Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury in Nashville

Nashville Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers

Legal advocacy for Tennessee victims of head and brain injuries

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a challenging and painful experience for the patient, family, and friends. This type of serious injury can be permanent. A lifetime of care for a patient with severe TBI typically costs millions of dollars. When someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing caused your loved one’s injury, you need legal help as soon as possible. The traumatic brain injury lawyers at Rocky McElhaney Law Firm in Nashville, Hendersonville, Murfreesboro and Clarksville have successfully handled brain injury cases for many years, and we are ready to help with your case, too.

"When I was a teenager, Dad got hurt. Insurance company wouldn't pay. We lost our house. But, Dad got a lawyer and we got justice. That's the moment I decided to become an attorney. As a lawyer, I have dedicated my life to helping injury victims."

~ Rocky

What is a traumatic brain injury?

A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is any kind of injury that affects how the brain works. It can be caused by a serious bump, hit, or jolt to the head, as well as a penetrating injury to the head and skull.  According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), the number one cause of traumatic brain injury is falls. The other common causes of TBIs in the United States are motor vehicle accidents, firearms, and assaults.

People’s irresponsible or negligent actions can cause accidents that result in brain injury. For example, a store that allows floor spills to go unattended for long periods can cause someone to slip and fall. A drunk driver can crash into your car. Or an apartment building that lacks security measures may be held liable for its negligence in failing to protect residents and guests against criminal assaults.

How do Nashville brain injuries happen?

Brain damage can be caused by outside forces, like a blow to the head, or by illnesses or infection. In some cases the injury develops for no clear reason at all, like it does in dementia or Parkinson’s patients. Certain events are more likely than others to increase your risk of a brain injury, such as:

  • Motor vehicle accidents. Bus, truck, motorcycle, and car crashes can cause long-term brain injuries. A driver or passenger who is not properly restrained may go through a window or smash into the dashboard or door frame. Airbags can also cause an injury by literally rattling your brain inside your skull.
  • Falls from heights. A slip off of the ladder while painting the trim, or a fall from a train platform – the height doesn’t need to be extreme to cause damage. In fact, OSHA requires that anyone working more than six feet off the ground must wear a safety harness. Imagine how severe the damage could be if you fall off of a roof, which is much higher than six feet.
  • Work-related accidents. Construction and utility workers face serious injuries every day. A fall from a scaffold, an electrical shock, or a falling object can all cause serious brain injuries.
  • Sports-related injuries. Traumatic brain injuries are not just a cause for worry for the NFL anymore. Middle and high school age children who play sports are at an increased risk of brain injury, even with extra safety precautions in play. Football, soccer, rugby, baseball, softball – all of these sports pose a serious risk of brain injury, as do competitive events involving mixed martial arts or wrestling.
  • Negligent security. Property owners have a responsibility to keep their premises safe. A poorly-lit alley or entryway, broken locks, or high-rise windows without child safety bars can lead to falls or increase the chance of a violent encounter.
  • Spinal trauma. The spine and the brain are inextricably linked. Damage to one often results in damage to the other. Physical trauma to the spine, whether caused by a car crash or an act of medical negligence involving cortisone shots (or any of the million ways we may sustain an injury), can lead to swelling, hemorrhaging, or infections.

When you sustain a traumatic brain injury, Rocky McElhaney Law Firm is there for you. We have recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients in Nashville and throughout Tennessee. We are unafraid to take your case to trial to get you the compensation you deserve – all the while keeping your best interests in mind. We help you get the care you need now and in the future, so that you can focus on your recovery and not on your injury.

What are the potential effects of TBI on a person’s life?

Given that every TBI is different for each person, each person will face different effects. These differences  will depend largely on the severity of the brain injury. The severity of a TBI can range from mild to severe and effect a person in one or all of the following ways:

  • Thinking (memory and reasoning)
  • Sensation (sight and balance)
  • Language (communication, expression, and understanding)
  • Emotion (depression, anxiety, personality changes, aggression, acting out, and social inappropriateness)

One of the major changes in thinking that can come about in an individual suffering from the effects of a brain injury include cognitive difficulties in managing the executive functions of the brain. This includes how the brain processes the information we use to function in our incredibly complicated world. Tasks such as planning your day; running a company or a government; decision-making and prioritizing–these are quite complex tasks. When the brain has been injured and vital connections have been damaged or severed, the brain can become muddled, causing the individual to feel unable to control their own thinking.

In addition to the severity of the brain injury, the type of injury and where it is located can also have short- and long-term effects on a person’s life. In the long-term, effects from a TBI might include:

  • Severe headaches
  • Irritability
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Seizures
  • Spasticity
  • Sleep problems
  • Lack of bowel and bladder control
  • Inability to regulate body temperature

Can someone’s personality change after a TBI?

Everyone reacts differently after a brain injury. Some symptoms may clear up over time while some may last for years. However, there are some personality and emotional changes you and your loved ones should be aware of:

  • Mood swings. Emotional ups and downs are one of the most difficult issues to deal with after a traumatic brain injury – for both patients and their loved ones. People might go from happy to sad to angry in what feels like the blink of an eye and for what feels like no reason at all. This is because there are specific lobes in the brain that control emotions. If those lobes suffer damage, emotions can become more difficult to manage.
  • Lack of trust. After a TBI, victims may have trouble with trust, even with their families and friends. They might seem paranoid, making accusations that seem completely unfounded or acting suspicious of those they used to trust. Depending on the severity of the injury, some individuals may even suffer hallucinations or delusions.
  • Memory loss. Memory loss due to brain injury can affect someone’s personality much the way dementia does older people. Individuals may not know who their friends and family are, or may not be able to process new memories. Because memories and experiences play a large role in developing our personalities, memory loss can significantly affect personality.
  • Impaired judgment. The frontal lobe of the brain manages judgment and inhibitions. It prevents us from making rash decisions and controls impulsive behavior. However, when the frontal lobe is damaged, people may lose their inhibitions and engage in reckless or dangerous behavior. They may spend exorbitant amounts of money, cheat on their spouses, or even engage in violence.

How can a Nashville TBI attorney help you?

When someone else is at fault for your or your loved one’s brain injury, you have legal recourse. An experienced Nashville traumatic brain injury attorney can gather evidence and hold responsible parties accountable. Recovering compensation in catastrophic injury cases generally requires working with and standing up to insurance companies.

However, most insurance companies employ strategies designed to allow them to negotiate settlements that pay as little as possible, delay claims, or deny them altogether. That is why you need an experienced, knowledgeable, and skilled Tennessee traumatic brain injury lawyer at Rocky McElhaney Law Firm to fight for you.

Do you have a traumatic brain injury attorney near me?

Rocky McElhaney Law Firm maintains an office at 545 Mainstream Dr. (Suite 105) in Nashville, as well as one at 615 Main Street, B21. We also have state-of-the-art offices in Hendersonville and Clarksville. We  make home and hospital visits, or can schedule a phone or video consultation, if you are too injured to travel to us.

Nashville brain injury lawyers who gets results

To talk to an experienced Nashville TBI attorney about your claim, call Rocky McElhaney Law Firm today at 615-425-2500 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free initial consultation. From our offices in Nashville, HendersonvilleMurfreesboro and Clarksville, we represent clients throughout the state of Tennessee.

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