As a mother, you take your responsibilities toward your family seriously. After the car accident that caused your brain injury, you have struggled just to take care of yourself, and you worry about the effects on your children.
There are over 2 million TBIs per year in the United States. Brain injuries cause devastating emotional, financial and medical consequences to California victims and their families.
Types of brain injuries
Different types of head injury can cause traumatic brain injury effects. The following are the most common injuries:
- Crush injury – Opposing forces constrict the brain between them; skull fractures are common.
- Closed injury – Violent, rapid head movement can cause the brain to knock against the skull; internal bleeding and nerve damage can result.
- Open injury – A foreign object penetrates through the skull, exposing the brain; the skull breaks in this type of injury.
Even though you may have the same type of injury as someone else, each TBI is unique and needs specialized attention.
Financial costs of TBI
The cost of your traumatic brain injury will depend on primary medical care provided, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation and other services you need. For severe brain injuries that require years of treatment, costs are staggering. You face additional burdens if you can no longer work. An estimate of long-term care over a lifetime can cost millions of dollars. Even moderate brain injury costs are steep and can force families into poverty.
Medical and emotional costs of TBI
TBI effects can include mood swings, language impairment, loss of memory, partial or full paralysis, cognitive disturbances, and an increased stroke or seizure risk. A TBI can cause an emotionless personality or a highly volatile round of verbal or physical outbursts. Feelings of depression and anxiety are common. With frontal lobe damage, aggression and inappropriate behavior can occur.
Compensation options
The insurance company of the negligent party who caused your injury should cover all the costs associated with your injury. Fortunately for you and your family, you have legal options to ensure that you do not get short-changed.
In fact, because you do not know yet how extensive the changes are to your life, it is a good idea to have your attorney conduct all the discussions with the insurance company. He or she will work to get you the compensation to help with medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and the lifetime care you may need.