Every 9 seconds, someone in the United States sustains a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Many people do not realize they have been injured until weeks or even months later, when symptoms begin to disrupt daily activities.
If you’ve experienced headaches, confusion, mood changes, or other unusual symptoms after an accident in Arlington or elsewhere in Texas, you could be facing a serious condition that is often overlooked in its early stages. Early diagnosis and legal guidance from an attorney familiar with brain injury cases can be critical to protecting your health and your future.
At Branch & Dhillon, our traumatic brain injury attorneys understand the medical and legal challenges these invisible injuries present and are ready to help you pursue the care and compensation you need. Call (817) 533-3430 to discuss your symptoms and legal options today.
Immediate Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms After an Arlington Accident
The hours right after a head injury are crucial for recognizing traumatic brain injuries, but many symptoms are mistaken for normal physical reactions to an accident. Understanding these immediate warning signs helps victims seek both medical treatment and legal protection before symptoms worsen.
Physical TBI Symptoms That Need Urgent Medical Care
When the brain is injured, the body often sends clear warning signs, though adrenaline and shock can hide them at first. Headaches following an accident are not always the result of stress and may indicate brain swelling or bleeding that requires urgent medical attention.
Even a brief loss of consciousness, no matter how quickly you seem to recover, should be treated as a possible brain injury.
Other physical symptoms that may appear soon after include:
- Persistent nausea or repeated vomiting
- Dizziness or difficulty with balance
- Blurred or double vision
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Sensitivity to light or sound
- Clear fluid draining from the nose or ears
These signs suggest the brain has sustained trauma that can worsen without timely care. Careful documentation supports effective medical treatment and also helps build a strong legal case if needed.
Cognitive and Emotional TBI Symptoms to Document After an Accident
Brain injuries can alter thinking and emotions right away, yet many people assume these changes are simply the result of stress from the accident. Ongoing confusion, trouble finding words or forming sentences, and gaps in memory about the incident are all possible signs of a TBI.
Family members often notice these changes before the injured person does. Their observations can be valuable for both diagnosis and legal documentation.
Why Emergency Rooms Often Miss Traumatic Brain Injuries
Emergency departments focus on stabilizing life-threatening conditions, which means more subtle forms of brain trauma may go unnoticed. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke explains that mild TBIs may not be visible on early CT scans or MRIs, which can result in missed diagnoses.
This makes follow-up appointments especially important and is one reason traumatic brain injury attorneys often recommend a complete neurological evaluation even when the initial hospital assessment appears normal.
Delayed TBI Symptoms That Develop Over Time
The brain’s complexity means some traumatic injuries do not cause symptoms immediately. Signs may appear days, weeks, or even months later and can sometimes cause greater impairment than the initial symptoms. Insurance companies often question whether these symptoms are related to the accident, which is why working with a knowledgeable traumatic brain injury lawyer in Arlington or anywhere in Texas can be important.
Sleep Problems and Fatigue Linked to Traumatic Brain Injury
After a head injury, many people experience insomnia, excessive sleep without feeling rested, or vivid nightmares tied to the accident. These disruptions can slow recovery, affect work performance, and place strain on relationships. Keeping a record of sleep patterns using a journal or app can help connect these issues to the injury.
Personality and Behavior Changes After a Traumatic Brain Injury
Damage to the frontal lobe can lead to aggression, irritability, loss of social filters, depression, anxiety, or sudden mood swings. Family members may notice changes in behavior before the injured person does. These symptoms can harm relationships and careers, making early medical attention and legal guidance from a traumatic brain injury lawyer valuable.
Worsening Memory, Focus, and Decision-Making After a Traumatic Brain Injury
Some people notice that memory loss, poor concentration, and difficulty making decisions get worse over time. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports that these changes may be linked to ongoing brain inflammation or secondary injuries that require treatment. Documenting these symptoms and seeking help from an attorney can protect both your health and your legal rights.
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Arlington, TX
Understanding how local accidents cause brain injuries helps establish the connection between specific incidents and developing symptoms. Arlington’s busy highways and commercial areas create numerous opportunities for brain trauma.
Vehicle Accidents on Texas Highways
High-speed collisions on I-20, Highway 360, and Loop 820 generate forces that cause brains to impact skull interiors violently. Even with airbags and seatbelts, the rapid deceleration in crashes can cause diffuse axonal injuries, in which brain tissue tears in several regions.
Under Texas Transportation Code Section 550.021, drivers involved in accidents must stop and render aid, with failure to do so potentially establishing gross negligence supporting punitive damages.
Motorcycle accidents prove particularly dangerous, as Texas Transportation Code Section 661.003 requires helmets only for riders under 21 or those without proper insurance, leaving many riders vulnerable to severe TBI.
Arlington’s heavy truck traffic increases severe TBI risks, with commercial vehicle accidents governed by both state laws and federal regulations.
Slip and Fall Accidents in Arlington That Lead to Traumatic Brain Injuries
Slip and fall accidents at Arlington shopping centers, restaurants, and apartment complexes cause significant brain injuries, particularly among older adults. Hard surfaces like concrete sidewalks and tile floors provide no cushioning when heads strike during falls.
Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 95, property owners owe duties to invitees to maintain reasonably safe premises and warn of dangerous conditions. The statute specifically addresses slip and fall cases, requiring proof that property owners had actual or constructive knowledge of dangerous conditions.
Even falls from standing height cause serious TBI, contradicting assumptions that only high falls prove dangerous.
Construction and Workplace Accidents That Cause Traumatic Brain Injuries
Arlington’s construction boom and industrial facilities along Great Southwest Parkway create environments where brain injuries occur regularly. Falls from scaffolding, impacts from tools or materials, and equipment malfunctions can all cause traumatic brain injuries that require extensive treatment.
While Texas Labor Code Chapter 406 provides workers’ compensation benefits for on-the-job injuries, these benefits rarely cover the full extent of TBI damages. Third-party claims against equipment manufacturers or property owners often provide additional recovery options under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 82 for products liability, which traumatic brain injury lawyers pursue aggressively to maximize compensation beyond limited workers’ comp benefits.
Medical Documentation for Strong TBI Claims
A strong brain injury claim depends on detailed medical evidence that insurance companies cannot easily dispute. Working with a traumatic brain injury lawyer in Arlington or anywhere in Texas can help you identify the right medical professionals and tests to build your case.
Specialized Neurological Tests for Diagnosing Traumatic Brain Injury
Emergency room CT scans and standard MRIs often miss subtle brain damage. Advanced imaging such as Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) can detect microscopic injuries that other scans overlook.
Neuropsychological testing measures memory, attention, and reasoning against pre-injury baselines, while EEG monitoring identifies seizures or abnormal brain activity. These tests usually require referrals from physicians experienced in treating traumatic brain injuries.
Importance of Ongoing Medical Care in TBI Recovery and Legal Claims
Insurance companies often question claims when medical records show long gaps between appointments. Regular visits with neurologists, psychiatrists, and therapists create a clear record of ongoing symptoms.
Consistently following prescribed medications, therapy, and other treatments provides clear evidence that symptoms are ongoing and recovery is still underway. Skipping appointments or stopping treatment without medical advice can weaken your claim.
How Expert Witnesses Strengthen Traumatic Brain Injury Cases
An experienced traumatic brain injury lawyer works with medical experts who explain complex conditions to judges and juries. Neurologists describe the physical damage and likely progression. Neuropsychologists document cognitive changes and their effects on daily life.
Vocational experts assess lost earning capacity, while life care planners project long-term medical needs and costs. These professionals turn medical findings into compelling evidence that supports fair compensation.
Legal Challenges in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases
Brain injury claims require legal strategies tailored to their complexity. A traumatic brain injury lawyer with specific experience in these cases can address the unique obstacles victims face in Texas courts.
Proving Injuries Without Visible Evidence
Unlike fractures that are easily visible on X-rays, TBIs often do not appear on standard scans. Insurance adjusters sometimes use normal-looking imaging to argue that symptoms are exaggerated.
Insurers sometimes dismiss evidence of cognitive changes, memory loss, or personality shifts. Under Texas Insurance Code Section 541.060, insurers who act in bad faith by denying or delaying valid claims can face additional penalties, including possible treble damages. An experienced attorney knows how to present medical evidence effectively and use Texas bad faith insurance laws to protect clients.
Calculating Future Damages for Progressive Symptoms
Brain injuries can worsen over time, creating challenges in valuing a claim. Early settlements often fail to account for future medical needs, increased care costs, and progressive disability.
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 41.0105 allows recovery for future medical expenses supported by reasonable medical probability, while Texas Pattern Jury Charge 28.2 permits juries to award future damages for physical impairment, pain, and mental anguish likely to occur. Skilled traumatic brain injury lawyers work with medical experts to project these future impacts and seek settlements that address long-term needs rather than quick payouts.
Texas Deadlines for Filing a Traumatic Brain Injury Lawsuit
In Texas, most personal injury claims must be filed within two years under Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003. Because brain injury symptoms can develop gradually, the discovery rule gives victims up to two years from the date the injury could reasonably have been recognized to file a claim.
Cases involving medical negligence may trigger Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 74.251, which requires an expert report within 120 days of filing. Early legal guidance can help protect your rights before deadlines expire.
Why TBI Victims Need Specialized Legal Representation
A traumatic brain injury lawyer brings resources, medical knowledge, and a proven record that general personal injury attorneys may lack. Specialized firms have relationships with top neurological experts, fund advanced testing, and employ nurse consultants to review medical records for overlooked symptoms.
They can walk you through the personal injury lawsuit process, they understand medical terminology, can translate complex neurological findings for judges and juries, and know how Texas insurers, courts, and juries respond to invisible injuries. Their track record in similar cases helps them build strong claims and pursue fair compensation.
FAQ for Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer
Persistent headaches, memory problems, personality changes, sleep disturbances, or any cognitive difficulties following an accident suggest potential TBI requiring legal consultation. Even seemingly minor symptoms may indicate serious brain injury with long-term consequences.
If medical providers diagnosed concussion or mild TBI, or if family members notice behavioral changes since your accident, consulting a traumatic brain injury lawyer helps protect your rights before accepting any insurance settlements.
Most traumatic brain injury lawyers work on contingency fees, meaning you pay nothing upfront and attorney fees come from successful settlements or verdicts only. Typical contingency fees range from 33% to 40% depending on case complexity and whether trials become necessary.
Reputable firms also advance case expenses like expert witness fees and medical record costs, recovering these only from successful outcomes. This arrangement allows brain injury victims to access quality representation regardless of current financial situations.
Delayed symptom onset commonly occurs with traumatic brain injuries, and Texas law recognizes this through discovery rule exceptions to standard limitation periods. Document when symptoms began, which medical providers you consulted, and how symptoms progressed over time.
Traumatic brain injury lawyers understand how to establish connections between delayed symptoms and original accidents using medical evidence and expert testimony, protecting your right to compensation despite time gaps.
Brain injury case timelines can vary widely depending on symptom severity, length of treatment, and how cooperative the insurance company is. Cases involving mild TBIs and clear liability may resolve in several months, while severe injuries requiring ongoing care can take years. If a case goes to trial, the process may extend further. A traumatic brain injury lawyer can give you a realistic estimate based on your circumstances and work toward a resolution that balances efficiency with fair compensation.
TBI victims may recover various damages under Texas law. Economic damages include past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity as outlined in Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 41.
Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases involving gross negligence, Section 41.003 permits exemplary (punitive) damages up to the greater of $200,000 or two times economic damages plus non-economic damages up to $750,000.
Severe brain injuries often justify seven-figure settlements or verdicts when properly documented and presented. Experienced traumatic brain injury lawyers evaluate all potential damages to maximize recovery for current and future needs.
Speak With an Arlington Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer to Protect Your Future
Living with a traumatic brain injury can change every part of your life, from handling daily routines to maintaining relationships. Whether your symptoms started right after a crash on Cooper Street or appeared gradually after a fall at an Arlington business, you may face ongoing medical needs and financial strain. Insurance companies often use this vulnerability to offer fast settlements that fail to account for long-term care.
At Branch & Dhillon, we understand the profound challenges faced by victims of traumatic brain injuries and have successfully guided many Arlington residents through similar cases. We work to secure the care, compensation, and resources our clients need for recovery and long-term stability. Our contingency fee arrangement means you owe nothing unless we obtain compensation on your behalf.
Do not let insurance companies minimize your injuries or pressure you into accepting less than you need. Contact Branch & Dhillon at (817) 533-3430 for a free consultation with a traumatic brain injury lawyer who will work to secure the compensation that supports your recovery and stability.