Even weeks after a head injury, you or a loved one may experience headaches, fogginess, or mood changes that don’t match initial medical reports. Managing work, school, and mounting bills can make it hard to know if these symptoms are part of recovery or signs of something more serious.
Many in Tallahassee are unsure if they need a brain injury lawyer. This uncertainty is common, but brain injury cases are complex, and handling them alone can put your recovery and compensation at risk.
Brain injury cases are some of the most complex personal injury claims to handle. Milles Law has spent more than 23 years handling serious injury cases in Florida and across the Southeast. To learn more about the signs indicating you should hire a brain injury attorney, keep reading.
Why Brain Injuries Create Unique Legal Problems
Brain injuries are different from broken bones or visible wounds. A concussion or traumatic brain injury happens when a strong blow, or jolt, causes mild or severe harm to a person's brain.
Another challenge is that brain injury symptoms often appear or become obvious days or weeks after the accident. A crash victim in Tallahassee might walk away from an intersection collision feeling only shaken up, then later start noticing headaches, trouble concentrating at work, or forgetting appointments. When symptoms are delayed or subtle, insurance companies may argue that the problems must be unrelated to the accident or are not serious enough to justify significant compensation.
Legally, this combination of normal scans and subjective complaints can make claims more complicated. An experienced brain injury lawyer knows how to gather medical records, expert evaluations, and witness statements to clearly show the accident’s real impact on daily life, work, and relationships.
Sign 1: Symptoms That Do Not Go Away or Get Worse After a Head Injury
One of the clearest signs you should talk to a brain injury lawyer is when symptoms linger or worsen instead of fading with time. After a concussion, many people are told to rest for a few days and then slowly return to normal activities. If, weeks later, you still have pounding headaches, feel like you are in a mental fog, or struggle to follow conversations in meetings, this is not something to ignore.
Common ongoing symptoms after a brain injury can include:
- Memory gaps
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Balance issues
- And more
These problems can make everyday tasks feel overwhelming. Persistent symptoms beyond the usual recovery period may signal a more serious brain injury or post-concussion syndrome that requires ongoing care.
Insurance adjusters may downplay issues not documented in medical records, so be honest with your providers about all symptoms. Keeping a daily journal of pain, missed activities, and limitations helps a lawyer show the true impact on your life.
Sign 2: You Cannot Return to Work or School Like You Did Before
A head injury can make it difficult to perform at work or keep up with school. You may take longer to complete tasks, make more mistakes, or struggle to focus. For example, a student at Florida State University or Florida A&M University might find they cannot focus in lectures, remember reading material, or handle a full course load.
When this happens, the law allows you to seek compensation for more than just the paychecks you miss while you are completely out of work. You can also pursue damages for loss of future earning capacity, meaning the long-term impact of the brain injury on what you are able to earn in the future.
However, proving these losses requires more than a simple pay stub. A seasoned brain injury lawyer can work with your doctors to connect your work struggles to the injury.
Sign 3: Personality, Behavior, or Relationship Changes After the Injury
Not all brain injury symptoms show up in test scores or work performance. Some families notice that a loved one may become more irritable, short-tempered, or withdrawn. They might lose patience with children, struggle to tolerate normal household noise, or seem flat and uninterested in hobbies and social activities they used to enjoy.
These changes can be very distressing for spouses, partners, and children. These are classic signs that parts of the brain that control mood, impulse control, or emotional processing have been affected.
In a legal claim, these emotional and relational impacts can be part of non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. They are also some of the hardest elements to explain without careful documentation. An experienced brain injury lawyer will encourage family members to keep notes about specific incidents and patterns, so these changes can be described in detail rather than general terms.
Sign 4: The Insurance Company Minimizes Your Brain Injury
A strong sign that it is time to contact a brain injury lawyer is how the insurance company responds to your claim. Adjusters may try to downplay the severity of your injury or imply that your problems are due to stress, aging, or a preexisting condition rather than the crash or fall that injured you.
Insurance company tactics also include:
- Recorded statements: Insurers may request early statements that lock you into incomplete descriptions of your symptoms before you fully understand them.
- Broad medical authorizations: They may ask you to sign forms allowing access to your entire medical history, looking for anything they can use against your claim.
- Low settlement offers: Insurers often make quick, minimal offers in hopes you accept before knowing the full extent of your brain injury or future treatment needs.
Once you notice these tactics, handling the claim on your own becomes risky. A brain injury lawyer can take over communication with the insurance company, help you avoid statements that can be twisted against you, and make sure only relevant records are provided.
Sign 5: You Face Significant Medical Bills & Future Care Needs
Even a “mild” brain injury can generate ongoing medical expenses. After an initial ER visit in Tallahassee, you may need follow-ups with specialists, imaging, therapy, or counseling, as well as medications.
More severe injuries may require long-term therapy, assistive devices, or in-home care, and family members may need to reduce work hours. Accepting a settlement too early can prevent coverage for these future needs. An experienced brain injury lawyer accounts for both current and anticipated medical costs.
Sign 6: Liability Is Disputed or Multiple Parties May Be at Fault
Brain injury claims become complicated when fault is unclear or shared. Multi-vehicle crashes, commercial trucks, or care facility injuries can involve several responsible parties. Florida’s modified comparative fault system can reduce compensation if you’re partly at fault, and insurers may try to shift blame. A skilled lawyer ensures your interests are protected in disputes or multi-defendant cases.
Talk With a Tallahassee Brain Injury Lawyer About Your Next Steps
If you recognize yourself or a loved one in any of these signs, you are not overreacting by asking legal questions. The sooner you understand your rights and options, the better positioned you are to protect your health, your finances, and your family’s future.
Call (855) 553-3310 to discuss your potential brain injury claim and learn how we can help you move forward. We offer free consultations.