San Antonio Child Brain Injury Lawyer
San Antonio Child Brain Injury Attorney Serving The Texas Hill Country Region
When a child suffers a brain injury, the impact reaches every corner of family life, from immediate emergency care to years of rehabilitation, occupational and physical therapy, and uncertainty about the child’s future. Our San Antonio child brain injury lawyers represent families throughout Bexar County and the broader Texas Hill Country region, pursuing accountability from negligent drivers, property owners, schools, daycare centers, sports organizations, and medical providers. If your child has suffered a head injury in Bexar County due to someone else’s negligence, our pediatric head trauma attorneys are here to help you understand your rights and fight for the compensation your family needs.
Our pediatric brain injury lawyers represent less than 2% of the attorneys board-certified in Texas personal injury law. We have been helping victims for over 30 years and use our extensive experience to fight for our most vulnerable and innocent clients: children.
To schedule a free consultation, call 210-366-4949 or use our formulario de contacto en línea.
Types of Head Injury in Children: Common Cases in Texas
Traumatic Brain Injury in Children
Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an external force disrupts normal brain function. Pediatric TBIs can range from a mild TBI to a moderate or severe TBI. The types of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) by severity include:
- Mild traumatic brain injury: Mild TBIs are often called mild concussions. A mild traumatic brain injury can involve a brief loss of consciousness or none at all. Mild TBI symptoms can include headache, confusion, vomiting, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. However, even mild concussions can have lasting effects.
- Moderate traumatic brain injury: Moderate TBIs often involve longer loss of consciousness, abnormal imaging, persistent neurological symptoms, memory loss, and cognitive deficits. These pediatric brain injuries often require hospitalization and ongoing monitoring.
- Severe traumatic brain injury: These severe injuries are associated with extended loss of consciousness, significant abnormalities on an MRI or CT scan, intracranial bleeding, swelling, or coma. Severe traumatic brain injuries can result in lifelong disability, delays in development, seizures, personality changes, or long-term care needs.
A moderate or severe TBI can cause lifelong motor skill, behavioral, and cognitive impairments. In Texas, moderate or severe TBIs are a leading cause of death and disability in children. The consequences of these severe injuries reshape every aspect of the child’s future. If you believe your child’s symptoms will affect your child’s future, our attorneys handle the entire legal process of pursuing traumatic brain injury claims in San Antonio.
Pediatric Concussion
Pediatric concussions are a form of mild traumatic brain injury caused by rapid head movement that disrupts normal brain function. Our San Antonio pediatric concussion lawyer team sees many personal injury cases in which the pediatric patient was diagnosed with a minor concussion, only to produce post-concussive symptoms.
Here are the types of pediatric head trauma, classified by severity:
- Grade 1 and Grade 2: Brief symptoms such as headache, balance problems, nausea or confusion lasting around minutes with no loss of consciousness.
- Grade 3: Involves any loss of consciousness, even if brief, and typically requires urgent medical evaluation and imaging.
Types of pediatric head trauma by clinical pattern include:
- Simple: Symptoms gradually resolve within 7 to 10 days with rest and proper monitoring.
- Complex: The child’s symptoms persist for weeks or months and may involve repeated trauma, prolonged cognitive impairment, or delayed recovery.
- Second Impact Syndrome: Occurs when a second concussion happens before the first has fully healed, leading to rapid brain swelling and potentially catastrophic consequences.
- Post Concussion Syndrome: Ongoing symptoms such as headaches, memory problems, mood changes, and sleep disturbance lasting beyond the expected recovery period.
Proper diagnosis and graduated return to activities are essential to prevent long-term neurological complications.
Pediatric Skull Fracture
A pediatric skull fracture is a break in one or more bones of the skull caused by blunt force trauma, falls, motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, or physical abuse. Because the skull of very young children is still developing, depending on the location and severity, a pediatric skull fracture may require surgical intervention and carries a significant risk of underlying brain damage, infection, and bleeding. Children’s skull fracture symptoms may include swelling, scalp bruising, vomiting, irritability, altered consciousness, seizures, or clear fluid drainage from the nose or ears.
Types of pediatric skull fractures include:
- Linear Skull Fracture: This is the most common type and may heal without surgery if no underlying brain injury exists.
- Depressed Skull Fracture: This type may require surgical intervention if there is pressure on brain tissue or cosmetic deformity.
- Basilar Skull Fracture: This may be associated with bruising around the eyes, bruising behind the ears, or cerebrospinal fluid leakage. These fractures carry an increased risk of complications.
- Diastatic Skull Fracture: This causes widening of the fracture lines. More common in infants and toddlers.
- Growing Skull Fracture: While rare, this fracture enlarges over time due to underlying dural tear and brain pulsation, often requiring surgery.
Prompt diagnosis is critical to detect associated intracranial bleeding, brain swelling, or infection. Early intervention reduces the risk of long-term impairments. A pediatric brain injury lawyer can help parents pursue child and infant skull fracture claims in San Antonio.
Cerebral Contusion
A cerebral contusion is a bruise on the brain tissue itself, typically caused by direct impact. Contusions can cause focal neurological deficits depending on the area affected, and they carry the risk of swelling and hemorrhage if not closely monitored.
Hematoma and Intracranial Hemorrhage in Child Victims
Intracranial bleeding is one of the most dangerous consequences of pediatric head trauma. Our San Antonio child brain injury attorney team can provide assistance in the following and more:
- Epidural Hematoma: Bleeding between the skull and dura mater. This is often associated with a skull fracture and arterial bleeding.
- Hematoma subdural: Bleeding between the dura mater and the brain surface, and is commonly seen in shaken baby syndrome and high-impact trauma.
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Bleeding into the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain, causing severe headache and risk of vasospasm.
- Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Bleeding directly into brain tissue, carrying a high risk of permanent neurological damage.
Diffuse Axonal Injuries (DAI) / Traumatic Axonal Injury (TAI)
DAI or TAI is a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by rapid acceleration, deceleration, or rotational forces, tearing the nerve fibers. The most common causes of these pediatric traumatic brain injuries are high-speed motor vehicle accidents, major falls, and physical abuse. This form of pediatric head trauma may not be visible on CT scans and often requires an MRI for diagnosis. This form of children’s traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of persistent vegetative state.
HIE (Birth Asphyxia, Perinatal Asphyxia, Acute Neonatal Encephalopathy)
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy HIE is a serious neonatal brain injury caused by reduced oxygen and blood flow to a baby’s brain before, during, or shortly after delivery. Without rapid intervention, damage can begin within minutes. The etapas de EHI incluir:
- Stage 1 Mild: Babies may be irritable, hyperalert, or have increased muscle tone and feeding difficulties. The child’s symptoms typically resolve within 24 hours, and long-term outcomes are often favorable.
- Stage 2 Moderate: Neurological symptoms include lethargy, hypotonia, weak reflexes, seizures, and difficulty breathing or feeding. Long-term neurological impairment is possible.
- Stage 3 Severe: Infants may be unresponsive, flaccid, and unable to breathe independently. Here, there is a high risk of permanent damage, multi-organ dysfunction, cerebral palsy, or fatalities.
HIE can result in lifelong disabilities. Common results of HIE birth injuries in San Antonio incluir:
- Parálisis cerebral
- Developmental delay
- Intellectual disability
- Epilepsy and seizure disorders
- Motor skill impairment and spasticity
- Pérdida de visión o audición
- Feeding and swallowing disorders
Shaken Baby Syndrome and Other Abusive Head Trauma in Children
Medical experts almost universally attribute Shaken Baby Syndrome to physical abuse. The resulting injuries to children often include subdural hemorrhage, retinal hemorrhage, swelling, skull fractures, and neurological damage.
Parents may pursue legal action when abusive head trauma occurs due to negligence, failure to protect, or institutional misconduct. Personal injury claims may arise in situations involving:
- Caregiver negligence: Failure to properly supervise staff, inadequate background checks, or ignoring warning signs of abuse.
- School or institutional liability: Failure to report suspected physical abuse, negligent supervision, or allowing known dangers to persist.
- Third-party caregiver abuse: Claims against individuals who intentionally harmed the child, along with potential negligent entrustment or supervision claims against responsible parties.
- Medical malpractice: Failure to recognize, diagnose, or timely report signs of abusive head trauma, resulting in delayed treatment and worsened neurological injury.
Filing a personal injury lawsuit allows families to seek justice and compensation for medical expenses, rehabilitation, long-term care, pain and suffering, and future financial losses. Contacting a San Antonio child brain injury attorney for legal representation is critical to secure evidence, expert testimony, and institutional records needed to establish liability and protect the child’s long-term interests.
Penetrating Head Trauma in Children
The most common causes of penetrating head trauma in children are motor vehicle accidents, acts of violence, and unsafe environments. Penetrating head trauma often leads to long-term problems and disabilities. Parents may file personal injury claims when a child sustains head trauma from negligence or recklessness. This can include personal injury cases involving:
- Property owners who fail to secure hazards or allow dangerous conditions
- Manufacturers of defective toys, equipment, or other products
- Negligent doctors who fail to diagnose, treat, or monitor penetrating head injuries when delayed care worsens the child’s outcome
- Individuals whose reckless, intentional actions, or negligent supervision caused the child’s head injury
Second Impact Syndrome in Children (Malignant Cerebral Edema)
Second Impact Syndrome in children, also called malignant cerebral edema, happens when secondary injury occurs before the child recovers from the primary injury. The secondary pediatric head trauma triggers rapid brain swelling, increased intracranial pressure, and can result in catastrophic neurological damage or death. Our San Antonio child brain injury attorneys often see secondary impact syndrome in very young children playing sports.
Parents may pursue personal injury claims when a child’s injury results from negligence, including:
- Athletic programs for failing to follow concussion protocols
- Doctors who don’t provide a proper diagnosis or monitor the child’s recovery
- Caregivers, when oversight leads to preventable secondary head trauma
Pediatric Anoxic Brain Injury
Children’s anoxic brain injuries are severe injuries caused by a lack of oxygen. The most common causes include cardiac arrest, drowning, suffocation, or respiratory failure. Unlike traumatic brain injuries caused by physical impact, anoxic injuries occur when oxygen supply is interrupted. The extent of damage depends on how long the brain is deprived of oxygen and can result in permanent impairment, deficits in motor skills, seizures, coma, or lifelong neurological disability. A San Antonio anoxic brain injury lawyer can help file a personal injury claim when the child’s brain injury is caused by drowning, pediatric, or OBGYN malpractice in San Antonio.
Common Causes of Child Brain Injuries in San Antonio and Throughout Texas
Negligence at birth is a leading cause of children’s brain injuries, including HIE, stroke, and pediatric head trauma from forceps or vacuum extraction. Methodist Children’s Hospital y University Health Women’s & Children’s Hospital often handle high-risk deliveries across Bexar County, and when errors occur in those settings, families deserve answers. Our San Antonio pediatric brain injury attorneys help parents file claims when obstetric negligence results in devastating outcomes. We handle personal injury cases throughout Bexar County, including:
- Reclamaciones por lesiones de nacimiento en San Antonio
- Cibolo birth injury claims
- Converse birth injury claims
- Reclamaciones por lesiones de nacimiento en Kerrville
- Reclamaciones por lesiones de nacimiento de Kyle
- Live Oak birth injury claims
- Reclamaciones por lesiones de nacimiento en New Braunfels
- Reclamaciones por lesiones de nacimiento en San Marcos
- Reclamaciones por lesiones de nacimiento en Seguin
- Universal City birth injury claims
A leading cause of pediatric traumatic brain injuries in young children is falls. Children suffer pediatric TBIs from falls most often due to negligent supervision from caregivers, unsafe playground equipment, defective furniture, and hazardous property conditions. Fall accident claims in San Antonio are merited when a child’s brain injury from a fall results from negligence or unsafe conditions, including:
- wet or unsafe floors, inadequate playground maintenance, missing safety barriers, or lack of supervision,
- defective playground equipment, furniture, or other products, and
- caregivers who allow unsafe behavior or ignore known hazards.
Our San Antonio pediatric head trauma lawyers provide experienced legal representation. We establish fault and quantify damages for immediate medical treatment, rehabilitation, long-term care, educational support, and future financial losses, ensuring families receive compensation for preventable injuries in children.
Children’s brain injuries from car crashes and other motor vehicle accidents can range from mild concussions and skull fractures to catastrophic pediatric TBIs and diffuse axonal injuries in children. This is a leading cause of TBI-related fatalities in children over 4 years old. Even low-speed car accidents can cause catastrophic outcomes in very young children due to their developing brains and fragile skulls. If your child was injured in a car accident in San Antonio, our attorneys work to build the strongest possible personal injury cases for injured children and their families.
Missed pediatric brain tumors occur when neurological symptoms such as persistent headaches, vomiting, vision changes, balance issues, or developmental regression are misattributed to migraines, viral illness, or behavioral issues. Pediatric malpractice in Bexar County may arise when a provider fails to recognize the child’s symptoms, properly document concerns, or follow up on worsening complaints. When delayed diagnosis causes to avoidable harm, families may pursue compensation for additional treatment, ongoing care, neurological impairment, and related damages.
Children involved in bicycle accidents or struck as pedestrians are more susceptible to severe injuries. When a child sustains pediatric head trauma after being struck by a vehicle while riding a bike or walking, the child’s life is affected dramatically. When a child’s brain injury results from a preventable pedestrian or bike accident in San Antonio, families can file personal injury claims to recover compensation. The most common at-fault parties in San Antonio pedestrian accidents and riding accidents include:
- negligent drivers
- equipment manufacturers, when a child suffers a TBI despite wearing the correct helmet and safety gear
- government for unsafe roads, poor signage, or lack of riding lanes when applicable
- negligent caretakers or institutions
As a San Antonio daycare brain injury lawyer, we hold childcare providers accountable when inadequate supervision, unsafe facilities, or staff negligence lead to a child’s head injury throughout Bexar County. Daycare centers in Texas are licensed and regulated. Departures from required safety standards can be powerful evidence of negligence.
Most children are generally safe at school. However, our San Antonio child brain injury attorney team assists in personal injury cases involving brain injuries in children sustained in a school setting. We provide legal representation for pediatric head trauma claims resulting from a
- Head injury in private school: Private institutions can be held responsible for negligent supervision, unsafe conditions, and failure to respond appropriately to head injuries in children. The following San Antonio area institutions have a history of negligence:
- Central Catholic High School: July 2025 lawsuit on behalf of a freshman soccer player locked in a cage who also suffered sexual and physical abuse, November 2025 lawsuit for failure to intervene in persistent bullying and sexual assault
- Edquisitive Montessori (Formerly ExcellED Montessori Plus): 2025 lawsuit for a teacher and toddler killed due to lack of fencing between playground and parking lot, 2025 child died after a medical episode during a summer program
- Saint Mary’s Hall, Holy Cross High School, y Providence Catholic School: all accused of harassment and/or sexual assault
- Head injury in public school: Texas public schools operate under government immunity protections. However, there are exceptions for brain injuries in children under specific circumstances. We handle child brain injury claims against San Antonio ISD, Northside ISD, North East ISD, Judson ISD, Southwest ISD, Hays CISD, and other local districts
Head Injury on School Bus: San Antonio school bus accidents or accidents involving Bexar County districts may trigger both governmental liability and claims against third-party drivers. Texas governmental immunity challenges for school district claims require a San Antonio child brain injury attorney familiar with the notice requirements and limited waiver provisions under Texas law.
Near-drowning events cause hypoxic brain injury that can result in lifelong cognitive impairment, vegetative states, and death. Negligent pool owners, inadequate fencing, absent lifeguards, and injuries from defective drain covers are all potential sources of liability in San Antonio aquatic injury claims.
San Antonio’s River Walk, SeaWorld San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and local trampoline park facilities attract millions of visitors each year. When negligent maintenance, inadequate safety protocols, or insufficient supervision lead to a child’s head injury in a water park, theme park, or Accidente en un parque de trampolines en San Antonio, a children’s brain injury lawyer can work to hold the business and property owner responsible for the child’s head injury.
For military families at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, Lackland, or Randolph, personal injury claims for children’s injuries occurring on military installations or in military housing present unique legal challenges. Because bases are federal property, children’s traumatic brain injury claims often must be pursued under the Ley Federal de Reclamos por Agravios (FTCA)
Active duty service members generally cannot sue under the FTCA in San Antonio, but they can seek compensation for their minor children. This includes children’s head injuries caused by unsafe conditions of privatized military housing and base facilities or negligent supervision in areas under federal control. These personal injury cases require experienced legal representation to secure financial compensation for child brain injury claims in San Antonio and throughout Texas.
Who Is Liable for a Child’s Brain Injury in Texas?
Depending on how and where the child’s brain injury happened, liable parties may include:
- Negligent drivers
- Daycare centers and childcare providers
- Schools and school districts: San Antonio ISD, Northside ISD, North East ISD, Judson ISD, Southwest ISD, Alamo Heights ISD, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD
- Negligent landlords, business owners, and property owners
- Youth sports organizations and coaches
- Medical providers whose failure to diagnose or treat a brain injury caused additional harm.
A San Antonio child brain injury attorney can help determine responsible parties and work to recover compensation for medical expenses, medications, physical therapy, lost wages, and other losses resulting from the pediatric head injuries.
Texas Laws Affecting San Antonio Child Brain Injury Claims
- Statute of Limitations: In Texas, the statute of limitations for filing personal injury claims is two years from the date of the personal injury or accident. For minor children, the statute of limitations is tolled, or paused, until the child turns 18 years old. This gives them until age 20 to file. However, families should not wait to contact an experienced pediatric head trauma lawyer. Evidence degrades, and witnesses become harder to locate.
- Texas Damage Caps in Medical Malpractice Cases: Where a brain injury involves medical negligence, Texas caps non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, at $250,000 per physician and $250,000 per healthcare institution. There is no cap on economic damages, like medical care, medicine, surgery, hospital stay, and physical therapy, making thorough documentation of lifetime support essential.
- Texas Governmental Immunity and School District Claims: Claims against public school districts and other governmental entities require strict compliance with the Texas Tort Claims Act, including specific notice deadlines and limited waiver provisions. Missing these requirements can permanently bar a family’s claim.
Child Head Injury Treatment in San Antonio – Recovery for Current and Future Medical Expenses and Other Long-Term Effects of Child Brain Injuries
Our San Antonio child brain injury lawyer team works closely with doctors and medical experts throughout Bexar County, including:
- CRISTUS Children’s Hospital of San Antonio,
- University Hospital Pediatric Trauma Center,
- Methodist Children’s Hospital of San Antonio,
- Pediatric Neurology San Antonio,
- Pediatric Neurology at UT Health,
- Texas Pediatric Specialists,
- and other pediatric head trauma specialists throughout Texas.
We pursue compensation for all current and future damages. This can include medical care, rehabilitation, occupational and physical therapy expenses, assistive technology and home modification needs, loss of future earning capacity, pain and suffering, and the full long-term consequences of your child’s injury.
Filing a Child Brain Injury Lawsuit in Bexar County Court
Our San Antonio child brain injury attorney team handles all aspects of the personal injury claims process. We preserve evidence, file personal injury cases within the legal deadlines, hire medical experts, calculate the costs of support needed as the children age, negotiate with insurance companies, and, if necessary, present your child’s brain injury case to Bexar County juries if we can’t reach a fair settlement with the defendant’s insurers.
Working With Medical Experts to Calculate Damages Needed to Secure the Child’s Future
Our San Antonio child head injury lawyers hire economists, life care planners, neuropsychologists, pediatric specialists, and other medical experts to build a comprehensive projection of the support needed as children age. For a child with a serious TBI, the difference between a thorough and a superficial damage analysis can be worth millions of dollars in recovery.
Structured Settlement Payouts for Children With Brain Injuries in Texas
Structured settlement payouts provide long-term support for children who sustain brain injuries by converting compensation for future damages into a series of scheduled payments. Because pediatric brain injuries often require ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, adaptive equipment, special education, and lifelong support, structured settlements are designed to match the child’s future needs with predictable income over time.
Here, current and future damages are negotiated and then converted into periodic payments funded by annuities. Instead of families receiving a lump sum, the child may receive guaranteed payments at predetermined intervals. Some examples include:
- Initial periodic payments for immediate medical treatment and therapy expenses
- Future damages timed for developmental milestones, schooling, and transition to adulthood
- Cost-of-living adjustments to preserve value over time
Structured settlements are tax-free. This ensures the compensation is protected throughout the child’s life. Because supporting a child’s brain injury is extensive and lifelong, structuring future damages helps ensure resources are available when needed.
Our San Antonio child head injury lawyers evaluate the child’s future needs and work with specialists to design the terms that work in the child’s best interest. This legal planning secures long-term financial support for the child and family while aligning compensation with projected medical, educational, and daily living costs the child may need.
Legal Representation for Child Brain Injury Claims in South-Central Texas
Securing experienced legal counsel for child brain injury claims in South-Central Texas is critical because these personal injury cases involve complex medical issues, long-term planning, and substantial needs for the child’s future. For cases involving brain injuries in children, attorneys must understand personal injury law as well as pediatric neurology, life care planning, and how to project future damages.
Many attorneys do not take cases for child brain injuries in Texas because they require substantial time, resources, and specialized expertise. These claims often involve:
- Hiring medical experts to review and establish causation
- Collaborating with life care planners, economists, and rehabilitation specialists to quantify future damages
- Negotiating with large insurers that routinely undervalue catastrophic injury claims
- Preparing for trial when defendants refuse fair compensation.
Brain injury litigation demands a deep understanding of both medical science and insurance law, and not all attorneys have the training or resources to manage these challenges effectively.
Our Texas child brain injury attorney team provides committed advocacy and aggressive negotiation or trial representation to ensure that children with brain injuries receive the compensation necessary for long-term support throughout the following areas:
- San Antonio
- Stone Oak
- Alamo Heights
- Castle Hills
- Shavano Park
- Converse
- Live Oak
- Universal City
- Helotes
- Leon Valley
- The Dominion
- Terrell Hills
- New Braunfels
- Schertz
- Seguin
- Floresville
- Cibolo
- Bulverde
- Marion
- La Vernia
- Stockdale
- Poth
- Elmendorf
- Gonzales
- Smiley
- Waelder
- Nixon
- Garden Ridge
- Canyon Lake
- Boerne
- Bandera
- Blanco
- Comfort
- Kendallville
- Fair Oaks Ranch
- Center Point
- Kerrville
- Fredericksburg
- Hondo
- Bandera
- Center Point
- Hunt
- Austin
- Round Rock
- Georgetown
- San Marcos
- Kyle
- Seguin
- Uvalde
- Pleasanton
- Hondo
- Medina
- Cuero
- Jourdanton
- Devine
- Rocksprings
- Kenedy
Contact a San Antonio Pediatric Brain Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Your child’s future cannot wait. If your son or daughter has suffered a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s negligence, whether in an accident, at school, at a daycare, on a sports field, or at a hospital, our team is ready to review your child’s case at no cost and with no obligation. We handle pediatric brain injury cases in Bexar County on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover for your family.
Contact our San Antonio child brain injury lawyers today to schedule your free consultation by calling 210-366-4949 or filling out our formulario de contacto en línea to speak with a trusted advocate.
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