Encino Brain Injury Lawyer

A head injury from a crash on Ventura Boulevard, the 101, or the 405 can look minor on day one and change your life by day thirty. You may have a headache that won't quit, foggy thinking, or irritability your family notices before you do. Moe Abdallah Law, P.C. is a Los Angeles firm that handles motor-vehicle injury cases only, including brain injury and wrongful death that come from crashes. Attorney Mohamad "Moe" Abdallah takes the calls himself and keeps you and your family updated by phone and text. We charge no fee unless he wins. This page covers how Encino crashes cause traumatic brain injuries (TBI), why symptoms and scans can mislead, how insurance limits shape what you can recover, and which deadlines apply. The consultation is free, we answer 24/7, and we speak Spanish.

How a crash in Encino becomes a head injury

You can have a brain injury without a skull fracture or a direct hit to the head. The brain can be hurt when the head whips forward and back in a rear-end collision, strikes the window or steering wheel, or hits pavement. Encino's mix of roads sets up each version. Rear-end and left-turn crashes happen on Ventura Boulevard, Sepulveda Boulevard, and Balboa Boulevard. Higher-speed crashes happen at the US-101 (Ventura Freeway) and I-405 (San Diego Freeway) merges. Motorcycle riders and cyclists face direct impact with a car or the road. Pedestrians can be thrown onto the pavement. FOX 11 reported that a September 12, 2026 crash at Ventura Boulevard and Densmore Avenue killed one woman and injured six more. We do not know the injuries in that case. We cite it because a crash at an ordinary intersection here can end in serious harm. Concussion is a mild TBI, but mild does not mean harmless. Even a concussion can bring weeks or months of symptoms. If you were in an Encino crash and hit your head, or felt dazed, tell your doctor and say it plainly: you may have a brain injury.

Symptoms that show up late, and why that matters for your claim

Many people feel fine at the scene because adrenaline masks pain. Hours or days later, the signs show up. Common ones include headache, dizziness, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, trouble sleeping, foggy thinking, memory gaps, and mood swings. The CDC lists many of these as signs of a concussion or TBI. Family members often spot the change first. They notice that you repeat questions, lose your temper, or can't keep up at work. Insurers use that delay against you. They point to a gap between the crash and your first doctor visit and say something else caused the problem. The fix is simple. See a doctor right away, even if you feel okay, and tell them you hit your head or were jolted hard. Keep a daily symptom journal with dates. Ask a spouse, parent, or coworker to write down what they see. Save the work emails that show mistakes you would not have made before the crash. Bring that journal to every appointment. It turns a vague complaint into something a jury can follow, and it backs up your lost-income claim.

Proving an injury that a CT scan may not show

A normal CT scan does not rule out a brain injury. A CT is mainly used to look for bleeding, swelling, and fractures, and a concussion may not show up on it. That is why a brain injury case depends on more than the first ER visit. Strong cases often use a neurologist, neuropsychological testing that measures memory, attention, and processing speed, and records from the doctors who treated you over time. Employers and teachers can describe what changed. Medical bills and wage records show the cost. We build the case around the treatment you receive. We never tell you what to say to a doctor. We ask only that you report symptoms honestly and completely. The paramedic report, the ER chart, and the first follow-up note are the earliest proof, so request copies. If you went to Encino Hospital Medical Center at 16237 Ventura Boulevard, ask that facility for your records. California's hospital database lists it as a general acute care hospital with an emergency room and 148 licensed beds. Nearby, Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center and Northridge Hospital Medical Center also treat patients, though we have not verified their trauma levels.

Who pays, and why policy limits decide so much

Brain injury claims can run into very large medical and care costs, and California's minimum auto liability limits are low. For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, the minimum is $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury (Veh. Code § 16056). A serious TBI can pass that number quickly. That makes your own insurance matter. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, called UM/UIM, can pay when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little. If the driver flees, the law treats that car as uninsured, but the car must have made physical contact, you must report the crash to police within 24 hours, and you must file a sworn statement with your insurer within 30 days (Ins. Code § 11580.2(b)). Several parties may share blame. A trucking company, a delivery business, or a rideshare driver adds more policies. Prop 51 says each defendant pays non-economic damages only in proportion to its own fault, while economic damages stay joint (Civ. Code § 1431.2). Moe has settled cases for policy limits, including $30,000 limits on several matters, and recovered a $100,000 policy-limit UM settlement for a client other firms had turned down. Past results do not predict a similar outcome.

Deadlines, incapacity, and court approval of a settlement

The usual deadline is two years from the injury to sue a private driver (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). Brain injury makes that clock tricky. If a person lacks the legal capacity to make decisions, that time may not count toward the two years when the claim is against a private party (CCP § 352(a)), but we never advise anyone to count on tolling. It does not apply to claims against public entities. If the City of Los Angeles is responsible, such as through a dangerous road or a city vehicle, you must present a written claim to the City Clerk within six months (Gov. Code § 911.2). If the city rejects it in writing, you then have six months to file suit (Gov. Code § 945.6). If that deadline is missed, a late-claim application must be made within a reasonable time and no later than one year after the injury (Gov. Code § 911.4). When someone cannot understand the case or help their lawyer, a guardian, conservator, or guardian ad litem must appear for them, and the court must approve any settlement (CCP § 372). That protects you, and it adds steps that take time. Los Angeles Superior Court Local Rule 2.3 sends unlimited injury cases to the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown, and we confirm the venue before filing.

The LAPD report, early evidence, and how Moe handles a TBI case

LAPD's West Valley Community Police Station, at 19020 Vanowen Street in Reseda, covers Encino, and LAPD's Valley Traffic Division handles traffic in the Valley. Request your report through LAPD's online Traffic Collision Report page and allow at least 45 days. Reports tied to an arrest, a death, or a juvenile go by mail with a $19.00 check or money order. In the meantime, preserve what you can. Photograph the vehicles and the scene. Ask nearby shops on Ventura Boulevard whether their cameras captured the crash, since many overwrite footage within days. Keep your phone, your clothes, and any damaged helmet. We send preservation letters quickly and track the dates that matter. Moe takes the calls himself. He explains the process to you and your family and keeps you updated by call and text. You pay nothing unless he wins. His results include $105,000 for an uninsured client with a broken sternum and $75,000 after an insurer offered $900. Past results do not predict a similar outcome. Call (323) 716-1992 for a free case 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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