If another person’s wrongful or negligent act caused your traumatic brain injury (TBI), they might be liable for the losses you incurred due to the injury.
While no settlement can heal your brain injury, it can help you move on with your life and improve your symptoms as much as possible.
Life after a brain injury differs for everyone, so we cannot give you the exact amount of damages you might receive. The value of your losses will vary depending on your age, the severity of your injury, and other factors, such as the available insurance coverage.
If you have questions about ways a brain injury settlement can help a TBI survivor get back on their feet, contact our team at GJEL Accident Attorneys today.
1. Costs of Past and Future Medical Treatment
Severe brain injuries often require hospitalization. The United States recorded 223,135 TBI-related hospitalizations in 2019. A brain injury survivor may need an emergency medical procedure after their injury, such as:
- Intracranial procedures to relieve pressure in the brain,
- Removing skull fractures from the brain, and
- Removing a blood clot in the brain.
A lengthy stay in the hospital can quickly add up to tens of thousands in medical expenses.
Individuals who are 75 years old or older represented the largest group of hospitalizations. When someone over 75 years old suffers a TBI, they risk other injuries or receiving an infection in the hospital. These complications can result in even more medical expenses. Thus, a brain injury settlement should compensate you for current and estimated future medical expenses.
If you need an attorney to negotiate a fair settlement, contact GJEL today.
2. Rehabilitation Treatment
Brain injuries can lead to a lifetime of cognitive, physical, and emotional disabilities that impact every aspect of your life. While hospitalization for the injury will likely end, about 50% of TBI victims experienced a further decline in their daily lives or passed away within five years of their injury. The good news is that regular rehabilitation can reduce and prevent the natural health consequences of TBI. Different forms of rehabilitation for a brain injury include:
- Physical therapy,
- Occupational therapy,
- Psychiatric treatment,
- Group sessions for socialization, and
- Speech therapy.
Every TBI survivor has different rehabilitation needs. Physical therapy can help brain injury victims who struggle with mobility issues, while speech therapy can help a TBI survivor who slurs their words due to their injury.
Many TBI recovery stories start at rehabilitation centers. Your primary brain injury doctor can determine what kind of rehabilitation you need. While your medical insurance may cover portions of the treatment, it can still cost thousands of dollars out-of-pocket. Contact our office today to discuss your potential settlement.
3. Unanticipated Costs of Life with a Brain Injury
Living with a TBI can lead to unexpected issues that require adjustments and alterations to maintain a sense of normalcy. For example, if your brain injury affects your mobility, you may need to make your home handicap-accessible by installing ramps, widening hallways, and adding pieces of railing.
Some brain injuries permanently impact your ability to drive a car. Losing your driving privilege can disqualify you from many employment opportunities and prevent you from getting from place to place on your own. If you lose your driving privileges, you can include estimated transportation costs when calculating the value of your claim. Transportation costs can add up quickly when you consider your trips to see various neurologists, trips to rehabilitation therapy, and to pick up medication at the pharmacy.
While these losses may not affect every brain injury survivor, they may come into play when calculating the value of your settlement.
4. Support Your Family Financially
Sustaining any serious injury will likely affect your ability to contribute financially to your home. This is especially true with a brain injury. The costs of a brain injury can add up quickly, and the impact of these additional costs can be particularly stressful if your injury prevents you from returning to work. A brain injury settlement can compensate you for the wages you lost due to your injury and your inability to secure gainful employment in the future.
5. Counseling and Emotional Support
The impact of a brain injury is physically and emotionally debilitating. A brain injury survivor and their loved ones often experience unimaginable trauma in the aftermath of the injury. TBI victims may experience anxiety, sadness, depression, and difficulty adjusting to their new abilities.
Family members may experience feelings of guilt or helplessness. If you or your loved ones feel this way, you should seek counseling services. Counseling can help you work through your unresolved feelings about the brain injury and move on. A brain injury settlement can help you pay for counseling and allow you and your family to work through your stress and anxiety.
6. Prescription Medication Costs
Many brain injury victims take several prescription medications. Standard prescriptions for brain injury victims are:
- Antidepressants,
- Stimulants to improve cognitive functioning,
- Muscle relaxers,
- Pain management medications,
- Epilepsy medication, and
- Antiparkinson agents to increase dopamine levels.
Even though a one-time prescription cost may be minor, the expense can add up quickly when you take several medications over a long period.
Contact GJEL Today to Learn How a Brain Injury Settlement Can Help You
If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury, you might wonder how you will pay for all the unexpected expenses incurred due to your injury.
Luckily, that is where a brain injury settlement comes in. While a settlement or lawsuit cannot make your brain injury disappear, getting the compensation you deserve can help you pay your medical expenses and keep up with other payments.
Our attorneys go above and beyond for our clients, helping them coordinate their legal claims and care. We will help you get back on your feet and get your life back. Please call 866-249-2142 or message us to schedule your free initial consultation.
Visit our office nearest to you.