Nashville Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have a dramatic impact on a person’s ability to work or perform even basic functions. TBIs can be sustained in a number of different circumstances, including sports activities such as football in which concussions are frequently referred to as “mild” traumatic brain injuries.

The term “mild” is misleading though because any TBI involves damages to one or more of an individual’s brain lobes. The effects of damage to brain lobes are not always immediately apparent, but the potential consequences can become more severe over time.

TBI victims may suffer from a number of different physical and psychological symptoms. Some people may experience nausea, loss of balance, or blurred vision. Headaches are incredibly common. While some victims may immediately know they suffered some kind of harm, many others may not experience symptoms of a TBI for several days or weeks.

In many cases, some of the most immediate symptoms are dismissed by victims and family members as being temporary aftereffects of accidents. Don’t be fooled! Seeking medical attention can be urgent.

For nearly three decades, the experienced traumatic brain injury lawyers of the Law Offices of Luvell L. Glanton have sought justice for those who have been seriously hurt in accidents in Nashville and across Tennessee.

If you or your loved one suffered a TBI in any kind accident call the Law Offices of Luvell L. Glanton right away. We offer an honest and thorough evaluation of your case.

We fight for our clients because it is the right thing to do. We fight for our clients because getting compensation for your injuries can make a huge impact on your life and your family’s life. When the unthinkable happens and you’re hurt in an accident, we will be there to stand up for you.

Call (615) 244-4511 to take advantage of a free consultation.

Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

A TBI usually happens when there is a sudden physical impact to a person’s skull. Some of the most frequent causes of TBIs in Tennessee include, but are not limited to:

A TBI is exactly the type of injury that underscores the importance of receiving prompt medical attention following any kind of accident.

It is always best to have a TBI diagnosed as quickly as possible. Delayed treatment can result in an insurance company questioning the validity of a person’s injury claim.

Many insurers downplay the true financial impact of a TBI on a traumatic brain injury victim. Unlike other types of injuries where photographs of an accident scene, bruises on a body, or a cast covering a broken bone clearly show that an injury has occurred, a TBI is not visible without medical technology such as x-rays and MRIs.

As a result, an insurance company may be skeptical about how serious a TBI actually is. They may even question whether you have been injured at all. A skilled personal injury lawyer knows how to find the right medical professionals and treatment that prove the true nature of the harm a TBI victim has suffered.

What Is Your Case Worth? Calculating Compensation

People who have suffered TBIs in accidents caused by negligence may be entitled to various forms of compensation for what can be a lifetime of expenses. Insurance companies for the parties responsible for the traumatic brain injury often contact victims to offer settlements, but their offers are normally far lower than the cost the victim may incur over time.

Once hired, a strong Nashville personal injury attorney can run interference with the insurance companies, and negotiate a settlement that provides reasonably for your past, present, and future needs. If negotiating is unsuccessful, our lawyers will file and advocate for your rights in court.

If we prove that another person is responsible for your TBI there are several kinds of compensation available.

Special damages are also known as economic damages and are typically tangible, calculable losses that most victims have paid or will pay out of pocket. Common kinds of special damages include medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and lost income.
General damages are much more subjective types of harm occasionally referred to as noneconomic damages. Examples of general damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and the loss of enjoyment of life.

Getting Medical Treatment for Your Injuries

The severity of a TBI can vary, but the effects can frequently have a profound effect on victims. In most cases, victims must deal with physical, cognitive, and psychological consequences to these types of injuries.

Many TBI victims are unable to return to their jobs because of difficulties being able to work under the effects of their injuries, and some are never again able to maintain any level of gainful employment. Some victims require full-time, around-the-clock care for assistance with all kinds of daily activities or needs.

In general, TBI treatment can encompass many different approaches, several of which can be very costly. Some of the types of rehabilitation for TBI victims include, but are not limited to:

Acute Rehabilitation — Often focuses on daily living activities in a hospital or other inpatient setting.
Post-Acute Rehabilitation — More comprehensive rehabilitation focusing on intensive therapy at a residential rehabilitation or transitional living facility.
Sub-Acute Rehabilitation — Programs typically within nursing home facilities for victims who may need less intensive rehabilitation or are struggling to make functional gains.
Day Treatment — Rehabilitation in a group setting during the day, allowing a victim to return home for the evening.
Outpatient Therapy — Continuing treatment provided following any type of acute rehabilitation.

In addition to physical care and pain management, TBI treatment services also provide psychological care, communication and cognitive functions, and self-care, mobility, and socialization skills. Some programs also provide speech and vocational training.

Some victims may require neuropsychological assessments that lead to additional psychotherapy. The best treatment options will depend on an individual’s specific case, but the costs of care can often be an issue for many TBI victims.

Traumatic Brain Injury Statistics

According to the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), 5.3 million Americans currently live with disabilities related to TBI. The Tennessee Department of Health stated in its Traumatic Brain Injury Program Annual Report for 2016-2017 that approximately 8,000 people per year are injured and admitted to the hospital with TBI in Tennessee.

In 2016, 5,586 Tennesseans were hospitalized due to a TBI-related cause, and an additional 55,515 emergency department visits were related to a TBI during the fiscal year of 2015. In 2015, 53 percent of cases in Tennessee required only self-care or non-skilled assistance at discharge, while 31 percent of cases resulted in the patient being discharged to a residential, rehab, other long-term care facility, or with home care.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), TBIs contribute to roughly 30 percent of all injury deaths, and 153 people in the country die every day from injuries that include TBI. The CDC reported that falls were the leading cause of TBIs in 2013, while being struck by or against an object was second, and motor vehicle accidents was third.

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) states that an estimated 1.7 million cases of TBI occur in the United States every year, including 235,000 hospitalizations. Estimated annual direct and indirect TBI costs are between $48 billion and $56 billion. The AANS also reported that 80,000-90,000 people every year experience the onset of long-term or lifelong disabilities associated with TBI.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which tracks product-related injuries through its National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), reported an estimated 446,788 sports-related head injuries treated at the nation’s hospital emergency rooms in 2009. The top 10 sports/recreational activities with the highest number of estimated head injuries treated in emergency rooms that year, in order, were cycling, football, baseball and softball, basketball, water sports, powered recreational vehicles (ATVs, dune buggies, go-carts, mini bikes, off-road), soccer, skateboards/scooters, fitness/exercise/health club, and winter sports (skiing, sledding, snowboarding, snowmobiling).

Contact Us For A Free Consultation

If you or your loved one suffered a TBI in an accident in Tennessee don’t talk to an insurance company until you have hired an attorney. Before we can help you, we’ll talk to you and ask you to sign an agreement that makes us your attorneys.

Contact us at (615) 244-4511 and make an appointment for a free consultation today, or fill out our contact form and someone will contact you promptly.

Too often, insurers provide settlement offers that are far less than what you may need. Most people have no experience negotiating a personal injury claim, don’t know the extent of their injuries, and assume that what the insurance company offers is all they can get. That’s not always the case. Our experienced Nashville TBI attorneys will work to make sure that you receive all of the compensation you need and deserve.

The Law Offices of Luvell L. Glanton represents TBI victims in communities all over the greater Nashville area. Call (615) 244-4511 or contact us online to have our firm review your case and answer all of your legal questions during a free consultation.