Brain Injury Lawyer in Johnson City TN

doctor pointing at brain mra

Did you or someone close to you recently suffer a brain injury because of someone else’s reckless or careless behavior in Johnson City, Tennessee? Are you worried about paying your medical bills while you’re too hurt to return to work? If so, you should seek help from a Johnson City brain injury attorney who can demand fair compensation on your behalf.

At The Terry Law Firm, our dedicated injury lawyers understand how devastating a brain injury can be. We want to help you get your life back on track. To learn more about your legal rights in the aftermath of a brain injury, contact our Johnson City law firm for your free consultation session.

What Are Traumatic Brain Injuries?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when the brain sustains damage due to an external physical force, such as a blow, jolt, or penetrating wound to the head. Such external forces can damage the brain by causing it to move around the inside of the skull, slamming into the bone, and damaging the brain’s soft tissues.

Doctors classify TBIs as either mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the nature and extent of the damage to the brain. A mild TBI might cause temporary symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and confusion. Moderate to severe TBIs, on the other hand, might cause long-term issues, such as mood changes, memory problems, and loss of consciousness.

What Causes Traumatic Brain Injuries in Johnson City, TN?

Traumatic brain injuries can occur due to a variety of factors here in Johnson City, TN, such as:

  • Car accidents – Car accidents are among the most traumatic events many people experience in their lifetimes, and the violent force of impact in a collision can easily damage the delicate structures of the brain.
  • Truck accidents – Commercial trucks are several times larger and heavier than the average passenger car, so truck accidents tend to leave the occupants of smaller vehicles with catastrophic injuries like TBIs.
  • Motorcycle accidents – Motorcyclists are highly vulnerable in traffic accidents because they travel just as fast as other motorists but lack many of the safety features that shield other vehicle occupants from the worst effects of a crash on the human body.
  • Bicycle accidents – When motorists fail to notice or yield the right of way to cyclists, bicycle accidents can leave cyclists with devastating TBIs.
  • Pedestrian accidents – Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable road users and are especially susceptible to TBIs when they get hit by negligent motorists.
  • Dangerous products – Certain dangerous products, such as defective drugs, household appliances, or vehicles, can cause TBIs by damaging the brain internally or contributing to catastrophic injury accidents.
  • Falls and other property accidents – When property owners fail to keep their premises free from hazards, visitors can sustain TBIs from slip-and-falls, animal attacks, and other preventable injury accidents.
  • Workplace accidents – Workers in hazardous work environments can suffer TBIs due to falls from heights, equipment entanglement accidents, falling or flying object accidents, and toxic exposure incidents.
  • Nursing home abuse – Nursing home residents are vulnerable to TBIs when they suffer abuse in the form of physical harm, lack of assistance while walking or bathing, or failure to administer certain medications.

Symptoms and Effects of Traumatic Brain Injuries

TBI symptoms can vary significantly depending on the severity of the TBI and may appear immediately or develop over time. Common TBI symptoms include:

  • Headaches and migraines
  • Dizziness and loss of balance
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Sensitivity to light and sound
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Seizures and convulsions
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Slurred speech
  • Blurred or double vision
  • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
  • Memory loss and trouble with recall
  • Difficulty concentrating or focusing
  • Slowed thinking and processing speed
  • Disorientation and confusion
  • Impaired judgment and decision-making
  • Impaired problem-solving and critical thinking
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Irritability and mood swings
  • Agitation and restlessness
  • Impulsive behavior and poor impulse control
  • Social withdrawal and isolation
  • Changes in personality

Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Common types of traumatic brain injuries we see among the cases we handle include:

  • Concussions – A concussion is a relatively less severe type of TBI that temporarily interrupts the function of the brain. Concussions sometimes result in brief losses of consciousness, but not always.
  • Contusions – “Contusion” is the medical term for a bruise. When a contusion affects the brain, blood can leak out of vessels and pool within the skull, placing dangerous pressure on the brain.
  • Diffuse axonal injuries – A diffuse axonal injury occurs when violent forces twist or shear the brain’s axons, which are delicate nerve fibers that transmit signals from one part of the brain to another.
  • Coup-contrecoup injuries – A coup-contrecoup injury occurs when a sharp blow or jolt to the head causes the brain to crash into the opposite side of the skull wall, creating twin injuries on both sides of the brain.
  • Hypoxic brain injuries – A hypoxic brain injury occurs when the brain does not receive enough oxygen to function and brain cells sustain damage as a result.
  • Anoxic brain injuries – An anoxic brain injury occurs when the brain receives no oxygen at all, and brain cells begin to die off as a result.
  • Penetrating brain injuries – A penetrating brain injury occurs when a foreign object pierces the head, or a skull fragment penetrates the brain and damages the brain tissue directly.

Compensation Available in a Johnson City TBI Lawsuit

When you file a successful TBI lawsuit with the help of our Johnson City brain injury lawyers, you could recover compensation for:

  • Outstanding medical bills for costs like ambulance transportation, hospitalization, surgeries, medications, specialist consultations, CTs or MRIs, and other treatments
  • Future medical expenses, such as occupational therapy, rehabilitation, physical therapy, follow-up visits, long-term care, prescriptions, or surgeries
  • Disability accommodations, including modifications to your vehicle or house, as well as specialized medical equipment and devices like a breathing machine or wheelchair
  • Costs to hire people to perform household tasks you can no longer do because of your injuries, such as yard work, cleaning the house, and caring for children
  • Wages lost during recovery from the accident
  • Lost ability to do your same job or earn comparable income after the accident
  • Pain and suffering
  • Reduced quality of life, such as lost ability to participate in sports or other activities you used to enjoy
  • Emotional distress and mental anguish
  • Loss of companionship, consortium, or parental support

Contact Our Experienced Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers in Johnson City Today

Do you need to speak with a knowledgeable TBI lawyer in Johnson City? Don’t wait to get in touch with The Terry Law Firm. Our compassionate team is here to listen to your story and advise you on your next steps when you contact us for your free case review.

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.