
OUR EXPERIENCED TEAM FIGHTS FOR YOUR LOVED ONE’S FULL COMPENSATION
If you have a loved one who has suffered a brain injury, personal care and management of that individual’s health regimen probably dominates your waking hours. The team approach we take at Rush, Hannula, Harkins & Kyler PLLC can relieve you of the responsibility of seeking compensation for your loved one. When you put our team on your side, you can tend to your loved one’s immediate needs, while we fight to eliminate your financial burdens. We are committed to providing aggressive advocacy for actionable cases of brain injury, including damage resulting from:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) — This results from an impact to the skull, a penetration of the skull or severe shaking that tears brain tissue. Common causes include car accidents, explosions and falls.
- Edema — Swelling of the brain that follows head trauma can be more dangerous to the brain than the initial blow. Negligent treatment of a head wound at the ER can allow edema to cause greater damage.
- Hypoxia — Lack of oxygen can destroy brain cells. An anesthesia error during surgery can induce hypoxia sufficient to cause brain damage.
- Infection — Viral and bacterial infections can cause encephalitis, a dangerous swelling of the brain that contributes to the destruction of brain cells. A doctor’s failure to diagnose an infection can be grounds for malpractice.
UNDERSTANDING THE PROGNOSIS FOR A BRAIN INJURY PATIENT
Key to recovering fair compensation is clear knowledge of the extent of the damage. A distressing aspect of brain injury is that brain cells, once destroyed, do not regenerate, and the degree to which undamaged areas of the brain can compensate for that loss is impossible to gauge. Brain injury patients are likely to experience:
- Cognitive deficits — Confusion, shortened attention span and memory problems
- Motor deficits — Poor balance, spasticity, tremors, paralysis, loss of endurance and weakness
- Perceptual or sensory deficits — Changes in sensory experience, loss of sensation or hypersensitivity in body parts, vision problems
- Communication and language deficits — Aphasia, apraxia, slowness of speech, problems reading or writing
- Functional deficits — Trouble with everyday activities and organization, inability to drive
- Social difficulties — Self-centered behavior, difficulty making/keeping friends, boundary issues
- Regulatory disturbances — Fatigue, sleep disruption, dizziness, headaches, loss of bladder or bowel control
- Personality or psychiatric changes — Apathy, lethargy, anxiety, irritability, moods swings, loss of inhibitions, angry outbursts
- Traumatic epilepsy — Major and minor seizures
Our personal injury attorneys work closely with your medical team to ensure we have a detailed understanding of your loved one’s condition.
GOING BEYOND THE LIMITATIONS OF MEDICAL DIAGNOSTICS IN BRAIN INJURY CASES
In milder cases of brain injury, medical diagnostics may show normal brain function even though the patient is experiencing real and significant symptoms. Under those circumstances, testimonial evidence from medical professionals, family members, friends and co-workers become vitally important to establishing a damage claim. We assemble the testimony necessary to present a complete and vivid account of your loved one’s life before and after the injury event so the defendants, judge and jury appreciate the human toll that justifies a damage award.
Let our team of experienced trial attorneys manage your brain injury litigation in Tacoma
A permanent spinal injury requires compensation for your lifetime. The dedicated lawyers of Rush, Hannula, Harkins & Kyler PLLC are committed to securing the maximum damage recovery possible. Call 253-383-5388 or contact us online to arrange your free consultation.
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Do you have a case?
At Rush, Hannula, Harkins & Kyler PLLC we have the skill and experience to take on a wide range of personal injury cases throughout Washington state. From motor vehicle accidents to workplace injuries – our reputation and success rates keep opposing counsel on edge.

Frequently Asked Questions
We have answers to some of the most common Washington personal injury questions. These are resources for injury victims.
Do I need a lawyer to file a personal injury lawsuit?
It is not necessary to retain a lawyer to file your personal injury lawsuit. You should base your decision to involve an attorney on a reasonable assessment of the pros and cons. Rush, Hannula, Harkins & Kyler PLLC is a highly reputable personal injury law firm that has served Washington since 1959. We deliver value to our clients that far outweighs the fees we collect. But before you retain any attorney, you have to be satisfied that the benefits exceed the costs. We offer these points for your consideration.
What is the statute of limitations in Washington for personal injury?
A statute of limitations is state law; throughout the country, different states set different time limits for identical causes of action. Within each state, different causes of action have different time limits. In Washington, for personal injury lawsuits, the statute of limitations is three years.
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost?
The great advantage of filing a personal injury lawsuit is that most attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis. That means that rather than charging upfront legal fees or an hourly rate, the attorney works without compensation until the case resolves through a jury verdict or settlement. At that time, the attorney takes a percentage of the award. The contingency fee arrangement helps plaintiffs who could not otherwise afford the costs of civil litigation to pursue just compensation without worrying about expenses. It also means that your ability to retain an excellent lawyer does not depend on your ability to pay, but rather on the attorney’s assessment of the strength of your case, or the importance of delivering justice to someone in your particular circumstances.
How do I file a personal injury lawsuit in Washington state?
At Rush, Hannula, Harkins & Kyler PLLC, we want our clients to have an accurate picture of what a personal injury lawsuit entails. The process is rarely quick and easy; defense counsel and insurance companies often employ delay tactics to wear a plaintiff down. We offer this page as a primer for anyone who has a cause of action and is considering a personal injury lawsuit.
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