. Good proof usually comes from several places. Your treating doctors document symptoms and what they see. A neurologist or a rehabilitation physician may order MRI imaging or follow-up exams. A neuropsychologist can run tests that measure memory, attention, and processing speed against what is normal for your age. Your employer, your family, and your friends can describe what changed, such as missed deadlines, forgotten names, or a short temper. Speech, occupational, and vision therapy records add detail. Insurers argue that you look fine, that stress or age explains your symptoms, or that you had trouble before the crash. The age argument comes up often in Burbank, where OTS ranked the city 2nd of 61 for pedestrian victims aged 65 and older in 2022 and 6th of 62 in 2023. The City has also told myBurbank it sees more minor rear-end bumps at red lights, and adjusters say a bump that small cannot hurt a brain. The records have to answer both. They also ask for broad medical releases so they can dig through old records. Do not sign one without advice. We build your records into a timeline, ask your providers the right questions, and bring in the medical help needed to show the injury is real and ongoing.

Who pays for a brain injury, and why the limits matter

A serious brain injury can mean surgery, rehab, therapy, medication, lost income, and care at home for years. California minimum auto liability limits for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025 are $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $15,000 for property damage (Vehicle Code section 16056). A serious head injury can cost far more than that. So we look for every source of coverage: the at-fault driver's policy, your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, an employer's policy if the driver was working, and a rideshare company's policy when an Uber or Lyft trip was involved. Two state rules also shape a claim. Under Civil Code section 1431.2 (Prop 51), each defendant pays non-economic damages such as pain and suffering only in proportion to that defendant's share of fault, while economic damages like medical bills stay joint. Under Civil Code section 3333.4 (Prop 213), a driver who was uninsured, or convicted of DUI in the crash, generally cannot recover non-economic damages. Moe Abdallah has recovered policy limits in several cases. Past results are no promise of a similar outcome. Each case depends on its own facts and coverage.

Deadlines, incapacity, and who acts for an injured person

Most brain injury lawsuits against a private driver must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. The clock usually starts on the day of the crash. Because symptoms can show up late, that date can arrive before you understand how serious the injury is. If a public entity or employee is responsible, such as a city vehicle or a dangerous public road, you must first present a written claim within six months under Government Code section 911.2. For the City of Burbank, claims go to the Burbank City Clerk's Office at cityclerks@burbankca.gov or P.O. Box 6459, Burbank, CA 91510. If the entity rejects the claim in writing, you have six months to sue under section 945.6. Missing the six-month claim date does not always end the case. You can apply to file a late claim, but that application must come within one year of the injury (section 911.4). Brain injury can leave a person unable to make decisions. When that happens, the time lost to that incapacity may not count toward the two-year limit (section 352), though that tolling does not apply to government claims. A person who lacks capacity must appear through a guardian, conservator, or guardian ad litem, and a court must approve any settlement of that person's claim (section 372). Do not wait to learn which rule applies to you.

Police reports, early evidence, and how Moe handles a brain injury case

The Burbank Police Department, at 200 N. Third St., writes reports for crashes on city streets when someone is hurt or killed, when a driver asks for one, when a city or government vehicle is involved, or when there is a chargeable violation such as DUI or hit-and-run. Call the Records Bureau at (818) 238-3140 or the Traffic Bureau at (818) 238-3100. Online copies come through LexisNexis at least four days after the crash. The California Highway Patrol normally handles crashes on Interstate 5 and the SR 134. Ask the officer to note any head strike, loss of consciousness, or confusion. People with a head injury often give shaky accounts at the scene, and a report built on that account can get fault wrong. We read it line by line. Next we move on video, vehicle data, witness names, and the scene before they vanish. We collect your medical records and bills and follow your treatment. You never give a recorded statement. We count future care and lost earning power, not only today's bills. Moe takes cases on contingency, so you pay no fee unless we win. Call (323) 716-1992, any hour, for a free review.

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Call (323) 716-1992 for a free, no-obligation case review. You pay nothing unless we win, and we'll handle the insurance companies for you. Learn more about our brain / catastrophic injury representation →

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