Raleigh Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

Fighting for brain injury survivors and their families across Raleigh and Wake County. Call (919) 800-2000 for a free, confidential consultation.

A traumatic brain injury can change everything in an instant. You might have been stopped in traffic on the I-440 Beltline, crossing Capital Boulevard, or driving home on Glenwood Avenue when another driver’s carelessness turned an ordinary day into a life-altering one. Afterward, you or your loved one may struggle with headaches, memory problems, mood changes, or the inability to return to work.

At Tien Law Firm, we help brain injury victims in Raleigh hold negligent drivers and companies accountable. We pursue the full compensation needed for medical care, rehabilitation, and the future medical expenses if needed. Brain injuries are often invisible, misunderstood and undervalued by insurance companies. We know how to prove them.

Why Raleigh Brain Injury Victims Choose Tien Law Firm

Tien Law Firm is a Raleigh personal injury law firm founded by attorney Sonya Tien, who has more than a decade of experience representing seriously injured people.

  • Super Lawyers Rising Star for 7 years. This recognition is reserved for a select percentage of attorneys based on peer nominations and independent research.
  • A perfect 10.0 Avvo rating maintained for 13 years. Avvo’s highest rating reflects experience, professional conduct and client feedback.
  • More than 10 years of personal injury experience taking on insurance companies in complex, high-value injury claims.

Brain injury cases demand patience, medical knowledge and a lawyer who listens. We take the time to understand how your injury affects your daily life, your family and your career. Then we build a case that reflects the full impact.

What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when a sudden blow, jolt or penetrating force disrupts normal brain function. In car accidents, the brain can strike the inside of the skull even when the head never hits anything. That is why many TBI victims walk away from a crash without realizing they are hurt.

Common types of traumatic brain injuries include:

  • Concussions (mild TBI): These are the most common brain injury in car accidents. Despite the name, a “mild” TBI can cause symptoms lasting months or years.
  • Cerebral contusions: Bruising of brain tissue, often from direct impact
  • Coup-contrecoup injuries: The brain is injured on both the impact side and the opposite side as it rebounds within the skull.
  • Diffuse axonal injury (DAI): Shearing of nerve fibers caused by rapid acceleration and deceleration, common in high-speed highway crashes
  • Epidural and subdural hematomas: Bleeding between the brain and skull that may require emergency surgery
  • Penetrating brain injuries: Caused when an object pierces the skull
  • Anoxic and hypoxic brain injuries: Damage from lack of oxygen, which can occur after a crash due to airway obstruction or cardiac arrest

Signs and Symptoms of a Brain Injury After a Crash

TBI symptoms can appear immediately or develop over days and weeks. Seek medical care if you or a loved one experience:

  • Persistent or worsening headaches
  • Confusion, disorientation or memory loss
  • Difficulty concentrating or finding words
  • Dizziness, balance problems or nausea
  • Blurred vision, ringing in the ears, or sensitivity to light and noise
  • Sleep disturbances or extreme fatigue
  • Irritability, depression, anxiety or personality changes
  • Loss of consciousness, even briefly
  • Seizures, slurred speech, or weakness on one side of the body

Delayed symptoms are one of the main reasons insurers try to deny brain injury claims. Prompt medical documentation protects both your health and your case.

Where Raleigh Brain Injury Victims Receive Care

Raleigh is home to some of North Carolina’s leading trauma and neurological care providers. Brain injury victims in the Triangle are often treated at:

  • WakeMed Raleigh Campus on New Bern Avenue, the region’s Level I trauma center
  • WakeMed Rehabilitation Hospital, offering inpatient brain injury rehabilitation
  • UNC Rex Hospital on Lake Boone Trail
  • Duke Raleigh Hospital on Wake Forest Road
  • WakeMed Cary Hospital and WakeMed North Hospital
  • Duke University Hospital in Durham and UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, both Level I trauma centers serving the Triangle

We work with your treating physicians, neurologists, neuropsychologists and rehabilitation specialists. Their findings help us document the full scope of your injury. Advanced imaging such as MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can reveal damage that a standard CT scan may miss.

Raleigh Roads Where Serious Brain Injury Crashes Happen

Raleigh’s rapid growth has brought heavier traffic, more construction and more serious collisions. High-risk roadways in and around the capital city include:

  • I-40, especially through the I-440 interchange, near RDU International Airport, and toward Garner and Clayton
  • I-440 (the Raleigh Beltline), where congestion, sudden slowdowns and ongoing construction lead to frequent rear-end collisions
  • I-540 and NC-540 (Triangle Expressway), linking North Raleigh, Morrisville, Apex and Holly Springs
  • I-87 / US-64 / US-264, carrying commuters east toward Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon
  • US-1 / US-64, connecting Raleigh to Cary and Apex
  • Capital Boulevard (US-1/US-401), one of Raleigh’s most crash-prone corridors
  • Glenwood Avenue (US-70), running through Glenwood South, Crabtree Valley and Brier Creek
  • Six Forks Road, Falls of Neuse Road and Wake Forest Road, busy North Raleigh routes near North Hills
  • Wade Avenue, Hillsborough Street and Western Boulevard, heavily traveled near NC State University, with frequent pedestrian and cyclist traffic
  • New Bern Avenue, Poole Road and Rock Quarry Road in Southeast Raleigh

Whether your crash happened downtown, in Five Points, Oakwood, Midtown, or on a rural road outside the city, our team can investigate what happened.

Common Causes of Brain Injuries in Raleigh

Traumatic brain injuries in Wake County frequently result from:

Compensation for a Traumatic Brain Injury in North Carolina

Brain injuries often require years, sometimes a lifetime, of care. North Carolina law allows injury victims to seek compensation for:

  • Emergency care, hospitalization and surgery
  • Neurological treatment, therapy and rehabilitation
  • Future medical care and in-home assistance
  • Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity
  • Cognitive, physical and speech therapy
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life
  • Permanent disability and disfigurement
  • Punitive damages in cases involving drunk driving or other willful or wanton conduct

To value a TBI claim accurately, we may consult life care planners, vocational experts and economists. These experts calculate the long-term costs that insurance companies routinely overlook.

North Carolina Laws That Affect Your Brain Injury Claim

Statute of limitations. In most North Carolina personal injury cases, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. If the injury led to a death, a wrongful death claim generally must be filed within two years. Shorter notice requirements may apply to claims against government entities.

Contributory negligence. North Carolina is one of only a few states that follow the strict contributory negligence rule. If an insurer can show you were even 1% at fault, it may try to deny your claim entirely. This makes early evidence gathering and experienced legal representation critical. Exceptions, such as the “last clear chance” doctrine, may still preserve your right to recover.

Insurance coverage. Serious brain injuries often exceed the at-fault driver’s policy limits. We investigate every available source of recovery, including underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, umbrella policies and employer liability.

How Tien Law Firm Builds a Strong TBI Case

  1. Free consultation. We listen to what happened and explain your options. There is no cost or obligation.
  2. Thorough investigation. We obtain the North Carolina crash report (DMV-349), witness statements, traffic and dashcam footage, and vehicle data.
  3. Medical documentation. We gather records and imaging from WakeMed, UNC Rex, Duke Raleigh and your other providers. We also work with neurologists and neuropsychologists to document cognitive deficits.
  4. Coordination with law enforcement. We review reports from the Raleigh Police Department, Wake County Sheriff’s Office and North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
  5. Insurance negotiations. We handle all communication with adjusters and push back against attempts to minimize “invisible” injuries.
  6. Trial readiness. If the insurer won’t offer fair compensation, we are prepared to take your case to court in Wake County.

Serving Brain Injury Victims Throughout the Triangle

Tien Law Firm represents traumatic brain injury and car accident victims in Raleigh and surrounding communities, including:

Cary · Apex · Morrisville · Garner · Knightdale · Wake Forest · Rolesville · Wendell · Zebulon · Holly Springs · Fuquay-Varina · Clayton · Durham · Chapel Hill

We serve clients throughout Wake, Durham, Johnston, Orange and Franklin counties.

No Fee Unless We Win

We handle brain injury cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront, and we only receive a fee if we recover compensation for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a “mild” concussion really be worth a legal claim?
Yes. Mild TBIs can cause long-lasting cognitive, emotional and physical symptoms that affect your work and quality of life. We fight for full compensation for these injuries suffered by our clients.

What if my CT scan was normal?
Many brain injuries do not show up on a CT scan. Neuropsychological testing, MRI and DTI imaging, and testimony from treating doctors can help prove your injury.

How long do I have to file a brain injury lawsuit in North Carolina?
Generally three years from the date of the accident. Evidence fades quickly, so it is best to contact a lawyer as soon as possible.

What if the insurance company says I was partly at fault?
Because of North Carolina’s contributory negligence rule, insurers often try to shift blame. Do not accept a denial without speaking to a lawyer. Legal exceptions may apply.

Should I give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer?
We recommend talking to an attorney first. Brain injury victims may struggle with memory or word-finding, and adjusters can use inconsistent statements against you.

How much does it cost to hire Tien Law Firm?
Nothing upfront. We work on contingency and are only paid if we win compensation for you.

Talk to a Raleigh Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer Today

A brain injury can affect every part of your life, and you should not have to fight the insurance companies alone. Whether your crash happened on the Beltline, Capital Boulevard, or a neighborhood street in Cary or Wake Forest, Tien Law Firm is ready to help.

Call (919) 800-2000 today for a free, confidential consultation, or complete our online contact form to get started.