Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) represent one of the most serious and life-altering consequences of motor vehicle accidents in New Braunfels and throughout Texas. These injuries can range from mild concussions to severe trauma resulting in permanent cognitive impairment, memory loss, personality changes, and reduced motor function. The complex nature of brain injuries often means that symptoms may not be immediately apparent following a collision, potentially developing or worsening over days or weeks. This delayed onset can complicate both medical treatment and legal proceedings. When brain injuries occur due to another driver's negligence, victims may face extensive medical bills, long-term rehabilitation costs, lost wages, and diminished quality of life. The impact extends beyond the injured person to affect their entire family, who may need to provide ongoing care and support. In personal injury claims involving TBI, establishing the full scope of damages requires thorough medical documentation, expert testimony, and careful consideration of both immediate and long-term consequences.

Motor vehicle crashes can cause several distinct types of traumatic brain injuries, each with its own mechanism of injury and potential consequences. The sudden acceleration-deceleration forces in a collision can cause closed head injuries like concussions, where the brain impacts against the skull's interior, potentially damaging multiple areas through coup-contrecoup injury patterns. More severe impacts may result in contusions - bruising of brain tissue - or diffuse axonal injury, where the brain's nerve fibers are stretched and torn by rotational forces, leading to widespread neural damage. In cases where objects penetrate the skull or the skull fractures, penetrating brain injuries can occur, often causing localized but severe damage to specific brain regions. Additionally, secondary brain injuries may develop hours or days after the initial trauma, as bleeding within or around the brain (hemorrhage or hematoma) creates increasing pressure inside the skull, potentially leading to oxygen deprivation and further tissue damage. Understanding the specific type of brain injury is crucial for both immediate medical treatment and long-term prognosis, as each type may require different therapeutic approaches and can result in distinct patterns of cognitive, physical, and behavioral impairments.

Legal Rights and Considerations

Under Texas law, victims of brain injuries from car accidents have two years from the date of the incident to file a personal injury lawsuit, as specified in Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003. Texas follows a modified comparative fault system, meaning victims can recover damages as long as they are found to be no more than 51% responsible for the accident. Insurance considerations are particularly important in brain injury cases, as medical costs often exceed the minimum required liability coverage in Texas ($30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident). Victims may be entitled to various forms of compensation, including economic damages (medical expenses, lost wages, rehabilitation costs) and non-economic damages (pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life). In cases involving gross negligence, exemplary damages may also be available under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 41.003. An experienced New Braunfels internal injury lawyer(link is external) will handle all aspects of the legal claim.

Examples of accidents that can lead to a brain injury claim include:

• New Braunfels car accidents(link is external)
• New Braunfels truck accidents(link is external)
• New Braunfels motorcycle accidents(link is external)
• New Braunfels bicycle accidents(link is external)
• New Braunfels pedestrian accidents(link is external)
• New Braunfels slip and fall accidents(link is external)

Related Resources: Comal County District Court 150 N. Seguin Avenue New Braunfels, TX 78130

Texas Brain Injury Alliance P.O. Box 95234 Grapevine, TX 76099

TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital (Regional brain injury treatment center) 1333 Moursund St Houston, TX 77030

Texas Department of Transportation - Traffic Safety Division 125 E. 11th Street Austin, TX 78701

Brain Injury Association of America - Texas Division 316 W. 12th Street, Suite 405 Austin, TX 78701

Texas Transportation Code (Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations) https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.545.htm(link is external)

Texas Department of Insurance - Consumer Protection 333 Guadalupe Austin, TX 78701

New Braunfels Police Department - Accident Reports Division 1488 S. Seguin Avenue New Braunfels, TX 78130

Return to the New Braunfels internal injuries information page