People who suffer traumatic brain injuries and the families who love them are devastated by the personal injury. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances were that caused the harm when one drills down to what it will likely take to recover and move on. Out of fear, victims and loved ones might accept a settlement that sounds like a huge amount of money. We caution anyone involved in these circumstances to step back and, with the advice of an experienced legal advocate, think carefully about the myriad issues that may apply to the family in the future.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides insight into several aspects of TBI concerns. Its perspective is based on significant nationwide data, and studies are designed to consider the lives of injured individuals, their families, society and the significant impact caring for them may have on the economy. Part of the research focuses on what is known in the medical community about the effectiveness of TBI rehabilitation.
In its report to the United States Congress, the CDC makes clear that a TBI can affect how a person feels, thinks, learns and behaves. These aftereffects are just that – effects that remain long after medical treatment and rehabilitation are considered to be complete. The goal is always to improve the overall quality of life for anyone living with a TBI. Researchers, however, report they are aware of critical gaps in treatment that, if improved, will serve to enhance the long-term success of rehabilitation.
In one year traumatic brain injuries accounted for about 2.2 million emergency hospital visits, 280,000 hospitalizations and 50,000 deaths. These staggering numbers reflect the seriousness of these life-altering, expensive, personal injuries. They have suggested the implementation of such actions as population-specific rehabilitation evaluations and in-depth study of the best timing, intensity and frequency of rehabilitation therapy for a patient. By developing service delivery models, victims and families can find better connections to the clinical services that they require to support them in their lifelong need.
While increased, fact-based knowledge is always helpful, for individuals, it will always come down to the dollars and cents needed to survive. Every situation is unique, but with careful consideration of treatment, lifestyle and income needs, solid projections that equate to proper settlement claims can be made.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Report to Congress on Traumatic Brain Injury Epidemiology and Rehabilitation,” accessed April. 01, 2015