Personal Injury

Traumatic Brain Injuries

By Ted Smith, Attorney · Originally published February 13, 2020. Updated July 16, 2026.

After a car accident, your doctor may use the term “TBI,” short for traumatic brain injury. A TBI happens when a bump, blow, or jolt to the head disrupts normal brain function. It can range from a mild concussion to a life-altering injury, and it is one of the more serious things a Central Texas accident victim can face, both medically and legally.

What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

A TBI is not one single injury. It covers a range of conditions caused by trauma to the head or a sharp object piercing the skull. Doctors generally describe two categories:

Open head injury: the skull is cracked or penetrated by direct impact.
Closed head injury: the skull is not broken, but the brain is jolted hard enough to slam against the inside of the skull, such as in a concussion.

Because the brain controls nearly every function in the body, a TBI can affect a person physically, cognitively, and emotionally, sometimes all at once.

Recognizing a Brain Injury After an Accident

Some TBI symptoms show up immediately. Others take hours or days to appear, which is why medical evaluation after any head or neck impact matters even if you feel okay at the scene. Watch for:

Headache that will not go away, or gets worse
Nausea, vomiting, or dizziness
Confusion, memory problems, or trouble concentrating
Slurred speech or difficulty finding words
Blurred or double vision, or sensitivity to light
Loss of consciousness, even briefly
Seizures
Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the limbs
Balance problems or slowed reaction time

If you or someone with you shows any of these signs after an accident, seek medical care right away. Severe symptoms, including prolonged unconsciousness, repeated vomiting, or seizures, are a reason to call 911.

Treatment and Recovery

In the emergency setting, treatment focuses on protecting oxygen flow to the brain, controlling blood pressure, and preventing the injury from getting worse. Once a patient is stable, care can include monitoring, medication, physical or cognitive therapy, and in more serious cases, surgery. Recovery timelines vary widely. Mild TBIs, often called concussions, can resolve in weeks, while moderate to severe injuries can require months of rehabilitation and leave lasting effects on thinking, memory, mood, and focus.

Texas Health and Human Services runs an Office of Acquired Brain Injury that connects Texans with rehabilitation resources and support after a TBI, including guidance on what to do in the days right after the injury.

TBI and Fort Hood Families

Traumatic brain injury is not only a car accident issue for Central Texas. VA Research reports that more than 185,000 veterans using VA health care have been diagnosed with at least one TBI. Veterans and military family members who suffer a second TBI in a car accident, on top of a service-connected one, should make sure both the accident claim and any VA care coordinate around the same medical picture. Families connected to Fort Hood can find more resources on our veterans and military families page.

Why a TBI Changes How a Claim Should Be Handled

Emergency room doctors focus on stabilizing the injury in front of them. They are not always focused on the months or years of therapy, lost income, or reduced earning capacity a TBI can cause down the road. Building a personal injury claim around a brain injury means connecting the accident to a full picture of ongoing treatment, not just the initial ER visit.

Get Professional Help

If you or a family member suffered a TBI in an accident that was someone else’s fault, the personal injury attorneys at Ted Smith Law Group can help you understand your options for medical bills, lost wages, and long-term care. Learn more on our personal injury page.

FAQ

Can a mild TBI still support a personal injury claim? Yes. Even a mild TBI, or concussion, can involve real medical costs and missed work. What matters is documenting the diagnosis and the treatment that follows.

How long after an accident can TBI symptoms appear? Some symptoms are immediate. Others, especially with closed head injuries, can take hours or days to show up. That is one reason a full medical evaluation after any head or neck impact matters.

Will insurance cover TBI treatment? Medical payments and health insurance typically cover initial treatment, but a personal injury claim can help recover costs insurance does not, including long-term therapy and lost income. Speaking with an attorney early helps make sure nothing is missed.

Do veterans with a service-connected TBI have a harder time proving a new claim? Not necessarily, but it is important that medical records clearly separate or connect the prior condition and the new injury. This is part of what a full case review addresses.

How soon should I talk to a lawyer after a TBI diagnosis? As soon as you are able to. Texas generally allows two years from the date of an accident to file a personal injury lawsuit, and building the medical record for a TBI claim takes time.

Sources

Call or text (254) 690-5688 for a free consultation about a traumatic brain injury claim.