I was working on a motorcycle injury case today involving a man who we now know has a serious brain injury. This brain injury is so serious that the victim is restricted to a wheelchair and suffers severe myoclonic seizures (severe shaking). At the time of the collision however, he seemed ok. He was conscious, was able to answer the state trooper’s questions about what happened, and he was able to stand unassisted during the interview. His motorcycle helmet only had a small gouge in it and he didn’t have any broken bones, something we see fairly often as Tennessee Motorcycle Accident Attorneys. So how did it happen? The answer has to do with the anatomy of the brain. When there is injury, there is always swelling which is part of the body’s defense and healing mechanism. That swelling is almost always visible, however swelling of the brain from an injury won’t be physically apparent because of the protection provided by the skull. Although most people who suffer a brain injury will have symptoms within 1-2 hours, it may take up to 24 hours before symptoms show themselves.  When we see someone in Nashville who thinks they may have a brain injury, we make sure they see a doctor immediately.  The most recent “famous” case of fatal brain injury without visible injury to the head involved the actress Natasha Richardson. Ms. Richardson had what she thought was a minor head injury while skiing. She developed a headache about an hour later and was brain dead shortly thereafter. There was no dramatic injury to her skull, no fracture, no cuts or external bleeding. Experts have speculated that she developed a bleed inside her brain that caused swelling and brain death. For more information about the Richardson case, click here.  There are over 1 million victims of traumatic brain injury each year, and more the 5 million Americans who have lifelong limitations as a result of a traumatic brain injury. For more information about brain injury, and links to informational sites, click here.

Phillip Miller is a Tennessee Accident Attorney specializing in
Tennessee Auto Accidents, Tennessee Truck Accidents, Tennessee Wrongful Death, and Tennessee Motorcycle Accident cases.

Phillip has an AVVO rating of 10.0 (Superb), has been designated as a “Superlawyer”, and is the President Elect of the Tennessee Association for Justice.

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