Chattanooga Personal Injury Attorneys

What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are some of the most consequential injuries that a driver or passenger can suffer as a result of a car accident.

It’s important to understand how TBIs are diagnosed and how they can affect a person’s life, since compensation may be required to cover medical bills, loss of employment, or other related expenses.

Below, the brain injury lawyers at Dennis & King discuss brain injuries in more detail and what you can do to protect your rights after an accident.

Filing for a Brain Injury Claim from an Auto Accident

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the third most common event that results in TBI-related death. Unfortunately, even minor crashes can cause a TBI.

Specifically, a TBI is brain dysfunction caused by an outside force, usually a violent blow to the head.

Traumatic brain injuries aren’t one type of injury; rather, TBIs exist on a spectrum, which ranges from minor to severe.

Minor TBIs are commonly referred to as concussions and usually don’t require significant medical intervention. However, severe brain injuries may require surgery and ongoing medical care.

Diagnosis of Brain Injuries

After a car accident, it’s advised that victims seek medical attention, even if they’re convinced nothing’s wrong. That’s because brain injuries can be elusive. In fact, adrenaline, which is usually coursing through crash victims, can mitigate the perception of pain—even well after the accident!

Symptoms of a mild TBI after an accident might include:

  • A headache
  • Loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Trouble with attention, concentration, memory, or thinking

As a precaution, medical clearance is always preferred, for both the safety of others and yourself. That being said, some brain injuries will be obvious, and immediate medical attention may be required.

Moderate to severe symptoms of TBI after an accident might include:

  • A headache that worsens or won’t go away
  • Loss of consciousness lasting a few minutes to hours
  • Repeated nausea or vomiting
  • Increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation
  • Sudden changes in mood or behavior

Types of Brain Injuries

There are both primary and secondary injuries that may occur as a result of TBI:

Primary brain injuries are instantaneous during the crash event, and there’s little that can be done to reverse the impact or injury. However, doctors may attempt to stop adverse effects such as:

  • Intracranial hematomas
  • Skull fractures
  • Contusions/Coup-Contrecoup

Conversely, secondary injuries become apparent hours or even days after the accident, often due to reduced oxygen flow to the brain. Secondary injuries common among TBI victims might include:

  • Cerebral edema (increased intracranial pressure)
  • Hydrocephalus (increased pressure on the skull)
  • Hypoxia and hypotensions
  • Ischemia (a blockage or build-up of blood cells due to insufficient oxygen)
  • Second Impact Syndrome (a rare injury in which a person sustains a second concussion before symptoms of the first have subsided)

Brain Injury Effects

While some effects of TBI are obvious or immediate there are long-term conditions that pose an equal concern. For example:

  • Altered consciousness (brain death, coma, vegetative state)
  • Communication difficulties that may result in cognitive challenges or social problems
  • Chronic physical complications (headaches, infections, seizures, vertigo)
  • Behavioral, emotional, and sensory changes

In a worst-case scenario, degenerative brain diseases can develop and worsen over time. Moreover, TBI victims are more likely to suffer from:

  • Addiction
  • Mental illness
  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Spinal cord injuries

If you, a friend, or a loved one is in an accident and suffers a TBI, it’s important to recognize the symptoms and get help right away. The next step: contact a Tennessee injury lawyer to discuss the accident and your rights.

Who to Contact for a Brain Injury Claim in Chattanooga

At Dennis & King, we’re equipped to handle all kinds of cases involving traumatic brain injuries. Our compassionate attorneys will answer your questions and guide you through the legal process.

Plus, our attorneys have the foresight needed to ensure compensation is available to cover all related expenses including future medical bills that may result as a consequence of the accident. With decades of experience backing your claim, you can be sure no money is left on the table.

Get Chattanooga legal news where you get social!  Follow us on Twitter, or ‘like’ us on Facebook.

By |2024-06-29T22:40:39-04:00February 8th, 2019|General Info|0 Comments
Personal injury attorneys - Cover of the the "know your rights after a serious car accident" PDF

FREE GUIDE

Your Rights After A Serious Car Accident

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Looking for more free resources to help you with your personal injury claim?

$1,150,000

Auto Accident Settlement

$1,000,000

ATV Accident
Settlement

$650,000

Auto Accident Settlement

$600,000

Tractor Trailer Accident

$400,000

Tractor Trailer Accident

$300,000

Auto Accident Settlement

$300,000

Tractor Trailer Accident

$300,000

Auto Accident Settlement

$245,000

Motorcycle Accident Settlement

OUR SERVICES & REVIEWS

A Personal Approach for Accident Victims

Personal Injury

Car Accidents

Truck Accidents

Motorcycle Accidents

ATV Accidents

BICYCLE ACCIDENTS

BOATING ACCIDENTS

NURSING HOME ABUSE

PREMISE LIABILITY

Personal injury 

In almost all personal injury claims, insurance companies will offer you significantly less than what you deserve. It’s tempting to accept the first offer, especially if you are in a great deal of pain and unable to return to work. But if you’ve already taken a devalued settlement from the insurance company and your medical bills start to pile up, there’s little legal recourse to ask for more. That’s why it’s crucial to involve a Chattanooga personal injury lawyer before you even file a claim.

About Personal Injury >

Car Accidents

Chattanooga car accident lawyers Tricia Dennis and Russell King have recovered millions of dollars in Georgia and Tennessee for car and motor vehicle accident victims like you.  If you or a loved one has been injured and need help with your medical bills, then you have come to the right place.   Auto accident victims and their family members in East Tennessee and North Georgia can confidently rely on the experienced auto accident attorneys at Dennis and King. We are the law firm that has compassionately, yet effectively, helped victims and their loved ones navigate the aftermath of difficult situations.

Our Car Accident Lawyers >

Trucking Accidents

Truck accidents in the United States are on the rise. Recent statistics show that almost 150,000 people are injured in truck accidents each year, and 6,000 people are killed. The regional area of Georgia and Tennessee is a crossroads and a center for car manufacturing, river traffic, and other industries. Large trucks, semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, and other commercial vehicles are constantly on the road. This has a downside as frequent truck accidents occur on I-75, I-24, I-59, Highway 153, U.S. 27, Amnicola Highway, Corridor J, and other roadways. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Georgia or Tennessee truck accident, you may be eligible for substantial compensation.

Our Truck Accident Lawyers >

Motorcycle Accidents

Experienced Chattanooga motorcycle accident lawyers Tricia Dennis and Russell King are avid fans of motorcycles, but they also realize how serious motorcycle accidents can be. With over 75 years of combined experience, Dennis and King Injury Law knows the legal process to achieve fair compensation for motorcycle crash victims. Contact one of our lawyers today to learn more about how to start your motorcycle accident claim.

About Motorcycle Accidents >

ATV Accidents

Under both Tennessee and Georgia law, ATVs are not authorized for use on paved road, but children continue to bring ATVs on to our roads and highways. Georgia and Tennessee laws also prohibit the carrying of passengers on most ATVs, require children below the age of 16 to take approved ATV training courses, and require kids younger than 16 to wear helmets, eye protection, and over-the-ankle boots when operating ATVs. However, these requirements apply only when ATVs are operated on public lands, leaving kids essentially without protection when riding ATVs on private property.

About ATV Accidents >

Bicycle Accidents

The most tragic type of bicycle crash is a bike-car collision. Cyclists are completely defenseless traveling on 30-pound bikes when they’re surrounded by 3,000-pound cars and trucks racing by them. Pedestrians, defective bike parts, recalled bike helmets, and other ineffective bicycle safety equipment can also cause bicycle accidents. Bike accidents can result in wrongful death or serious injuries such as broken bones, amputation, traumatic brain injury, neck, back, and spinal cord injuries.

About Bicycle Accidents >

Boating Accidents

One of three factors usually cause boat accidents: an inexperienced boater, an intoxicated operator, or a boat malfunction. More than a third of both fatal and non-fatal boat accidents are alcohol-related. It is estimated that boat operators with a blood alcohol content of .10 or higher are 10 times more likely to be injured or killed in a boat accident than sober operators.

About Boating Accidents >

Nursing Home Abuse

No one ever expects a family member or friend to be the victim of abuse or neglect in a nursing home. However, abuse and neglect do occur every day and in many ways.

Dennis and King are Chattanooga nursing home abuse attorneys who will fight to recover all that you and your loved one deserve. With our experience in nursing home negligence matters, we thoroughly and carefully assess each individual case. We prepare each case for either settlement or trial in order to obtain compensation for injury, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. We help victims and their families hold these facilities accountable.

About Nursing Home Abuse >

Premises Liability

Premises liability is a vital facet of personal injury law, placing responsibility on property owners for maintaining a safe environment. When accidents occur due to negligence or hazardous conditions on someone’s property, victims have the right to seek compensation. This encompasses incidents like slip and falls or inadequate security leading to assaults. Dennis and King excel in handling these complex cases, tirelessly pursuing justice for our clients.

About Slip and Fall Injuries >

OUR TEAM IS STANDING BY

Free Strategy Session

During your initial strategy session, we will assist you in creating a strategy in how to best pursue your claim, whether it be the result of a car accident claim, 18 wheeler injury, or, other kind of personal injury claim.

There are 5 points to your free claim strategy session:

  • First, we will listen to your story. You will have a chance to tell everything to someone who wants to hear what happened to you.
  • Based on the information you provide, we will give you our best advice on both what claims you have and the next steps you should consider to go forward with your claim.
  • If you claim is something that we think we can help you with, we will explain the services that we can provide for you, and what the next steps are that we should take. We will start working immediately.
  • If your matter is something that we do not think we can help you with, then we will attempt to put you in contact with another lawyer that might be able to help you.
  • Either way, what should happen is we will put to rest some of the unknowns that you may be experiencing. We will start to shed light on what you can expect and how to best pursue the benefits you deserve.