Lubbock Brain Injury Lawyer
Brain injuries can happen at any time. One minute you’re driving to work on Loop 289, helping out at an oilfield site near Lubbock, or walking through a store in your area. The next thing you know, everything has changed. I’m James Perrin, and at Perrin Law Injury & Accident Lawyer I help brain injury victims in West Texas get through some of the hardest times in their lives.
I know that a lot of questions are going through your mind right now. How will you pay your growing medical bills if you can’t work? Why does everything feel different—your memories, your feelings, even your relationships? Will insurance companies believe you when you say you have injuries that can’t be seen? These worries are real, and you should get honest answers from someone who knows both the medical and legal sides of things that can help you protect your future.
One of the hardest things about brain injury cases is that symptoms often get worse over time. The headache that started after your accident could get worse over the next few weeks. Small problems with concentration can turn into major cognitive problems that end your career. Family members may notice changes in your personality before you do. Insurance adjusters rely on this delayed recognition, hoping you’ll agree to a quick settlement before you fully understand how bad your injury is.
Injured in Lubbock and struggling after a brain injury? Call me today for a free consultation. I’ll review your case personally and fight to secure the full compensation you need for recovery and peace of mind.
Injured In Lubbock From A Brain Injury? I’m Here To Help
In a matter of seconds, a brain injury can change everything. I’m James Perrin, and I help people with brain injuries and their families get justice in Texas. As your brain injury lawyer in Lubbock, I take care of every detail of your case so you can focus on getting better.
You won’t work with a paralegal or case manager—you’ll work with me directly. You don’t have to pay me anything until I win your case because I work on a contingency fee basis. I’m here to help you understand your rights and options if you’re having trouble paying medical bills, losing wages, or not knowing what your future holds.
What Is A Traumatic Brain Injury?
When a sudden blow or jolt to the head stops the brain from working normally, it is called a traumatic brain injury (TBI). This means that the brain moves around or twists inside the skull, hurting brain tissue and changing how you think, feel, and act.
People often call these injuries “invisible” because they don’t always show up on regular hospital scans like CT or MRI tests. You can still have a serious brain injury that affects your daily life even if the imaging looks normal.
There are three main types of brain injuries:
- Mild TBI (Concussion): A short loss of consciousness or confusion that can last for months or years.
- Moderate TBI: Loss of consciousness for minutes to hours, with confusion that can last for days or weeks.
- Severe TBI: Long periods of unconsciousness or memory loss, often needing long-term rehabilitation. In tragic cases where severe brain injuries prove fatal, families may need to file wrongful death claims
What Causes Brain Damage In Lubbock?
Most of the time, brain injuries in our area happen because of accidents where someone else was careless. I’ve seen these terrible injuries happen in situations that were easy to predict and could have been avoided.
Motor vehicle and truck crashes
High-speed car, rideshare (Uber or Lyft), and motorcycle accident collisions on Interstate 27, Loop 289, and Highway 84 create tremendous forces that can cause severe head trauma. When a truck accident involves a large commercial vehicle striking a passenger car, the impact often results in life-changing brain injuries.
The sudden stop during a crash causes your brain to slam against the inside of your skull. Even if your head never hits anything, this violent motion can cause significant damage.
Falls and premises hazards
Property owners must keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors. I’ve represented clients who suffered brain injuries from:
- Slip and fall incidents on wet floors in grocery stores without warning signs
- Broken stairs in apartment complexes
- Poorly lit parking lots leading to falls
- Construction sites with inadequate safety barriers
Incidents In The Oilfield And At Work
Working in the oil and gas industry in West Texas is dangerous in its own way. People often get head injuries when they are hit by falling tools, get stuck in machinery, or come into contact with chemicals that are harmful to the brain.
These brain injuries at work often lead to both workers’ compensation claims and lawsuits against equipment makers or contractors.
Injuries From Sports And Recreational Activities
Football at Texas Tech and other high schools in the area can cause concussions if safety rules aren’t followed. Defective helmets, inadequate medical care, or pressure to play through symptoms can turn a minor injury into permanent brain damage.
Signs And Symptoms That Happen After A Head Injury
Symptoms That Are Physical Or Sensory
- Persistent headaches that don’t go away with over-the-counter medicine
- Dizziness or trouble with balance, including vertigo
- Blurred vision, double vision, or sensitivity to light
- Ringing in the ears or heightened sensitivity to sound
- Sleep disturbances, such as sleeping too much or being unable to fall asleep
Cognitive And Emotional Changes
- Memory problems: Trouble remembering new information or recent events
- Concentration issues: Difficulty staying focused or following conversations
- Mood swings: Irritability, sadness, or anxiety without clear cause
- Personality changes: Acting differently than your normal self
- Confusion: Feeling “foggy” or disoriented about time and place
If you notice any of these symptoms after an accident, don’t wait to get help. Call me today for a free consultation to talk about your legal options.
What To Do If You Think You Have A Brain Injury
You can protect your health and your legal rights by taking the right steps immediately after a brain injury. In the hours and days after an accident, I tell my clients to do the following.
Immediate Medical Actions
- Go to the emergency room right away—even if you feel fine. Visit UMC or Covenant Health.
- Be honest about all symptoms. Don’t downplay headaches, dizziness, or confusion.
- Request a neurological evaluation. Ask doctors to specifically assess your brain function.
- Keep detailed records. Save all medical paperwork and follow-up appointment schedules.
Keeping Your Legal Claim Safe
- Document the accident scene with photos of vehicles, property damage, and hazards.
- Collect witness information: names and contact details of anyone who saw what happened.
- Avoid recorded statements with insurance adjusters until you have legal representation.
- Contact a brain injury lawyer immediately to protect your case from costly mistakes.
The Long-Term Effects Of Brain Injuries
One of the hardest things about a brain injury is that the effects can last for years—or even a lifetime. Unlike broken bones that heal with time, brain injuries often change how you think, feel, and interact with the world around you.
Many of my clients tell me how frustrating it is to feel “different” even though they look the same on the outside. They may struggle with short-term memory, have trouble focusing at work, or find conversations and decision-making exhausting. Family members often notice mood swings, irritability, or personality changes that weren’t there before the accident. These are all well-documented effects of brain trauma.
The long-term impact also extends to finances and independence. You may have to leave your job, change careers, or rely on others for daily support. Neurologists, therapists, and other specialists often remain part of your care long after the ER visit. In more serious cases, in-home care or assisted living may become necessary, creating enormous financial pressure for families.
I make sure these long-term consequences are fully accounted for in your case. Insurance companies often try to treat brain injuries as if they were short-term setbacks. But when your injury affects every aspect of your future, your compensation should cover much more than the bills you’ve already paid.
Who can be liable for a TBI in Texas?
Texas law says you can sue anyone whose carelessness caused your brain injury. This means showing that someone had a duty to act safely and didn’t, which caused you harm.
Truck Drivers And Negligent Trucking Companies
Drivers who cause accidents because they are distracted, drunk, or reckless are responsible for the brain injuries that happen as a result. When commercial drivers make a mistake, their employers are often also responsible because they didn’t train them well, didn’t keep their vehicles in good shape, or set unrealistic delivery times.
Trucking companies have to follow federal safety rules, keep their trucks in good shape, and make sure their drivers get enough sleep. They are responsible for the terrible things that happen when they cut corners to save money.
People Who Own Businesses And Homes
Property owners must keep their property safe for visitors, according to premises liability law. This includes having enough light, cleaning up spills right away, keeping walkways in good shape, and putting up signs to warn people about known dangers.
Business owners can’t just ignore unsafe situations and hope nothing bad happens. They need to do what they can to keep customers and visitors safe from harm that could happen.
Employers And Others
Workers’ compensation usually stops you from suing your employer, but you can still sue other companies, like negligent contractors, equipment manufacturers, or other businesses whose actions hurt you.
If your employer doesn’t have workers’ compensation insurance (also called a “non-subscriber”), you might be able to sue them directly for brain injuries that happen at work.
Companies That Make Products
Companies that make safety gear like helmets, airbags, or protective gear can be held strictly liable if their faulty products don’t protect users as they should.
This means you don’t have to show that the maker was careless; all you have to do is show that their product was broken and hurt you.
How I Prove Your Brain Injury Case
Insurance companies often fight brain injury claims by saying that the symptoms are worse than they really are or that they aren’t connected to the accident. I fight these tactics by making strong cases that are backed up by medical evidence and expert testimony.
My method is to work with experts who know how complicated brain injuries are:
- Neurologists And Neurosurgeons: Doctors who can explain the science behind your injury to a jury.
- Neuropsychologists: Experts who do in-depth tests to find and record cognitive problems.
- Life Care Planners: Professionals who figure out how much your medical needs will cost over your lifetime.
- Vocational Experts: People who look at your injury and decide how it will affect your ability to work.
I also use advanced imaging methods that regular hospital scans might not pick up. Regular CT and MRI scans can’t see brain damage that diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans can.
Family and coworkers can give strong evidence of how your personality and skills have changed since the accident. This “before and after” proof helps juries see how your injury really affected you.
What Kind Of Damages Can You Get In A Texas Brain Injury Case?
Texas law lets you get full compensation for all the losses caused by your brain injury, including both economic and non-economic damages. I work with financial experts to figure out how much your claim is worth.
Costs Of Medical Care And Future Care
You can get money back for all the medical care you get for your brain injury, such as trips to the emergency room, hospital stays, surgery, medication, and rehabilitation therapy. More importantly, you can also ask for the estimated cost of all the medical care you’ll need for the rest of your life.
Brain injuries often need ongoing care from neurologists, psychiatrists, physical therapists, and other specialists. A life care plan keeps track of these needs and how much they will cost.
Lost Wages And The Ability To Earn Money
You can get damages for your lost wages and for your ability to make money in the future. People who have brain injuries often have to switch jobs, work fewer hours, or retire early.
Vocational experts look at your education, work history, and the limitations of your injuries to figure out how much money you can no longer make. This calculation is usually the biggest part of your damages.
Pain, Suffering, And Changes In Life
Non-economic damages pay you for pain, emotional distress, and things you used to enjoy that money can’t directly replace. This includes:
- Chronic pain and discomfort: Long-lasting headaches and trouble moving around
- Emotional trauma: Changes in mood, personality, and anxiety
- Effects on relationships: Stress on marriages and family ties
- Lost activities: Not being able to enjoy sports, hobbies, or social events
Changes To The Home And Care Needs
People with severe brain injuries may need to make big changes to their lives, such as making their homes wheelchair accessible, getting special equipment, or hiring a nurse to come to their home. You can get all of these costs back as part of your damages.
How Long Do You Have In Texas To File A Claim For A Brain Injury?
You have two years from the day you were hurt to file a lawsuit in Texas for your brain injury claim. Courts strictly enforce this deadline, which is known as the statute of limitations.
If you miss this deadline, you usually lose your right to get paid for good. There are a few exceptions for cases involving minors or injuries that were discovered late, but you shouldn’t count on these rare situations.
Government agencies have even shorter deadlines; they usually need to be told within six months of the event. This is why it’s so important to talk to a lawyer early on to protect your rights.
Will Your Case Be Settled Or Go To Court?
Most brain injury cases settle before they go to court, but insurance companies are more likely to give you a good deal if they know your lawyer is ready to fight in court. My trial-ready approach puts the most pressure on defendants to pay fair damages.
From the start, I treat every case like it will go to trial. This means doing a lot of research, hiring expert witnesses, and gathering strong evidence that shows how your injury has affected you in every way.
Insurance companies are more likely to offer fair settlement amounts when they see this level of preparation. This is because they don’t want to risk a jury’s decision that they can’t predict.
Why Should You Hire James Perrin To Handle Your Brain Injury Case?
Choosing the right lawyer is the most important thing you can do for your case. When you hire me, you get personal attention and strong representation that bigger companies can’t give you.
This is what makes my practice different:
- Direct access to your lawyer: You work with me directly, not with junior associates or paralegals.
- Trial experience: I’m ready to take your case to court if that’s what it takes to get you the most money.
- Local knowledge: I’ve been practicing law in Lubbock for decades, so I know a lot about the judges and juries there.
- No costs up front: With a contingency fee structure, you don’t have to pay anything until I win your case.
I know how hard it is for people who have had brain injuries because I have helped families through this tough time. I promise to fight for every dollar you deserve and treat you with the respect and care you need during this difficult time.
Free Consultation With A Lawyer For Brain Injury In Lubbock
Brain injuries make it hard to know what will happen next, but you don’t have to deal with this alone. The first step to getting the money you need to get better is to know your legal rights.
I offer free consultations with no strings attached. We’ll talk about your accident, go over your medical care, and go over your legal options. You don’t have to pay anything or feel pressured to find out how I can help you and your family move forward.
Call me today to set up your free consultation. You can either call my office directly or fill out the online contact form. I will look over your case myself and give you honest answers about your legal options and the money you might be able to get.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brain Injury Claims
Can I File A Claim If I Don’t Remember What Happened?
Yes. In fact, memory loss is one of the most common signs of a brain injury, especially if there was a concussion, loss of consciousness, or post-traumatic amnesia. You can still file a claim even if you don’t remember what happened. I use all the evidence I can find to build cases. This includes witness statements, police reports, medical records, surveillance footage, and sometimes even experts who can show how the injury happened. We can still make a clear, convincing picture of what happened and who is to blame, even if you don’t remember it directly.
What If The Insurance Company Says My Brain Injury Isn’t That Bad?
I see this trick all the time. People often call brain injuries “invisible injuries” because you can’t always see them on the outside. Insurance companies use this to downplay claims. They might say that your symptoms are worse than they really are, that they’re caused by stress, or that they have nothing to do with the accident. That’s why I hire medical experts like neurologists, neuropsychologists, and imaging specialists who can do advanced tests like MRIs, CT scans, and cognitive assessments to show how bad your condition really is. These experts can not only explain the medical evidence, but also how your injury affects your memory, focus, mood, and ability to work or enjoy life in general.
When Will My Case About My Brain Injury Be Over?
The length of time it takes depends on a few things, such as how bad your injury is, how long it takes doctors to figure out your long-term prognosis, and whether the insurance company fights liability. If you had a concussion and fully recovered in a few months, your case might be resolved more quickly. But if you still have symptoms like memory loss, chronic headaches, or mood swings, we may have to wait until doctors can tell if those effects are permanent. In cases of complicated brain injury, insurance companies often take their time, hoping that the victims will accept less. It’s my job to move your case forward, but we won’t settle until we know everything we need to know about your future needs.
Do I Need To See A Certain Doctor For My Brain Injury?
You can see any doctor who is qualified, but the type of doctor you choose is very important when it comes to brain injuries. Family doctors and ER doctors are often the first to diagnose a concussion, but they may not do the thorough tests needed to back up a legal claim. That’s why I often suggest seeing specialists like neurologists, neuropsychologists, or rehabilitation doctors who know a lot about brain injuries and how important it is to keep detailed records. These doctors not only treat you, but they also give you clear medical records and expert testimony that can help your case a lot when you talk to insurance adjusters or a jury.