Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) require immediate medical attention, and their effects can be life-altering. Pharmacotherapy combined with cognitive rehabilitation has the potential to significantly reduce the adverse effects of traumatic brain injuries, even months or years after the initial trauma. One question about treating TBIs often involves who should pay for it.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) stems from trauma to the head. This could be a forceful blow, a sudden jolt, or a penetrating object like a bullet. Incidents causing a TBI include auto accidents, firearm-related incidents, falls, and physical assaults.
TBIs vary in their severity and impact. Some injuries are minor enough to require no more than over-the-counter pain medication for headaches and rest. For a TBI of moderate severity, it’s essential to monitor the victim closely if they’re at home. If symptoms persist or get worse, they need immediate medical attention. People with mild and moderate TBIs should follow up with a doctor in a few days.
For a severe TBI, immediate medical attention is crucial to help prevent or treat worsening symptoms. Emergency care from first responders includes monitoring blood pressure and other vitals. Healthcare providers also ensure the patient has adequate blood supply and oxygen, and they prevent further injury to the head and neck. While in the emergency room or intensive care, the patient will receive treatment for inflammation and other injuries that have occurred.
Severe TBIs typically require follow-up rehabilitation. A head trauma can rob a person of their ability to talk, walk, or perform other functions. During rehabilitation, which continues in a rehab facility or outpatient services, the patient goes through a lengthy period of relearning basic skills to regain their quality of life.
In conjunction with rehabilitation, many patients receive pharmacological therapy, a combination of medications to manage neuropsychological problems, muscle spasms, depression, and other conditions. While it’s encouraging that TBI victims can benefit from medical advancements in this field, it’s unfortunate that many sufferers can’t afford these therapeutic interventions on their own.
Who Pays for Treatment?
The economic cost of non-fatal TBIs is over $40 billion each year. TBIs are one of the leading causes of permanent disability and death in the U.S. Depending on the severity, some patients may require medical care for several years or the rest of their lives.
Very few individuals can afford the significant cost involved with a brain injury. However, legal recourse for injuries from a truck collision, blunt trauma, or other accident in Cincinnati may help victims receive compensation for the costs involved.More specifically, there may be liability due to another party’s malicious or negligent actions.
Seeking Compensation for Traumatic Brain Injuries
If another person’s negligence or malicious intent resulted in a TBI you or a loved one suffered, you may be eligible for a settlement. Filing a claim for a TBI can lead to a significant amount of compensation. Remember that a company can also be liable if its faulty product causes injury.
A traumatic brain injury can irreparably alter someone’s life in an instant. Don’t try to take on the expenses and burden alone. If you were injured or know someone who was, a brain injury lawyer with Clements, Taylor, Butkovich & Cohen, LPA, Co., will review your case, answer your questions, and determine if you’re eligible for personal injury remuneration.