Morristown Car Accident Brain Injury Lawyer

car accident poster

Brain injuries are some of the most common – and devastating – injuries suffered in car accidents. They frequently happen when the force of impact causes the head to strike the steering wheel, dashboard, window, or another solid surface inside the vehicle. They could also be caused by loose objects that are thrown about the interior during the crash. Brain injuries are often caused by either blunt-force trauma to the head or if an object penetrates the skull and damages the brain.

If you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident, the Morristown personal injury lawyers at The Terry Law Firm can help you seek the compensation you need to rebuild your life. We have more than 50 years of combined legal experience helping to recover millions in compensation for our clients.

Get your free initial consultation by calling us, using our Live Chat service, or visiting our contact page.

Types of TBIs in Car Accidents

Some types of traumatic brain injuries that can occur in car accidents include:

  • Concussion – A sudden, hard change in momentum can shake the brain and cause it to strike the skull’s inner surface, leading to a bruise and possibly internal bleeding.
  • Internal hematoma – A hard blow to the head can cause internal bleeding in the brain even if the blow does not break the skull.
  • Skull fractures – Foreign objects or blunt trauma can cause the skull to fracture or fragment. A fracture can put unhealthy pressure on the brain, while skull fragments can cut through brain tissue and damage blood vessels.
  • Shear injuries – A severe rotation or jerking motion can shake the brain, causing internal bleeding and other damage.
  • Coup-contrecoup injuries – A sharp blow to the head can cause the brain to ricochet within the skull, sustaining multiple blows. The result is often internal bleeding and other damage to brain tissues.
  • Penetration injuries – Shards of glass and other objects can penetrate the skull and damage the brain.

Traumatic Brain Injuries and Car Accidents

Here are a few ways in which brain injuries can occur in different kinds of car accidents:

  • Rear-end accidents – Drivers can hit their head on the steering wheel or steering column if airbags don’t deploy properly. After being jerked forward, anyone in the vehicle will snap backward and hit the back of their head on their headrest.
  • Side-impact/sideswipe accidents – Drivers and passengers might hit their heads on the inside of the vehicle or a window. There’s also the danger of flying glass and other objects penetrating the skull.
  • Head-on collisions – Drivers are likely to hit their head on the steering wheel or steering column as the body of their vehicle crumples around them. Anyone in either car involved in the accident might hit their heads on their vehicle’s interior or a window. Flying objects are always a risk in head-on crashes as well.
  • Rollover accidents – When a vehicle rolls over in a crash, occupants may be flung around the interior, causing the head to contact hard surfaces that result in brain injuries.

Diagnosing a Traumatic Brain Injury after Car Accident

Here are some common symptoms and warning signs of a traumatic brain injury, according to the Mayo Clinic:

  • Severe headaches
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Feeling dizzy and having vertigo
  • Blurred vision and ears ringing
  • Feeling confused and disoriented
  • Issues with memory, sleep, and mood
  • Seizures and convulsions
  • Losing consciousness
  • Dilated pupils
  • Slurred speech
  • Loss of coordination
  • Clear fluids draining from your nose and ears

How Our Brain Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Serious Accident

To seek full compensation for your injuries after a traumatic brain injury in a Morristown car crash, you’ll want help from an experienced personal injury attorney. Here are a few ways our lawyers can help you pursue the total value for your claim:

  • Investigating the accident to determine what you can claim in compensation and who may be liable for your injuries
  • Gathering and documenting evidence to substantiate your claim
  • Filing all necessary insurance documents and other records
  • Negotiating aggressively for the total amount you deserve in compensation
  • Preparing your lawsuit for trial in case a settlement cannot be reached

If you’ve suffered a severe brain injury, you need to focus on recovering from the trauma you’ve been through instead of worrying about a major legal battle. While you tend to your medical needs, we’ll be fighting to get you the money you deserve.

Demanding the Full Compensation You Need After a Brain Injury

Tennessee law gives traumatic brain injury victims the right to file a claim for compensation against those liable for their injuries. With help from the right brain injury lawyer, you could potentially recover compensation for the value of:

  • All your medical bills, as well as the cost of future care you may need
  • Your missed wages. If your injuries have left you unable to work, you can be compensated for your reduced capacity to earn a living.
  • Your damaged personal property, such as the value of your car
  • The physical pain and suffering you’ve endured
  • The emotional harm you’ve suffered

You could still recover partial compensation for your injuries if you’re partially at fault for a car accident. Tennessee follows the comparative negligence doctrine for car accident claims, which means that you can recover compensation for your injuries if you do not bear the majority of fault for the accident. If you are found to be partially at fault, your compensation will be reduced according to your percentage of fault.

The Time Limit for Filing a Brain Injury Claim in Tennessee

With just one year from the date of an accident to file a lawsuit, Tennessee has one of the tightest filing deadlines of all the states. So if you’ve sustained a brain injury in a car accident, it’s crucial to talk to a lawyer right away. Otherwise, it’s easy to miss your window to recover any compensation for your injuries through the court system.

Talk to a Morristown Brain Injury Attorney Today for Help

The Morristown brain injury attorneys of The Terry Law Firm, P.C., have the skills, resources, and experience you’ll want on your side if you’ve been hurt. Get a 100% free case review today by calling our Morristown office, chatting with us live, or by visiting our contact page.

Car Accidents

How Do I Pay for My Car Accident Injuries?

If you have been involved in a car wreck case, there are generally three (3) avenues for payment of medical expenses. 

  1. The first and most common method of payment is for persons who have been injured to pay for their medical care with their own health insurance. This does not create any problems and, in fact, most of the time this is what we recommend at The Terry Law Firm.
  2. Persons involved in car wreck cases can use something referred to as “med pay” to pay for some of their medical bills associated with their car wreck case. “Med pay” coverage is coverage afforded by your automobile insurance to pay for injuries sustained in the car wreck. 
  3. Occasionally, persons will be on the job working when they are injured in a car wreck. In these circumstances, sometimes it is best to use workers’ compensation to pay for your injuries sustained in a car wreck.  

If one of these methods is not available to you, contact The Terry Law Firm at our Morristown, Greeneville, or Sevierville office.

Will My Insurance Rates Go Up If I Use Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Under Tennessee law, insurance carriers cannot raise your insurance as a result of a person utilizing their uninsured motorist coverage. Tennessee law states explicitly that if you are in an accident that is no fault of your own, your insurance carrier cannot raise your insurance rates due to your use of uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage that you purchased.