At Lorenz & Lorenz PLLC, our attorneys represent TBI victims in Killeen, Bell County, and the communities surrounding Fort Cavazos, including active-duty service members, veterans, military spouses, and civilian residents. If a car accident, truck collision, or motorcycle wreck caused your traumatic brain injury, you have the right to pursue compensation under Texas law. Our Killeen TBI lawyer team can evaluate your case for free and explain every option available to you.
Fort Cavazos is one of the largest military installations in the country, and TBI is one of the most commonly diagnosed injuries among service members. Many of those service members live in and around Killeen. When a TBI results from a vehicle accident or another act of negligence off duty, our lawyers can pursue a civil injury claim on your behalf.
Call Lorenz & Lorenz PLLC today for a free case review. There is no obligation, and you pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
What Qualifies as a Traumatic Brain Injury Under Texas Law?
Texas does not apply a single statutory definition of TBI for purposes of Killeen personal injury claims. The question is whether another party's negligence caused your brain injury and whether that injury produced measurable harm. If someone else's actions caused your TBI, you have the right to pursue compensation regardless of where the injury falls on the severity spectrum.
In the context of vehicle accidents in Killeen, the most common TBI mechanisms include drivers or passengers striking their head during a car accident, motorcyclists hitting pavement after a collision, and occupants of smaller vehicles absorbing severe force during a truck impact. TBI claims are frequently undervalued because the full consequences of a brain injury are not always apparent at the scene or in initial emergency records.
Our Killeen brain injury lawyer team works with neurologists and neuropsychologists to document the full scope of your injury, even when initial emergency room records appear unremarkable.
How Does the TBI Claim Process Work in Texas?
Filing a TBI claim in Texas follows the same general framework as other personal injury cases. Still, the required medical evidence is more detailed, and the damages are often significantly higher:
Step 1: Our attorneys investigate the accident. We collect the crash report, witness statements, scene photographs, and any available surveillance or dashcam footage. For truck accident cases, we also request the commercial driver's electronic logging device (ELD) records, vehicle inspection history, and carrier safety files.
Step 2: We build the medical case. TBI claims require more than an emergency room diagnosis. Our lawyers coordinate with your treating neurologist to compile diagnostic imaging (CT scans and MRIs), neuropsychological testing results, and rehabilitation records documenting cognitive, behavioral, and physical deficits related to the injury.
Step 3: We calculate damages. TBI cases often involve substantial future medical costs, long-term rehabilitation, lost earning capacity, and significant non-economic losses. Our attorneys work with life care planners and vocational rehabilitation consultants to project the full financial impact over your lifetime.
Step 4: We present a demand to the at-fault party's insurer. If the insurer refuses a fair settlement, we file suit. Personal injury lawsuits in Bell County are filed at the Bell County Courthouse in Belton.
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003 gives you two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Because TBI symptoms can be delayed, determining when the statute of limitations begins may require legal analysis.
Speak with our traumatic brain injury attorneys that victims trust before assuming your deadline has passed.
Why Are TBI Claims for Military Families in Killeen Different?
TBI claims involving military personnel follow different legal rules than standard Texas personal injury cases, and which rules apply depends on your military status and how the injury occurred. Active-duty service members face restrictions under the Feres Doctrine that can limit claims against the federal government, while veterans, military spouses, and DoD civilians operate under separate rules entirely.
Active-duty service members are subject to restrictions under the Feres Doctrine. That judicial rule bars military personnel from suing the federal government under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) (28 U.S.C. §§ 1346(b), 2671-2680) for injuries sustained in the course of an activity incident to service.
However, the Feres Doctrine does not block claims against civilian third parties. If an off-duty soldier suffers a TBI in a car wreck caused by a negligent civilian driver on a Killeen road, that claim proceeds through the Texas civil court system.
Military spouses, dependents, and veterans are not subject to the Feres Doctrine at all. A military spouse who suffers a brain injury in a Killeen motorcycle accident has the same right to file a personal injury claim as any other Texas resident.
For service members whose TBI was caused or worsened by negligent medical care at a military treatment facility, Section 731 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 created an administrative claims process through the DoD. Our lawyers can help you determine whether that pathway applies to your situation.
The overlap between the military and civilian legal systems in Killeen means our attorneys evaluate every TBI case from multiple angles. A brain injury lawyer near Fort Cavazos should understand both frameworks and identify every available claim.
Call Lorenz & Lorenz PLLC to discuss your military-related TBI claim. Consultations are free, and there is no obligation.
What Compensation Is Available After a TBI in Killeen?
TBI victims in Killeen can recover both economic damages and non-economic damages depending on the severity of the injury and its impact on daily life and earning capacity. Economic damages cover medical treatment, rehabilitation, lost wages, and future care costs. Non-economic damages address pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and the strain the injury places on personal relationships.
For military clients, calculating lost income requires accounting for military pay grades, benefits, housing allowances, and projected career advancement. A TBI that results in a medical separation or discharge can eliminate decades of expected military compensation.
Insurance companies routinely challenge TBI claims by arguing that the injury is less severe than documented or that symptoms are unrelated to the accident. Texas law is clear: if an accident aggravated a pre-existing condition, the at-fault party is responsible for the additional harm.
Our lawyers counter these tactics with detailed medical evidence and testimony from qualified professionals.
What Makes TBI Cases Involving Vehicle Accidents So Serious?
Vehicle accidents are among the most destructive causes of TBI because of the forces involved and the lasting consequences for victims. Car accidents, truck collisions, and motorcycle wrecks generate the kind of sudden, violent forces that most vehicles and their occupants cannot withstand. Our attorneys handle these cases regularly in Bell County and understand what it takes to document the full scope of a TBI caused by a vehicle collision.
In Killeen truck accident TBI cases, the force of impact from commercial vehicles weighing up to 80,000 pounds along the I-14 corridor through Killeen and Bell County is often severe enough to cause moderate or severe brain injuries.
Our attorneys pursue these claims against both the truck driver and the motor carrier. We obtain the carrier's safety records, driver qualification files, and maintenance logs as part of the investigation.
Motorcycle accident TBI cases present their own challenges. Motorcyclists lack the structural protection of an enclosed vehicle, and even riders wearing helmets can sustain serious brain injuries in a high-speed collision.
Texas does not require all adult riders to wear helmets, and insurance companies frequently argue that a rider's helmet choice contributed to the severity of the TBI. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 33.01, the proportionate responsibility system reduces your compensation by your assigned percentage of fault.
If you are found 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing. Our attorneys work to prevent insurers from inflating your share of fault using helmet-related arguments.
What Sets Lorenz & Lorenz PLLC Apart in Killeen TBI Cases?
Lorenz & Lorenz PLLC has represented injury victims for more than two decades and has handled thousands of personal injury cases exclusively. We do not practice in any other area of the law, which means every case receives full attention and resources.
We maintain an in-house investigator and work with medical professionals, accident reconstruction analysts, and life care planners who support our TBI cases from evaluation through trial.
Killeen TBI lawyers Ted Lorenz, Lesley Lorenz, and Price Ainsworth have each been recognized as Rising Stars by Super Lawyers, a distinction awarded by Thomson Reuters to only 2.5% of attorneys in Texas based on peer nominations and professional achievement. When you hire our firm, your case is handled directly by an attorney from start to finish.
One of our many satisfied clients wrote:
"Thank you so much to Lorenz & Lorenz Accident & Injury Lawyers PLLC! Steven and everyone who helped me with my personal injury case was great. I appreciate how easy and stress free this was made for me. If you’re looking for someone I highly recommend this law firm to handle your case. Ted is really on top of it!" - Kurstyn Sundberg
Results may vary. Prior case outcomes do not guarantee similar results.
Get answers about your Killeen TBI case today. Call Lorenz & Lorenz PLLC for a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions About TBI Claims in Killeen
Can you file a TBI claim if your symptoms did not appear right away?
Yes. Delayed symptoms are common with traumatic brain injuries and may develop days or weeks after the accident. Medical records showing symptom progression linked to the accident support a valid claim.
What if the at-fault driver's insurance does not cover your full TBI losses?
Serious TBIs often produce damages exceeding a single policy's limits. If you carry uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, our attorneys can file a claim under your own policy to bridge the gap.
Does military healthcare prevent you from filing a civil TBI claim?
No. TRICARE covers TBI treatment for eligible service members and dependents, but receiving military medical care does not prevent a civil claim against the at-fault party. The civil claim addresses losses TRICARE does not cover, such as lost wages and pain and suffering.
Are TBI cases worth more than other personal injury claims?
TBI cases often carry higher values because brain injuries produce long-term or permanent consequences. Future medical costs, cognitive rehabilitation, lifetime lost earning capacity, and severe non-economic losses all contribute to a larger total claim.
How do your Killeen TBI attorneys prove a brain injury was caused by the accident?
We prove causation by comparing your pre-accident medical history with post-accident neurological imaging and cognitive testing results. Our lawyers work with neurologists and neuropsychologists whose findings show whether the accident caused a new injury or worsened a prior condition.
What types of vehicle accidents cause the most severe TBIs in Killeen?
Head-on collisions, rollover accidents, and high-speed rear-end crashes produce some of the most severe TBIs. Truck accidents along the I-14 corridor are particularly dangerous due to the massive weight difference between commercial vehicles and passenger cars, which generates extreme force on impact.
Can a family member file a TBI claim if the injured person cannot make legal decisions?
Yes. If a TBI leaves someone unable to manage their own legal affairs, a spouse, parent, or court-appointed guardian can file a claim on their behalf. Texas law also allows family members to pursue a wrongful death claim if a TBI results in death.
Your Next Step Costs Nothing
A TBI affects every part of your life, and the sooner you speak with an attorney, the better positioned you are to protect your claim. Our Killeen attorneys are ready to evaluate your case, answer your questions, and walk you through every option available to you. Contact Lorenz & Lorenz PLLC today for a free, no-obligation case review.