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Brain injury in California?Talk to a lawyer for free.

After a head injury, some symptoms take hours or days to appear. Get checked, even if you feel fine.

  • No fee unless we winWe only get paid when you get paid.
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No attorney's fees unless we recover compensation. Clients may be responsible for case costs. Read the disclaimer

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It was my first time going through something like this & they took care of everything.
Michelle R.Valero Law Group clientGoogle review

Results that speak.Millions won for injured clients.

We've won over $500 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients.

Recognized for excellence

Avvo Rating: Excellent, Top Rated Personal InjuryTop Rated by Super Lawyers
  • $6.25MPersonal injuryA confidential personal injury settlement.
  • $5MAuto accidentFor a husband and wife after the husband suffered a brachial plexus injury.
  • $2.34MAccident claimA win for a client injured in an accident.
  • $1.5MAuto accidentA win for a client injured in an auto accident.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

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Working for your recovery, not the insurer's

Insurance companies have a team.You should have one too.

A brain injury claim is usually paid by the insurer of whoever caused it: a driver's auto policy, or a property owner's or business's liability coverage. The adjuster can call within days, before every symptom has shown itself, and what you say can be used to value the claim.

Before you sign anything, ask yourself:

  1. Did someone else's carelessness cause the accident or the fall?
  2. Are you still noticing headaches, fogginess or trouble sleeping?
  3. If recovery takes months, would the offer still cover your care and lost work?

From one of our car accident cases

The insurer's best offer$410,000

What we won for our client$4.4M

A car accident that left our client with a neck injury. Most people would have taken the offer. We won more than ten times as much.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

Get my free case review
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12 offices, one team

Brain injury lawyersnear you, anywhere in California.

Every one of our offices handles brain injury cases. Pick yours below for the local details, or call: if you can't come to us, we'll come to you.

Also serving Los Angeles, Ontario, Oakland and communities statewide. In Washington, see our Tacoma office.

All office locations

Why choose Valero Law Group?

We champion every case,big and small.

Whether your case is worth $5,000 or $5 million, we bring the same skill, attention and determination to every client we represent.

So don't let the size of your case keep you from seeking justice: every injury deserves serious representation. Let us fight for the compensation you're owed while you focus on what matters most, your recovery.

They made me feel like a priority, and they put my needs first as a client.

IsabelValero Law Group client

400+five-star Google reviews

Real clients,in their own words.

  • Samuel M. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $881,000 settlement check
    Samuel M.$881,000
  • Victoria M. smiling in front of the Valero Law Group logo wall with her $625,000 settlement check
    Victoria M.$625,000
  • Karina C. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with her $625,000 settlement check
    Karina C.$625,000
  • Angela M. smiling and pointing to her $625,000 settlement check
    Angela M.$625,000
  • Destiny H. smiling with her $500,000 settlement check
    Destiny H.$500,000
  • Javier P. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $375,000 settlement check
    Javier P.$375,000
I highly recommend Valero Law Group as they are very professional and effective to help my brother in his recent car accident. Especially Letty, who will help and guide you through a tough situation.
Daniel R.Google review
Read all 400+ of our reviews
The Valero Law Group were very thorough and knowledgeable. I felt like I was in good hands with them.
SJGoogle review
I contacted Valero Law after my accident. They answered my question and let me know I'm in good hands. They always communicate with me.
Evie P.Google review

What a California brain injuryclaim can recover.

In California, whoever caused the injury through carelessness is responsible for the harm it did, including changes in memory, mood and focus that never show up on a bill.

Economic damages

Costs with a price tag

  • Emergency care, CT and MRI scans, and hospital stays
  • Neurology visits, neuropsychological testing and cognitive therapy
  • Pay you've missed and the earning power the injury takes
  • Help at home while you need it

Non-economic damages

Harm without a receipt

  • Headaches, dizziness and fatigue
  • Changes in memory, concentration and mood
  • Anxiety, irritability and trouble sleeping
  • Time with family and activities you've lost
  • 586TBI-related hospital stays a day in the U.S.About 214,110 in 2020, by the CDC's count, and that leaves out brain injuries treated only in an emergency room or urgent care, or never treated.
  • 6 in 10out of work two years after brain injury rehabIn a national study of working-age adults who completed inpatient rehabilitation for a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, 60.4% were unemployed two years later (Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 2015).
  • Nearly halfof TBI hospital stays follow a fallFalls lead to nearly half of TBI-related hospitalizations, the CDC reports. When a fall comes from a hazard that a property owner or business should have made safe, their liability coverage may pay the claim.

After a brain injury in California,what comes next.

Six things to know in the days and weeks after a head injury, wherever it happened.

Valero Law Group attorneys meeting around a conference table
  • Danger signs mean 911
    After a blow to the head, the CDC lists these as reasons for a 911 call or an emergency room visit right away: a headache that worsens and won't go away, repeated vomiting, seizures, slurred speech or unusual behavior, weakness, numbness or poor coordination, one pupil larger than the other, confusion, restlessness or agitation, not recognizing people or places, passing out, or looking very drowsy or not waking up. In a child, also crying that won't stop, or refusing to nurse or eat.
  • Get seen early, even without symptoms
    Some concussion symptoms show up hours or days later, and they can shift during recovery: headaches and nausea early, then trouble sleeping or feeling more emotional a week or two on. An early visit also starts your medical record close to the injury, so symptoms that come later can be tied back to it.
  • Keep a symptom journal
    A few lines a day: headaches, sleep, what you forgot, what made you dizzy, the work you missed. People with a concussion may not notice their own symptoms, so ask family or coworkers what they see and add it. Bring the journal to every appointment.
  • Normal scans can miss a concussion
    CT and MRI scans can miss the damage from a mild, concussive injury. Neuropsychological tests, which measure memory, concentration, information processing, reaction time and problem solving, are often used alongside imaging. If symptoms continue, tell your doctor, even after a normal scan.
  • "Mild" doesn't mean minor
    Doctors classify a concussion as a mild TBI, yet the CDC says its effects can be serious, and healing can take from minutes to several months. If an insurer points to the word "mild" in your records, a claim is still measured by the harm the evidence shows, not by the label.
  • Two deadlines, one much shorter
    The usual deadline for an injury lawsuit is two years. When a public agency played a part, such as a city bus or a hazard on public property, a written claim to the agency generally has to be filed within six months. For a child, the two years usually don't start until 18; the six-month claim still applies.
A man and a boy in traditional Colombian hats and jerseys holding Valero Law Group signs at a community event

Al Barro Foundation: supporting over 400 orphans in Mexico

From the community, for the community.

Hablamos español.

We're a Hispanic-focused firm with native Spanish-speaking attorneys. We understand your family's needs, walk you through every step in your language, and fight to get you every dollar you deserve.

Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.
…they speak excellent Spanish, know how to help, and look out for their clients' best interests.
Yesica H.Google review
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Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.

Common questionsafter a brain injury in California.

Does a concussion count as a brain injury?
It does. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, according to the CDC, at the mild end of a scale that runs to severe TBI. Most people feel better within a couple of weeks, but some have symptoms far longer. When someone else's carelessness caused it, in an accident or a fall, a concussion can be part of an injury claim.
What's the deadline for a brain injury claim in California?
Usually two years from the injury to file a lawsuit (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1), and six months for a written claim when a public agency is involved. Because symptoms can surface days later, getting checked and calling early means the record starts close to the injury.
Do I have to live near one of your offices?
No. We take brain injury cases anywhere in California. We have offices from Stockton to Palm Desert, and if travel is hard after a head injury, we'll come to your home or the hospital.
My scan was normal, but I still don't feel right. What does that mean?
A clear scan doesn't settle a claim. A claim usually rests on the whole medical picture: your doctors' findings, any neuropsychological testing, your symptom journal and what family and coworkers have noticed. Keep telling your doctor what you notice, and talk to us.
Since the injury I can't keep up at work. Does a claim cover that?
It can. Besides wages already missed and those you're reasonably certain to miss, California lets a claim value lost earning capacity, the earning power the injury has taken from you, and no work history is needed to claim it. For adults, the state's Department of Rehabilitation also funds nonprofit programs that help people with a brain injury get back to work.
What should parents watch for after a child's head injury?
The same 911 signs apply, plus crying that won't stop or refusing to nurse or eat (CDC). California requires school and youth sports programs to keep a child with a suspected concussion out for the rest of the day, and to have a licensed provider's written clearance and, after a concussion, a graduated plan of at least seven days before the child plays again, since a second concussion soon after the first can lead to permanent damage in some cases. A judge must approve a child's settlement.
What if the person with the brain injury can't handle the claim?
For a child, the claim is brought by a parent or guardian. When an adult can't make legal decisions, a conservator or a court-appointed guardian ad litem acts for them, and any settlement then needs a judge's approval. The two-year clock may also be paused for someone who lacked capacity at the time of the injury, though not in every case, so it's safer to call early than to rely on it. The six-month claim against a public agency isn't paused, but if the injury kept the person from filing it for the whole six months, the agency generally has to accept a late claim requested within a year.
What does a brain injury lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. Your consultation is free, and no attorney's fees are owed unless we recover compensation for you. You may be responsible for case-related costs and expenses; we'll explain them before you sign.
Attorney Kyle Valero
Kyle ValeroAttorney, Valero Law Group

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Have a question about a potential case?Talk to a California brain injury lawyer today.

Your consultation is always free, with no obligation. We're happy to answer any questions and walk you through your options. No pressure, just honest answers.

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