You might think a bump on the head after a crash is just a headache, but a traumatic brain injury can hide in plain sight, waiting to steal your focus, your memory, or even your independence. In 2016, car accidents accounted for roughly 25 percent of all TBI-related hospitalizations in the US.
In Georgia in 2022, there were 1,797 motor vehicle traffic fatalities, a slight decrease from 1,809 in 2021. In Tennessee that same year, traffic crashes claimed 919 lives. If you’ve ever experienced blurry vision, memory lapses, or sudden mood swings after a collision, don’t shrug it off. Acting fast can make a huge difference for your health and for any TBI compensation you pursue.
Effects of Traumatic Brain Injuries
When your head jerks violently in a crash, your brain can slam against the inside of your skull. That impact may cause bruising, bleeding, or tearing of nerve fibers. Some injuries show up immediately, like a skull fracture or bleeding you spot on a CT scan. Others start small, such as a mild concussion, and snowball over days or weeks.
- Short-term impacts often include persistent headaches, confusion, and nausea.
- Long-term effects can be more insidious: chronic headaches, memory problems, and mood swings that derail daily life. Studies show even a single mild TBI raises your risk of developing dementia later in life.
A head injury from a car accident doesn’t only affect your body. It can disrupt your relationships, your job, and your quality of life. That’s why quick diagnosis and a clear plan matter.
What Are the Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury can manifest in physical, cognitive, and emotional ways.
Physical Signs
- Headaches that don’t go away or worsen over time
- Dizziness, loss of balance, or double vision
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sensitivity to light and noise
Cognitive and Behavioral Indicators
- Trouble concentrating or feeling “foggy”
- Memory lapses, such as forgetting recent events
- Slurred speech or slowed reaction times
- Emotional changes, including irritability, mood swings, or sudden depression
Delayed symptoms
Some symptoms may not surface until days or even weeks after the crash. You might begin forgetting tasks you once handled easily, experience unusual fatigue, or notice sudden shifts in your personality. These delayed signs can be harder to tie back to the original collision, yet they remain critical evidence if you pursue TBI compensation.
Types of Brain Injuries Caused by Car Accidents
A high-speed impact can produce different kinds of brain trauma, each carrying its own recovery path.
- Closed head injuries: The skull remains intact, but the brain still collides with bone or twists inside the skull. Concussions fall under this category and often present with lingering dizziness, headaches, or blurred vision even if you never lose consciousness. Diffuse axonal injuries (DAI) occur when high-speed crashes stretch or tear nerve fibers. Symptoms of DAI range from a coma to subtle cognitive changes that grow over time.
- Open head injuries: A skull fracture occurs when the bone itself cracks, potentially sending bone fragments into brain tissue. Penetrating trauma happens when an object pierces the skull, directly injuring brain tissue beneath.
- Secondary injuries: Brain swelling, or edema, raises pressure inside your skull and starves cells of oxygen. Hemorrhages such as subdural or epidural hematomas result from bleeding inside the brain and can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. Ischemia, or reduced blood flow, can damage brain cells hours after the impact.
Concussions might heal in weeks, but DAIs or hemorrhages can lead to permanent deficits. That is why keeping every scan, every doctor’s note, and every therapy report is critical. You will need a complete medical record to establish the connection between your crash and your injury when negotiating for TBI compensation.
Long-Term Consequences of TBI
Even a mild injury can ripple through your life long after you leave the hospital. Cognitively, you might struggle with attention, planning, or problem-solving, finding it difficult to multitask or keep up with conversations. On the emotional front, depression or anxiety often emerges months later, and personality changes such as becoming more impulsive or irritable can strain relationships and work performance.
Physically, persistent headaches, seizures, or sleep disorders may linger indefinitely. Trouble with balance or coordination can lead to long-term motor impairment. The risks continue to grow: research links even mild TBI to higher odds of Alzheimer’s or other dementias down the road.
Tracking these long-term changes requires a dedicated medical team. Neurologists can monitor structural damage, while neuropsychologists run tests to chart cognitive decline or improvement. Rehabilitation specialists customize physical, occupational, and speech therapies to help you rebuild skills. Those same records will power your legal claim, showing how the crash altered your life over time.
Diagnosis and Medical Evaluation of TBI
In the emergency room, doctors begin with the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) to gauge your level of consciousness. A low GCS score prompts immediate imaging, typically a CT scan, to detect bleeding or skull fractures. MRIs, ordered later, can reveal subtle tissue damage that a CT might miss.
After initial stabilization, specialists step in. Neurologists check for nerve damage and plan any necessary surgeries or medications. Neuropsychologists run cognitive tests to map out deficits in memory, processing speed, and executive function. Rehabilitation teams then craft a multi-disciplinary regimen: physical therapy to restore balance and strength, occupational therapy to retrain daily living skills, and speech therapy to address communication issues.
In 2025, updated TBI protocols emphasize early MRI scans over CT when feasible because MRIs pick up diffuse injuries more accurately. If your doctors miss a subtle lesion or delay imaging, you risk losing critical evidence in court. That is why pushing for prompt, thorough evaluation benefits both your health and your legal position.
Immediate Steps After a Suspected TBI
If you experience loss of consciousness, repeated vomiting, seizures, or worsening headaches after a crash, head straight to the emergency room. Even if you never pass out, persistent dizziness or confusion still warrants a CT or MRI scan. Don’t brush off symptoms; every hour counts.
Once you’ve been evaluated, document everything. Keep copies of all medical records: ER notes, imaging results, neuropsychological assessments, and rehab therapy logs. Ask any witnesses, including friends, family, or first responders, to write down exactly what they saw. Take photos of your injuries and the crash scene while the details remain fresh in your mind.
Starting therapy within 72 hours can reduce long-term deficits and strengthen your legal case. Early intervention shows insurers you took the injury seriously and makes it harder for them to argue you “got hit later.”
Legal Implications of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries often remain invisible on the surface. Insurance companies frequently discount TBIs, arguing that “you look fine,” and push claimants to settle before serious tests are done. You need airtight medical records and expert testimony to prove your symptoms link directly to the crash.
State laws vary on filing deadlines. In Georgia, most TBI lawsuits must be filed within two years of the crash date. If symptoms arise later, known as a “delayed TBI,” or if you were under 18 when the crash occurred, you may have additional time, but you still must file within two years of the date you turn 18.
In Tennessee, the deadline is one year from the crash date to file a personal injury claim; if you miss that deadline, no exceptions, you lose your right to sue.
Proving causation means showing that the crash “more likely than not” caused your TBI symptoms. Expert witnesses like neurologists, neuropsychologists, and accident reconstructionists, play a crucial role. They link the force of impact to specific brain damage, dismantling defenses that attribute your symptoms to anything other than the crash.
Seeking Compensation for Traumatic Brain Injuries
When you pursue TBI compensation, you can claim several types of damages. Special damages include past and future medical bills, therapy costs, prescription expenses, and assistive devices. Lost income covers paychecks you missed due to medical leave, plus projected future lost wages if you cannot return to your prior job. Pain and suffering damages compensate for physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Two main strategies exist for TBI compensation: structured settlements and lump-sum awards. Structured settlements provide periodic payments over years, useful when you need long-term care. Lump-sum awards deliver everything at once but carry the risk of underestimating lifetime costs. During negotiations, insurance adjusters often push a quick, lowball settlement.
Don’t accept it until you know the full scope of your injury. Watch for “pre-existing condition” defenses; insurers may claim your headaches started before the crash. Thorough medical records and expert opinions help shut that down.
Choosing the Right Attorney for a TBI Case
Not all personal injury lawyers have the resources to handle a complex TBI claim in Georgia or Tennessee. Start by asking how many TBI cases they’ve handled and what the outcomes were, request specifics such as settlement amounts or jury verdicts in both states.
Ensure they work with appropriate medical experts in neurology, neuropsychology, and rehabilitation familiar with Georgia and Tennessee standards of care. Finally, clarify their fee structure: do they advance costs for experts, or must you pay up front?
Beware of lawyers who pressure you to sign immediately without clearly explaining your rights or firms that cannot connect you to relevant medical experts in Atlanta, Nashville, or elsewhere in these states. At The Roth Firm, we’ve pursued dozens of TBI claims across Georgia and Tennessee, securing verdicts and settlements that reflect the full lifetime cost of care.
Our team collaborates with top neurologists and neuropsychologists in both states, so your case rests on peer-reviewed medical opinions, not guesswork. When you call The Roth Firm, we handle deadlines, paperwork, and expert coordination so you can focus on healing.
If you or a loved one suffered a head injury from a car accident, call The Roth Firm today. Our team fights for fair TBI compensation so you can focus on recovery. Seek justice now. Your future depends on it.