Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney in Greeneville TN

tbi xray

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are serious conditions that often result in lifelong symptoms and complications, including memory loss, personality changes, inability to move parts of the body, and loss of coordination. If you suffered a TBI in an accident due to someone else’s negligent, reckless, or intentional actions, you might be entitled to significant compensation.

The Greeneville brain injury lawyers at The Terry Law Firm want to help you seek the compensation you need for your injuries and related losses. Our legal team has more than 50 years of combined experience advocating for the rights of injury victims in Greeneville, TN, and surrounding areas. We are a family business, and it shows in the friendly service we provide to every client and the commitment we bring to every case.

Contact our office for a free consultation with a TBI lawyer and learn more about how we can help you.

What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

A TBI occurs when an external force – such as a hard blow or jolt – damages the tissues in the brain. Traumatic brain injuries are categorized as open, meaning the skull sustained a fracture, and the brain is exposed or closed, which means there is little to no external evidence of the injury. Accidents or acts of violence cause most traumatic brain injuries.

What Causes Traumatic Brain Injuries in Greeneville?

Some of the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries in Greeneville are:

  • Motor vehicle accidents, including those involving semi-trucks or motorcycles
  • Pedestrian or bicycle collisions
  • Slip-and-fall accidents, including those that occur at work
  • Acts of violence, such as assault
  • Sports injuries
  • Birth injuries or injuries related to medical error

Signs and Symptoms of a Brain Injury

According to Mayo Clinic, the signs and symptoms of a TBI vary depending on its severity. Common symptoms of a less severe traumatic brain injury include:

  • Headaches
  • Vomiting and nausea
  • Fatigue and drowsiness
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Dizziness and vertigo
  • Blurry vision
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Increased sensitivity to sounds and bright lights
  • Changes to the sense of taste and smell
  • Feeling disoriented, dazed, and confused
  • Difficult concentrating
  • Problems with memory
  • Changes in sleep patterns
  • Personality changes, such as depression, anxiety, mood swings, etc.

Symptoms of severe traumatic brain injury include:

  • Loss of consciousness for several minutes or longer
  • Persistent, intense headaches
  • Seizures and convulsions
  • Severe nausea and vomiting
  • Dilated pupils in one or both eyes
  • Clear fluid draining from the nose and ears
  • Weakness and numbness in the toes and fingers
  • Feeling uncoordinated when moving
  • Strong feelings of confusion or disorientation
  • Slurred speech
  • Feeling agitated, angry, and frustrated for no apparent reason
  • Coma

The signs and symptoms of TBI in babies or young children are often different from those seen among adult patients. They include:

  • Changes in the child’s nursing or eating habits
  • Persistent crying and an inability to be consoled
  • Unusual irritation
  • Changes in the child’s sleep patterns
  • Seizures
  • Depressed mood
  • Loss of interest in the child’s favorite activities
  • Drowsiness
  • Inability to focus

Types of Brain Injuries You Can Suffer After an Accident

Several types of TBIs occur as the result of accidents, including:

  • Concussion – A concussion can occur when a blow, bump, or jolt to the head causes the brain to rapidly move back and forth in the skull, affecting the brain tissue and damaging brain cells.
  • Edema – An edema occurs when trapped fluid puts dangerous pressure on the brain, causing it to press against the inside of the skull. If this pressure is not relieved quickly, edema can lead to severe injuries or death.
  • Hemorrhage or hematoma – Hemorrhages and hematomas are brain injuries resulting from internal bleeding within the brain tissue. Internal bleeding can cause blood to seep into brain tissues or collect in the brain’s empty spaces. A brain hemorrhage is usually the result of a hard blow to the head, while a hematoma is often caused by a clot that creates a burst blood vessel.
  • Skull fracture – A hard blow to the head can result in a skull fracture, in which the skull is splintered or cracked. A splinter can cause bone fragments to enter the brain and damage brain tissue and blood vessels. If the skull cracks, pressure on the brain cause edema.
  • Penetration injuries – Penetration injuries occur when an object breaks through the skull and becomes lodged in the brain, damaging brain tissue, and blood vessels. These injuries are often fatal if not treated quickly.
  • Shear injury – A shear injury, also referred to as a diffuse-axonal injury, happens when the brain is shaken or experiences a severe, sharp rotation.
  • Coup-contrecoup injuries – A coup-contrecoup injury occurs when a force causes the brain to bounce off of one side of the skull and then against the other side, leading to mirror damage on both sides of the brain.

Recovering from a Traumatic Brain Injury

The prognosis after a TBI depends on the extent of the injury. If the brain suffers only minor damage, a patient may heal in time and be left with no permanent side effects. However, many TBIs result in lifelong complications.

While physical therapy and other medical treatments can lessen the symptoms of some traumatic brain injuries, many people who suffer from TBI need specialized medical care for many years after an accident and sometimes for the rest of their lives.

Damages Available to Brain Injury Victims in Greeneville

Because a traumatic brain injury can impact you physically and emotionally, pursuing maximum compensation for your financial and personal losses is crucial. Depending on the circumstances, that could include money for:

  • Costs of treating your injury, including hospital bills, doctor’s visits, medications, surgeries, physical therapy, and medical equipment
  • Lost wages if you cannot work while you are recovering from your TBI
  • Loss of future earning capacity if your TBI prevents you from returning to your job or being gainfully employed
  • Costs of future medical care, such as in-home health care
  • Physical pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress

Contact Our Experienced Greeneville Brain Injury Attorney Today

The experienced traumatic brain injury attorneys at The Terry Law Firm are prepared to help you pursue the compensation you deserve after an accident. Contact our office for a free, no-obligation consultation to get started on your case.

Personal Injury

What is the Statute of Limitations in Tennessee for Personal Injury Claims?

Tennessee is very unique in that the statute of limitations in Tennessee is much shorter than in other states. The statute of limitations for personal injury cases in Tennessee is generally one (1) year. There are exceptions to the one (1) year statute of limitations. 

In Tennessee, one exception to the statute of limitations is the discovery rule. The statute of limitations in Tennessee does not start to run until a person knows or should have known about an injury. 

There is currently a provision in the Tennessee Code regarding extending the statute of limitations where persons have criminal charges brought against them and they caused or contributed to an injury. In these cases, it is possible that the statute of limitations may be extended to two (2) years. At this stage, there has been no ruling from the Tennessee Supreme Court on exactly how this statute should be interpreted; therefore, we recommend filing cases within one (1) year.

The statute of limitations in property damage cases in Tennessee is three (3) years and the statute of limitations for a breach of contract in Tennessee is six (6) years. It is important to note that breach of implied warranty of merchantability, which are theories that are often used in product liability cases, carries a six (6) statute of limitations.

What is a Contingency Fee?

At The Terry Law Firm, clients are welcome to come to our Morristown office, our Sevierville office, or our Greeneville office for a free consultation. This is true for virtually any type of case. 

In personal injury cases, in particular, The Terry Law Firm works on a contingency fee basis which means that The Terry Law Firm does not receive any compensation, nor are you required to pay anything, unless we are successful on your behalf. 

Our general fee in personal injury cases (like most firms) is one-third (1/3). The Terry Law Firm advances all costs and expenses in the case until the matter is resolved. If we are not successful for a client in a personal injury case, then they are not required to pay anything. 

Can The Terry Law Firm Help If I Was in an Accident in Another State?

The Terry Law Firm regularly handles cases for clients who have been involved in out-of-state accidents. We have handled cases as far west as West Texas and South Dakota. We have had cases in eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida. It is a regular part of The Terry Law Firm’s business to handle cases outside of Tennessee.

Handling a case outside of Tennessee does not cost the client any more than it would if we were handling a case in Tennessee. In fact, the client will likely notice very little difference in a case handled outside of the state versus one handled in the State of Tennessee.